The Darkest Promise

by Gena Showalter

  He withdrew his hand, despite the nails she dug into his wrists in an effort to hold him in place. "Someone just broke her promise."

  "What are you doing? You were finally getting somewhere. Keep going!"

  Eyes like pools of sizzling obsidian, he licked his finger. "Isn't it obvious, sunshine? I'm punishing you, leaving you in a state of torment. You're going to remember the feel of my finger inside you and soon you're going to beg me for its return."

  *

  Teasing a woman into a snit had never been one of Lazarus's life goals. Until Cameo.

  After giving him her version of the finger, she returned to her horse. He hid a grin. Let her desire for him grow and fester. Soon she would become a boiling pot of lust. The steam would, hopefully, create a barrier against the demon.

  Besides, Lazarus wanted revenge. The little vixen had kept him shielded from her mind all day.

  The next time he glanced at her, exhaustion had completely overshadowed her anger. She was slumped in her saddle. Her adrenaline had crashed, and crashed hard.

  "Let's stop for the night," he called.

  The entire procession stopped. Lazarus dismounted and patted his mighty steed on the rump for a job well done.

  Within minutes, tents were erected. Viola and the children were ushered inside the biggest--the goddess insisted. When Cameo attempted to follow the trio inside, Lazarus clasped her hand and led her toward his tent.

  At any other time, she probably would have protested. Tonight she leaned against him, using him as a crutch. Her feet dragged, leaving deep grooves in the dirt.

  "Up you go, sunshine." Lazarus swept her into his arms and carried her inside. The significance of the action wasn't lost on him and it--

  Nothing.

  When he set her on her feet, she stumbled to a thick mound of furs and collapsed. Eyes already closing, she muttered, "Whatever you plan to ask me, the answer is no."

  Sleep claimed her in the next instant, her beautiful body going lax.

  "Here's a question," he muttered. "Should I keep my hands to myself tonight?"

  He eased beside her, careful not to touch her. He would personally oversee her protection. All night long.

  Her roses, bergamot and neroli scent enveloped him. His mind opened, seeking a connection with her. She'd never been more vulnerable, and he hated himself, but closing his mind proved impossible.

  Must learn more about her.

  The images he saw disturbed him. Misery plagued her, even in her dreams, filling her head with memories she probably despised. The times she'd been hurt physically. When people had called her terrible names. When friends had died. When those she trusted had betrayed her.

  She tossed and turned, unable to settle. Poor Cameo.

  Poor Lazarus. Desire for her plagued him. Only a few minutes before, her breasts had overflowed in his hands, her nipples flush against his flesh. His finger had been inside her, her inner walls nearly burning him alive. The little sounds she'd made in the back of her throat were auditory porn.

  What he wouldn't give to strip her, to feed his aching length into her, to have her nails digging into his back and her legs wrapped around his waist...

  Already addicted to her.

  For whatever reason, fate had decided she was his monomania. Or perhaps something as simple as body chemistry had made the call. Either way, the choice...pleased Lazarus. Somehow Cameo had found a direct line to compassion he'd never felt for another. Her sharp tongue and quick wit amused him. The love she had for her friends and family roused envy.

  He wanted to be the one, the only one, she turned to for comfort.

  What you want isn't what you need.

  He flashed outside the bounds of camp, not wanting anyone to know he'd left the tent, and slammed his fists into the trunk of a tree while cursing the moon, again and again. The vines shrank back in fear. Cool wind blustered around him.

  When the bones in his hands shattered, he flashed back to the pallet. Cameo slept on, unaware of his turmoil.

  When the time came, he would let her go. As planned. No matter what the cursed mirror had shown her. Because...

  The crystals in his arms and legs had thickened yet again. Now hundreds of glittering rivers branched from the hardening veins.

  Like a weakling, he'd nearly dropped her when he'd hefted her onto his lap--nearly dropped a woman who weighed less than his sword. It was laughable. But he wasn't amused.

  Cameo was far more dangerous than he'd ever suspected. Because she pleased him. Because she weakened more than his body--she weakened his resolve.

  If he wasn't careful, she would do the very thing his enemies had been unable to accomplish. She would utterly destroy him.

  11

  "Everyone is allowed to betray you once. Mistakes happen. Just kidding. No one is allowed to betray you ever. Always keep an executioner on staff."

  --Living on Your Own Terms, Damn It

  "Wake up, sunshine. Eat."

  Cameo blinked open dry eyes. Her body ached as if she'd just been in a car accident. A common occurrence. The demon had infiltrated her dreams, making her toss and turn and tense up hour after hour.

  As she studied her surroundings, she arched her back and stretched her arms over her head. The first thing she noticed--a tent made from an unfamiliar animal skin. The only furnishings? The soft white furs beneath her. A few feet away, a small fire pit crackled, smoke wafting up and out an opening in the roof.

  The scent of buttered eggs saturated the air, and her mouth watered.

  A fully dressed Lazarus pulled her to an upright position. He released her as soon as possible, as if she'd burned him. A scowl marred his rugged features, the gorgeous alpha male clearly riled up about something.

  Had Misery sunk his claws inside the warrior?

  Lazarus handed her a linen napkin and a plate with scrambled eggs. Scrambled green eggs.

  "What, no ham?" she asked.

  "We have no pigs here. Give me half an hour and I'll acquire a nice Griffin flank steak for you."

  Griffin. A gruphon in ancient Greece. Half lion and half eagle. "No, thanks." She took a tentative bite and moaned with delight. "I guess I shouldn't have pegged you for a Dr. Seuss fan."

  "Who is Dr. Seuss? A past boyfriend?" He spat the word.

  The corners of her mouth twisted. My, my, how suddenly his mood changed. "Perhaps he is. He does have a special way with words."

  Lazarus snapped his teeth at her.

  "What kind of egg is this?" she asked.

  "Sky serpent."

  Whoa! The nastiest creature in the realm had the sweetest, most succulent eggs? How was that fair?

  She swallowed another bite and asked, "Is it going to cause my intestines to explode?"

  "Only your loins. It's an aphrodisiac."

  "Well, here's to exploding loins." Cameo dug in as if she hadn't eaten in years. After licking the plate clean, she wiped her mouth with the napkin.

  Lazarus watched with savage intensity, making her shiver.

  "Ask me anything." He sat in front of her. "I'll answer truthfully, without fail."

  Did he need a distraction from his own loins?

  What would he do if she crawled into his lap?

  Resist the urge! One, he'd just offered her a gift. Learn more about him? Yes, please! And two, she needed a toothbrush stat. No reason to scare him away with her morning breath.

  What to ask, what to ask? Oh! "Why are you so determined to mete vengeance against Juliette? There were times you seemed to like her. Despite the fact that she enslaved you."

  His eyes glittered. "She did more than enslave me." His tone lashed. "Before you, she owned the Paring Rod. It does more than open portals into other realms--it cleaves spirit from soul. She used it to cleave free will from me, making me think I wanted her. But the effects were only temporary. I would read her mind and come to my senses...and she would remove my hands to stop me from killing her, buying enough time to cleave my free will once again."
/>   Horror thundered through Cameo, bringing Misery to the forefront of her mind. He attacked with lightning flashes of sorrow. Tears filled her eyes, obscuring her vision.

  Stiff as a statue, Lazarus reached out to capture a single droplet, pinched and sifted the moisture with his fingertips. "Courtesy of you or the demon?"

  "Both." She used the linen napkin to blow her nose.

  "You are too sweet and tenderhearted for your own good."

  "I so am not." She sniffled. "It's just...you suffered. No wonder you were willing to let Strider behead you." To be tricked into believing you loved someone you hated...someone who was abusing you in terrible ways...

  Cameo sprang at Lazarus, enfolding him within the circle of her arms and burying her head in the hollow of his neck. As he relaxed into her embrace, his arms wound around her.

  "I'm sorry," she said. When she returned to the mortal world, she would find Juliette. She would punish the Harpy on Lazarus's behalf.

  Payback's gonna hurt, bitch.

  "Do not challenge her," he commanded, his hold tightening. "You could be hurt. Or worse."

  He'd read her mind again, but for once, she couldn't bring herself to care. "She won't best me." The Mother of Melancholy had skills.

  "Cameo--"

  She eased to her haunches, regretfully severing contact, and turned his attention in a different direction. "If the Paring Rod can cleave spirit from soul, can it also cleave spirit from demon?"

  Misery screamed obscenities. He had no desire to escape her. Not really. Ruining her life was too much fun.

  Gripping her shoulders, Lazarus shook her with enough force to shut up the demon. A total alpha move, his strength and fervor oddly arousing.

  This time, she recognized the arc of electricity shooting through her, not to mention the warmth and awareness throbbing in different parts of her body.

  "Don't you dare try," he snarled. "If the Paring Rod succeeded, you would die. You cannot live without the demon."

  "No, I can't. Not at this time." Her head canted to the side, her scrutiny of him deepening. Her blood sang with what she assumed was happiness.

  My first taste, and it's glorious!

  "But don't you worry, darkpit. I won't allow myself to die until I've found Pandora's box and ensured the eternal safety of my family."

  He began to relax.

  "Why does the thought of my demise bother you?" she asked, and he stiffened all over again. "I'm nothing but a possible one-night stand, right?"

  "No. Yes." He leaped to his feet and paced directly in front of her. A hand tangled in his hair. "I'm going to a lot of trouble to save your life, sunshine. The least you can do is live it."

  Excuse me? "How? How are you saving my life?"

  "In this realm, the living are fair game. Had I not granted my protection, the sky serpents could have killed you a thousand times over. For that matter, the citizens could have killed you in order to claim rights to your body. They want to possess it and pass through the portal."

  She bristled at his lack of confidence. "You underestimate me if you think I'm anyone's easy mark. For that matter," she added, mimicking him, "even Viola and the children managed to survive without your aid."

  His dark gaze crackled with flames of fury. "You misunderstand. Juliette got the better of me. Me. What makes you believe you can--Umph."

  With no outward tells, Cameo had palmed and tossed one of the diamond daggers. The tip had embedded in his shoulder.

  A thick river of blood trickled from the wound. She'd known he had a heartbeat, despite his death, but the stark reminder startled her.

  Had he somehow come back to life? Could he walk through the portal with her? Excitement bloomed.

  "No," he said, reading her mind. "I can't."

  Excitement died a tragic death. "I'm not you. I could defeat Juliette with a blindfold and both hands tied behind my back."

  Lips pursed, he plucked the crimson-soaked weapon free. "A tigress roars beneath the kitten's facade. I'm glad."

  Urban whisked into the tent without any advanced notice, interrupting her next "roar." He spotted Lazarus and heaved a relieved breath. "I want to present the goddess Viola with a token of my affection. What are men supposed to give to their women?"

  How adorable. "Urban, honey. You're too young to court a woman. You can't--"

  The little boy flinched, and Cameo pressed her lips together.

  "The head of an enemy is always a nice touch," Lazarus interjected.

  What! She gave an adamant shake of her head.

  "Is that what you're going to do for her?" Urban hiked his thumb in Cameo's direction. "Give her the head of an enemy?"

  "No." Lazarus shook of his head. "I'm going to give her the heart of an automaton."

  Um, thanks? Automaton, sometimes called Colossi, were half man or animal, half metal.

  "In fact, I'll be gone the rest of the day." He strapped two short swords to his back. "In order to pass through the portal, a sacrifice must be made. In order for four people to pass through, a large sacrifice must be made. Automatons are big enough for an army."

  "I'm going with you," she said. No way could she remain quiet.

  Why? You cannot help him, Misery whispered. You're a woman. The weaker sex. You'll only hinder him.

  Lies, only lies. She'd trained. She'd toppled kingdoms. She'd survived seemingly endless rounds of torture. She'd been knocked down, but had always gotten back up. And that--that was true strength.

  "No," Lazarus said, his tone intractable. "I go alone."

  She met his narrowed gaze and raised her chin, knowing she portrayed the very picture of stubbornness.

  She wasn't the only one.

  He considered himself strong enough to defeat an automaton without aid, and he probably was. But she wouldn't let him risk his life--or death--without risking her own.

  Viola stomped into the tent, Fluffy directly behind her. "All right, I'm tired of listening at the door. I can get us into automaton territory and to the portal by the end of the day."

  Heart hammering against her ribs, Cameo jumped to her feet. Part with Lazarus today?

  Too soon!

  A muscle ticked beneath Lazarus's eye, and she wondered if he'd had the same thought about her. "No."

  "Hello, Viola." Urban waved at her before executing a graceful bow. "How are you?"

  The goddess gave him an odd look but waved back. "Isn't it obvious? I'm as awesome as always."

  "How can you get us to the portal?" Cameo asked her, ignoring Lazarus. The more time she spent in his presence, the faster her resistance crumbled. The sooner they parted the better.

  "Uh, hello. I'm the goddess of the Afterlife. Perhaps I know shortcuts through the spirit realms." She waved her fingers at Lazarus, the ring on her thumb glinting in the light. "Perhaps this allows me to leap between the realms, put us in automaton territory, then directly in front of the portal home. Who's to say, really?"

  Lazarus took a step toward her, a tower of menacing aggression. "I want the ring. Give it to me. Now."

  Viola shrank back, even as Princess Fluffikans and Urban jumped in front of her to block his path.

  "The ring is mine," the goddess said. "I stole it fair and square."

  "Don't make me take your head," the little boy told Lazarus. He popped his knuckles. "I'll do it. Won't even hesitate."

  The Tasmanian devil screeched. He was a nocturnal creature. Mornings were not his friends.

  "No one is taking anyone's head, and no one is stealing anyone else's jewelry. And everyone is going to knock before entering Aunt Cam's dwelling, wherever or whatever it happens to be. Starting today. Understand?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Viola, concentrate on me and not your reflection in the ring. Good girl. Now answer a few questions for me. You've had the ring all along? Why not mention it before? Can you use it to take us home?"

  "Yep. Had it all along. And I didn't mention it because I knew Lazarus the Selfish and Greedy would attempt to claim it." Sh
e toyed with the ends of her pale braids. "And no. I can only use it to take us into other spiritual realms."

  "Give me the ring. Of your own free will," he added. "Consider it payment for the slaying of the automaton."

  Viola fluffed her hair. "I'll be slaying him on my own, thanks. I've got mad skills. And I can always use him as a shield." She hiked her thumb in Urban's direction. "I'll survive and return home. You can explain to Mr. and Mrs. Maddox why their son is dead."

  "Hey!" Ever stomped into the tent, the color in her cheeks high. "I'm the only one who can use my brother as a shield."

  "Here's the thing," Viola said to Lazarus, ignoring the girl. "If I give you the ring, you'll leave me behind. That's a problem. I want to see the automaton's home."

  Lazarus spread his arms, acting like the last sane man in the universe. "You want to die, then."

  Okay, this had gotten out of hand. "If you give him the ring, Viola, you can go with us. You'll soon be leaving the spirit realms, anyway, so you won't need the ring. Correct? Urban, Ever. Stop crying. You're staying here with the guards. The adults are going out to do some adulting."

  She steeled herself for a slap of lust and met Lazarus's gaze. "You. Help us get what we need and I'll kiss you goodbye."

  *

  Cameo brushed her teeth with a brush and paste Lazarus gave her, and bathed in a basin he filled with ice-cold water. Refreshed, she changed into a T-shirt and jeans provided by the goddess.

  Apparently Viola had used her portal-opening ring last night, fetching hundreds of T-shirts she'd had made weeks before, planning to give the too-small garments to everyone in the realm. Every shirt had a different message, but every message meant the exact same thing.

  I Heart Viola.

  Team Viola.

  If I Can't Have Viola I'd Rather Have Death.

  I Hung Out with the Goddess of the Afterlife & All I Got Was This Amazing T-shirt.

  Lazarus used the time to pet his new ring and sulk about...Cameo wasn't sure. Did he wish she'd donned the I Dream of Jeannie outfit? Was he pouting about having company on his automaton-heart mission?

  Did he not want Cameo to leave him?

  The thought electrified her, and for once, nothing Misery did to counteract the sensation affected her. Her blood continued to simmer, her bones to vibrate.

  Slay an automaton, kiss Lazarus goodbye.

  Cameo joined the warrior, Viola and Princess Fluffikans outside the tent. Sunlight glared from an unforgiving sky. Thankfully sky serpent wings spanned a great distance and cast the perfect amount of shade.