“No, no, it’s not.” Stunned, Alice looked across the coral to where Jada was sitting on the ground, holding Chloe in her arms, rocking her gently. “Esmeralda is dead, isn’t she? And Chloe?” Two women dead because of her. Dead. Just like before.
“Chloe isn’t dead yet.” Jada’s eyes were haunted. “But soon. Esmeralda is gone.”
“Oh, God.” Alice’s whole body began to shake, and her skin felt hot and clammy, despite the cold ocean. “I can’t do this.” She stumbled away from Ian, fighting against the assault of memories.
Hey. Ian moved up beside her, setting his hand on her shoulder. She closed her eyes as electricity jumped between them at the contact. It’s okay, Alice. Even angels have a right to save their own lives.
His voice was certain and non-judgmental, and Alice fought to hold onto his strength as she struggled to regroup. She had to be strong right now. They were still in a dangerous situation, and she couldn’t fall apart. You mean that? Because even if you don’t, tell me you do.
Ian brushed his lips over her forehead, an intimate gesture so tender that it said more than words would ever have communicated. He truly believed in the beauty of her soul, despite what she had just done. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his, a perfect unspoken moment of connection. Thank you, she whispered.
I mean it, and I’m not just saying that. He turned his head enough to brush a light kiss over her cheekbone, another kiss of tenderness, but this time, with the slightest hint of possessiveness that made awareness simmer inside her. Ian said nothing as he ran his fingers down her forearm, his touch probing lightly where his brand was supposed to appear.
Quickly, she opened her eyes and looked at her arm.
There were still no marks there. Nothing to connect them despite the fact that she’d just called his weapon. Ian swore softly and laid his palm over her arm, covering the expanse of skin. You calling my weapon is one of the bonding stages, he said. Only a sheva can do it. That’s the second stage that we’ve completed. There’s no way my brand shouldn’t be starting to form on your arm. It’s impossible.
And yet, it was what had happened.
An aching sense of loneliness filled Alice, and she was hit with a sudden, burning desire to have his brand on her. To belong somewhere. To be connected with a living being the way she seemed to be able to connect with him. The absence of his mark was a brutal stab of isolation and loss, a taunting denial of all she wanted to be.
She had nothing. She was nothing. She was an angel of life who could not save any living creature, even her own mother. Even Chloe.
Ian ran his hand up her arm, encircling the back of her neck. His eyes were glittering with something dangerous and possessive. I need to mark you. I don’t handle it well when my mark doesn’t show up on you when it should. That’s twice now. And still you resist me. His voice was tense, and she felt the supreme effort he was exercising to battle the effects of the curse. His fingers were digging into her neck, drawing her closer.
Excitement leapt through her, a desperate need to cleanse herself of who she was. She wanted to hide from her life, and lose herself in what he awakened within her. To feel Ian’s desire for her and pretend that it made sense, pretend she deserved it.
His fingers dug into her hair, and his mouth hovered inches from hers. His body was shaking with the effort of controlling himself, and she felt the waves of despair rolling through him as a result of the fact his brand still hadn’t appeared on her arm. The curse was strong and gaining strength. He swore under his breath, squeezing her neck even harder, promising so much unrestrained passion. Not here. Not now. But it has to be soon.
Not now? Why not now? She wanted to protest, to shout at him not to withhold the gift he offered, and then she suddenly remembered where they were: on a coral reef in the depths of the ocean surrounded by dead bodies and murderous Mageaan. Not the kind of thing a girl was supposed to forget. What are you doing to me? Horrified by the fact she’d been so consumed by her emotions and lust that she’d forgotten where she was, she jerked out of his grasp and spun around.
To her shock, every Mageaan within sight was bent low, their heads bowed toward her. She stiffened, dark foreboding settling deep inside her. “This isn’t good.”
Ian studied the genuflecting masses. They’re saluting you as their new leader. You killed their current one.
A ripple of unease went through her. Only fallen angels could be Mageaan. Had she crossed that line when she murdered? She quickly looked at her palms. In the center of one hand was a small, gray dot. The first step. The precursor to losing all that she was. Horrified, she closed her palm, jerking her chin up as she looked toward Jada. “I’m not their leader,” she said sharply.
Jada was still sitting down with Chloe in her lap. She looked weary and exhausted. “You are bound to us now. You cannot leave the water. Ever.”
Alice shook her head. “Oh, no, no. That’s not possible. I have to leave. I have to find my sister. I won’t stay—”
“You don’t have a choice. You can’t leave. It’s impossible.” Jada looked at Ian. Gone was the hostility from before, replaced by resigned understanding and bitter camaraderie. “And you, as her mate, are equally condemned. Both of your futures are dead now.” She rose to her feet, still cradling the unconscious Chloe. “Welcome to hell.”
Chapter Eight
Ian didn’t trust the beauty of the palace they’d entered. Not for a minute.
He strode restlessly behind Alice as they followed the leader of the Mageaan down a long corridor beneath the coral. The entrance had been deep beneath the vibrant reef, and the moment they’d stepped past the threshold into the undersea palace, they’d walked into fresh air. The ocean seemed to be held at the entrance by an invisible shield easily passable with one simple step. The moment they’d crossed into air, Jada’s tail had disappeared. In its place were two very human legs, long, elegant, and lean, a reminder of what she had been before being cast aside in the sea.
Along the walls were troughs of salt water, housing assorted bioluminescent fish that were casting a purple and green glow into the tunnel. Was that their only source of light, down here so deep beneath the surface of the ocean? It was ingenious, actually, given that it wasn’t as if there could be electricity or solar power illuminating the coral reef castle.
The walls were coated with vibrant plants of the most magnificent colors, and the floors were polished stone. Marble? Coral? Oyster shell? It was beautiful and magical, and he didn’t trust it for a moment.
He’d seen ethereal mist turn into women and then demon specters. He could taste the haunting poison in the air. He’d been stabbed in the kidney by a fallen angel. And he’d watched his brand fail to appear on his sheva after two bonding stages.
Yeah, he wasn’t trusting that anything was actually how it appeared to be. Beauty? Not worth the risk to notice. With each step he took deeper into the lair, his instincts grew more wary. He felt like the walls were closing in on him, stripping him of his freedom to walk away, closing off exits. Deep beneath the ocean, what options would they have if they needed to bail in a hurry? The only exit he’d seen was the one they’d left far behind. It wasn’t simply the walls that were trapping them. It was also the millions of gallons of salt water stretching for miles around them.
He moved closer to Alice and put his hand on her back, keeping her close. But the moment he touched her, all thoughts of escape were subjugated by his need for her. The feel of her body beneath his hand made a dark hunger rumble through him. Desire. And even carnal lust. He had to get her alone. He had to rebuild their connection. He had to find out what was going on with the mark. How was she blocking the bond? It was getting worse and worse to be around her, harder and harder to deal with the distance. Her distress after killing that woman had nearly sent him over the edge when he’d been unable to help her deal with it the way he’d wanted.
He had to get her alone, and fast.
The fact that they wer
e not making progress toward Cardiff was upping the stakes. Time was running out for them, and he had to find a way to get them out of there and back on track. Could Jada help? The deal needed to be closed quickly.
Yet even as he walked, pain shot through him with each step, and he could feel the internal bleeding seeping into his abdomen. He’d been able to slow down the damage from the knife in his back, but to truly mend it, he needed to go into the Calydon healing sleep for a few hours. Though many blades had cut him, that first one that had gone all the way through his kidney was the biggest issue.
Even big, badass immortal warriors needed internal organs in order to get through the day.
“We shall meet in here,” Jada said as two huge French doors swung open, revealing a massive ballroom swathed in bright light.
Ian stopped the moment he saw the massive glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, their white bulbs shining like a New Year’s Eve gala. There were no fish illuminating those suckers. It appeared to be electricity, pure and simple…but a thousand leagues under the sea? That wasn’t possible. “You have electricity down here?” he asked the question anyway, probing for answers.
Jada didn’t look back as she walked across the shell floor and set Chloe down on a red silk couch in the center of the room. “No,” she said as she pulled a beautiful woven quilt over the girl. “This retains life,” she said. “It will give her more time.” She bent down and brushed her lips over Chloe’s forehead. “Be strong, sweet girl. I will find a way to save you.”
Distress emanated from Alice, and Ian glanced over at her. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears, and her fists were clenched as she watched the exchange.
Ian touched her arm. You tried, sweetheart. Sometimes, that’s all we can do.
Alice jutted her jaw out even as she took a deep breath, reining in her regret and drawing upon that same strength that he was getting to know so well. It’s not enough.
I know. Shit, he knew that. His father’s death was evidence of that. How similar were they? He got her, and he knew that she might understand what drove him as well. Suddenly, his need to get her alone was more than lust or sex. He wanted to talk to her, find out what drove her, and tell her things he hadn’t been able to tell his teammates.
Jada’s shoulders hunched with weariness. “You like the chandeliers?” she asked, drawing his attention back to the room. “They were a gift.”
“A gift?” Ian walked under the nearest chandelier, carefully assessing the structure. There were no cords. It wasn’t even attached to the ceiling. It was simply hovering there. In midair. Emanating light. Magic? Magic, definitely. Suddenly the taint and stink of the palace became clear. It wasn’t simply magic. It was demon magic. And he knew only one wizard who played in that sandbox. Cardiff was here.
I know. Alice was staring at a small porcelain bowl on a side table. I can feel his taint. That bowl is his, too. Then she grinned at Ian, her face alight with such excitement that he felt his heart stutter. Since he’d known her, he’d seen only her tension, her fear, her worry, but in that moment, her optimism and courage was lighting up her face, making her look beautiful and alive. We’re close, Ian. They know him. They can help us.
“Come sit.” Jada rose from the couch and gestured to a long blue-green table made of coral. There was a bench on either side, and an armchair at each end. All of the items were intricately carved by hand, so complicated that they looked as if they’d been created by someone who’d had nothing else to do for too many years…which was probably the case. Not much to do down here if there were no visitors to swarm and attack.
Alice quickly sat on one of the benches, and Ian stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders.
The leader looked at him. “Sit.”
“No.” He inspected the myriad of tunnels breaking off from the main room. “I don’t trust you. I prefer to be ready.”
She raised her brows. “Eternity is a long time to be on your feet.”
“I won’t be here for eternity,” he said without hesitation.
Alice touched his hand in solidarity, the small gesture jerking his attention back to her. She gave him a small smile, and his heart almost stopped. That subtle affection was incredible. Her voluntary touch was, in some ways, far more intimate than making love had been. Fresh determination swelled through him, and he squeezed her shoulders. Deep beneath the ocean in hostile territory, they were a team, and he liked it.
Being part of a team was part of who he was, and without the Order at his back, having Alice’s support felt damn good.
“Very sweet,” the Mageaan said, but her tone suggested she didn’t agree with her words. Instead, she leaned forward, her hands clasped loosely on the table. “My name is Jada Skye. I was bound as Esmeralda’s co-leader a hundred years ago, after the existing leaders were slaughtered in a battle.”
“Bound?” Alice asked, a slight edge to her voice.
“Yes.” Jada held out her hands, and Ian saw green and blue tendrils tattooed on the backs of them. “These are my handcuffs. Ordinary Mageaan have white and gray tattoos, but the leaders are different.”
Ian frowned. He hadn’t noticed any marks on the hands of the other Mageaan. Had they already faded to the point of invisibility, etched on their spirits instead of their skin? Shit. He felt itchy at the thought, and his determination to get them out of there quickly ramped up.
Alice moved her hands beneath the table, and Ian saw her look down at them. He frowned at her actions, realizing what Jada was saying: if Alice was the new leader, she, too, would have handcuffs. Are there marks, Alice?
She didn’t answer, and his sense of danger grew stronger. It didn’t matter what was on her skin. There was no chance they were going to spend their lives eating seaweed and growing gills. “Look,” he said, no longer willing to play the polite hospitality game. “We need to find Warwick Cardiff. We know you’ve got something going with him, because his magic is all over the place here. Where is his lair?”
Jada sat up, her eyes flashing. “It is hidden in the middle of the ocean. Only those with his invitation can find it. It’s a land of dark magic, illusions, and danger, except for those who are invited.”
Ian’s adrenaline kicked on. “Can you find it?”
She shot him a look of pure condescension. “Of course I can. We are always on his guest list. We protect his island when he isn’t there.”
In exchange for chandeliers, no doubt. The call of luxury was a powerful thing for some people.
“Will you take us there?” Alice asked. “I need to get into his castle.”
Jada shook her head impatiently. “You are water bound. You can’t go onto his land.”
“Am I?” Alice set her hands on the table, and Ian could see that they were as devoid of the tattoos as they were of his brand.
Ian grinned, relieved that his mark wasn’t the only one that seemed to have trouble claiming Alice. Sometimes, elusiveness was a damned good thing. “That’s my woman. No one’s going to claim her against her will.”
Alice glanced at him, as if surprised by his statement of approval. You hate the fact you can’t claim me.
Yeah, but it makes me feel better to know that some ancient angel fate can’t land you either. He shrugged. I’m a guy. My ego needs the boost.
Alice rolled her eyes at him, but Ian didn’t miss the hint of a smile.
Jada grabbed her hands, staring in shock. “That’s impossible. There’s no way Esmeralda’s crown didn’t transfer to you. I don’t understand.”
“Join the club. Alice defies nature, that’s for sure.” Ian grinned and eased down on the seat beside Alice, no longer able to be that far away from her. He kept his back to the table, facing outward so he could spring into action if he needed to, but he kept his shoulders turned toward Alice. He leaned in close to her and took over her space, shrugging his shoulders when she raised her eyebrows at him. I can’t give you room, Alice. I need more of you, not less.
Her lips tightened, bu
t she didn’t move away, allowing his body to rest snugly against hers. It didn’t do much to assuage the need burning through him, but it was enough to keep him from dropping to the floor and impaling himself on his own weapon. For the moment.
“We need you to take us to Cardiff’s island,” he said. “Now.”
Jada laughed softly. “There is no possibility of that, warrior. My job is to protect my people. I will not endanger them by making an enemy of that man.”
“Protect them? You sent them to their slaughter against me,” Ian snapped, fresh anger surging through him at what had happened. “How is that protecting them?”
Jada’s eyes glittered. “We did not expect you to defeat us. We expected no casualties.” She looked at Alice. “Since you are not our leader, I no longer owe you respect. It changes everything.” She rose to her feet, her eyes glittering. “You murdered our leader. You will die in the morning.”
Ian didn’t bother to respond. Instead, he studied her intently for weaknesses and lies that he could exploit. There was no chance he was going to let himself and Alice die in the morning, or any other time in the foreseeable future. He did, however, need to figure out how he was going to make that happen.
“Wait!” Alice leapt to her feet, the desperate edge in her voice suggesting she didn’t have nearly the faith in Ian’s skills as he did, which bit deep. As his mate, she should believe in him even when he didn’t believe in himself. “Since I’m still an angel and not a Mageaan, the pearl will work if I offer it to you. You want it, don’t you?” She braced her palms on the table and leaned forward, her stance and tone a challenge the Mageaan could not ignore. “It could save Chloe or Esmeralda, and you know it.”
It occurred to Ian that it was time he found out exactly what was so damned special about that pearl. He’d been so focused on all the other shit that he hadn’t realized that the pearl might be a key tool for them. Alice had downplayed it as something useless, encouraging him to dismiss its importance, but he was beginning to realize that she hadn’t been all that honest about the pearl.
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