“I am.” Was that pride in his tone?
“The position won’t save you. Leave now or suffer.”
“I’m not the one who will suffer.” He waved the gold blade.
The lover struggled against her bonds, uncertain what was happening around her, and Poseidon slapped her on the side of her buttocks, his gaze remaining on Baden.
“I’m here to return the necklace,” Baden said. “A gift from Hades. In exchange, you’ll agree to back him in the war against Lucifer.”
“I’m...interested. We have much to discuss.” Poseidon pulled from the girl, swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, reaching for a robe.
“Slow and steady. My grip is loosening.”
“I’m sure,” was the wry response.
Behind him, banging sounded at the door. The guards had been alerted and would bust in at any moment. Obviously the king of the sea had no desire to chat, only to stall. Baden doubted a mention of Pandora would do the trick.
Take care of him, before we rage.
He almost—almost—conceded control to the beast. His methods were madness, but they were quick and the results undeniable. He released the scythe, instead, and the blade flew at Poseidon with a speed for the record books. Slices appeared on his face, chest, and thigh, beads of crimson welling.
Tried to be diplomatic. Failed.
Baden opened his hand and the weapon returned. “You’ll vow to back Hades in the war or I let the blade devour you. The choice is yours. Either way, you have five seconds to agree. One.”
Bang, bang, bang.
Poseidon lifted his bloody chin. “I won’t be forced.”
“Two. Three.”
“Lucifer has offered me your head on a silver platter if I aid him.”
So. The bastard was playing every angle.
The door at last burst open and armed men—on legs—rushed inside the room. No one took a shot at Baden. Yet. They surrounded him, awaiting the command from their king.
“Four.” Baden popped the bones in his neck, preparing for battle. And he wasn’t the only one. The tips of his fingers burned, and the marks on his arms writhed, the shadows rising.
Poseidon noticed and scowled. “Tell Hades I would be honored to aid him.”
27
“All of my friends are bitches. Including the men!”
—Gillian Bradshaw
—MOMMA! DADDY!—
The words bounced through Katarina’s mind, courtesy of the pups. She was still in the backyard, though she’d been in the process of heeding Baden’s request and herding her group inside. The excited cry had stopped her.
“Where?” she asked, spinning.
—Beyond the wall!—
Seriously? She scaled the tree to get a peek at—oh, wow! An entire pack of hellhounds glared at her. And she knew they were hellhounds. They were massive, as big as horses, and all different colors. Some were solid while others were speckled. All had fangs—lots and lots of fangs. Their tails were long, coiled like whips and resting on their backs, ready to strike.
Maybe—hopefully—they were impressed with Katarina’s courage. After all, she didn’t soil her pants or faint. Yet.
All the hounds were clearly older than Biscuit and Gravy—who should probably be named Blood and Shed.
Trembling, she climbed down. The pups leaped at her feet. If the pair wanted to return to their pack, she would understand. And cry. Mostly cry. There was another burn at the backs of her eyes as she crouched down, and this time...yes. Moisture actually trickled down her cheeks.
She’d built a family here. Even as mad as she’d been at Baden, they’d built a family here. And now her family was going to be ripped apart. Again!
“So.” She petted the tops of their heads. “That’s your momma and daddy out there, huh?”
—Momma! Daddy!—
“They are good to you? Don’t hurt you?”
—Love!—
“How were you separated from them?”
—Sensed the bad man. Wandered off, even after Momma said to stay.—
They’d sensed Hades in Baden, she realized. And the pack would never forgive Hades for his crimes—understandable—which meant they would never accept Baden—a travesty—which meant they would never accept her. A gut-punch!
“Why didn’t you tell me before? I could have helped you find your parents.”
—Didn’t want to leave you. Never want to leave you.—
“Sometimes what we want isn’t what we need.” Her tears flowed more freely as she wrapped her arms around the dogs. A hug goodbye.
Some of their excitement drained.
—Not goodbye! You come! You come!—
“No, babies,” she said gently. “I can’t go with you. I have to stay here.” Had to fix things with Baden, once and for all. He and the beast needed her, and she kinda sorta...loved them. Loved them more and more every day. Every hour. Every minute. They were the center of her story. The only path to her happily-ever-after.
I have to give my guys another chance, don’t I?
“I have to stay here,” she repeated, and this time she meant it with every fiber of her being. “Baden is my man, and he needs me.”
The pups shook their heads no, adamant.
—You come! You come!— Frantic now.
The tears raced down her cheeks.
Be strong. The words she’d had to tell herself every time one of her dogs had gone to live with a new family. “Your momma and daddy miss you very much. You’re going to be happy with them.”
—You come! You come!—
A sob burst from her, and she buried her face in their soft, sweet-smelling fur. She cried for what she would lose today, and for what she’d already lost. Her parents and Peter, and the boy her brother had once been. She cried as she realized it was okay for her to live. To feel the emotions her loved ones couldn’t.
She hiccupped when she calmed and told the pups, “I miss my mom and dad so much, and if I could bring them back, I would. You’ve been given a second chance with yours, a brand-new story. I won’t stand in your way.”
As she wiped away their tears, she almost broke down again.
“Well, well. If it isn’t my little wife and her new pets.”
The hated voice drove her to her feet. Her gaze landed on Aleksander. He stood a few yards away, black-clad guards lined up behind him, blocking the door to the house.
Stay calm! A command for herself, and for the pups. Baden had taken precautions, had placed cameras throughout the realm. Surely Galen and Fox had—or would—spot the intrusion and sweep in to even the odds.
Biscuit and Gravy growled, and an answering growl rose from her. Maybe Katarina had disapproved of Baden’s methods for disposing of his enemies, but there were two things she’d always admired about him: he stood up for himself, and he never backed down.
I’m done cowering because of Alek and his threats. The only power he has over me is what I allow.
I am strong, and now I’ll prove it.
“How did you find me?” she demanded. “How did you get here?”
“Finding you wasn’t easy. I knew I had a wife, but couldn’t recall her name. Until Lucifer helped remind me.”
Bastard!
Alek stepped toward her, only to stop when the pups issued another warning.
Each of the guards—can’t be human, too big, too menacing—raised a big, angry-looking gun and aimed at the animals.
She placed Biscuit behind one of her legs and Gravy behind the other. Stay. “Don’t hurt them,” she shouted at Alek. “They’ve done nothing wrong.”
He grinned coldly at her. “But you have, haven’t you, princezná?” He didn’t wait for her reply, but added, “Because of your failure
to pick the lock or find the key needed to free me, I had to promise the coin to Lucifer. In exchange, he’ll give me an army and a kingdom under his. I won’t be a king, merely a prince. Today is just a taste of my reign.”
Or he’d been tricked. “If Lucifer truly has such amazing power, why aren’t you a prince right this very second?”
A flicker of red in the depths of his eyes. “I have yet to reveal the coin’s location. I insisted on a visit with you before I fully align with him.”
No, there was more to it than that. Lucifer hadn’t liked Katarina’s refusal to bargain, and he wouldn’t want to risk her alliance with Hades. But given Baden’s bands, there was no way around that. Except through her death.
Why not send Alek to see to the deed, since he’d controlled her in the past, without giving the human/immortal hybrid what he wanted?
Is today the end for me? Even with her newfound strength, she couldn’t take on all these men. Not on her own.
Well. If she went down, she would take Alek with her.
—Bad people. Bad people die.—
The pups spoke into her mind, and the desire to fight bombarded her. Her gums and fingers began to burn.
Alek frowned, as if he sensed something about her had changed but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. “You,” Alek told her while taking another step in her direction, “will be my concubine, not my wife. I know you gave yourself to the redhead—”
“You told me to!” she couldn’t help but remind him.
His hands curled, reminding her of hammerheads. Was he imagining hitting her? “Therefore, you’re no longer worthy of bearing my name. I hereby disavow my claim to you.” He stretched out his arm and waved his fingers at her. “Now come.”
If she refused, would he murder the dogs?
Can’t let his actions affect mine. Won’t back down. Not again.
She had enough regrets in her past. No reason to add more.
“I’m not going with you, blázon.” Crazy man. She threw the words at him like daggers. “Not now, not ever. You disgusted me before the wedding, and you’ve disgusted me every day since. You’re a worm, destined to be food for others.”
His nostrils flared as he took another step forward. The pups pawed the ground—and they weren’t the only ones. Her foot slid over the grass of its own accord.
Growls sprang from every direction.
Gasping, she spun. Hounds were now perched all along the wall. They’d climbed? Jumped? The hairs on their backs were raised, creating lethal-looking spikes. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck were raised, as well. Their tails were uncoiled and sticking straight up, braided ropes hanging from the ends.
Fear radiated from the guards, their hands trembling.
“Hold,” Alek snapped.
In a situation like this, fear had the potential to take over, causing the guards to strike before orders were given.
“Don’t you dare shoot the animals,” she said with a tone sharp enough to draw blood.
Alek glared at her. “Or?”
—Attack?—
“Or I’ll tell them to rip you apart piece by piece.” Mmm. Piece by piece. The perfect buffet. She licked her lips at the thought, only to blanch. Eating an opponent would never be an option.
Pale as a ghost, Alek shouted, “Shoot them. Shoot all of them. No survivors.”
Oh, hell no!
“Attack!” she shouted, launching forward. Halfway, her fangs and claws sprouted fully. She wanted Alek’s throat in her mouth, and she wouldn’t stop until she had it.
Oh, goodie. Eating an opponent was an option.
The first gunshot boomed, many others following. Too many to count. But she wasn’t hit—no, she moved too swiftly, able to watch the bullets fly and easily dodge. The same must have been true for the hounds, who swarmed the yard, beating her to the men.
* * *
Blood. So much blood. A sea of it. A never-ending ocean.
Screams echoed in Katarina’s ears, despite the quiet that had descended over the yard. The bloodlust had left her only a few moments ago. Now she stood in place, her feet like boulders, her legs quaking. Carnage surrounded her.
Here, there, everywhere were severed limbs, heads and organs. The horde of hounds still gorged, chomping on the different body parts.
How many men had she bitten?
Alek lay before her. He was still alive, but that would change at any moment. Or maybe not—he’d regrown the hand Baden had removed. He wasn’t human, and had never been. When she’d bitten him—again and again—she’d sampled the power in his veins. Dark power.
He reached for her, his hand juddering. “Help.” He was missing a leg and his torso was split open, what was left of his intestines spilled out beside him.
“The coin.” How she spoke past the lump in her throat, she didn’t know. “Where is it?”
“Help,” he repeated. “Please.”
“Tell me what I want to know, and I’ll help you.” Just not the way he probably hoped.
A tear trickled down his cheek. “My mother was...fallen angel. My father...human... I was going to die one day...she forced me to kill her...to take the coin and...hide it inside my...body.”
His body. The coin was still in there, perhaps even acting as life support. Which meant, if she removed it, he would lose his life, his only bargaining chip and his new kingdom all at once.
“Help.” He choked on a gurgle of blood. “P-promised.”
“You’re right. I did.” Steeling herself for what needed to be done—no other way—she dug inside his chest cavity, searching for the coin. “Don’t worry. Your pain will end.”
He fought her with what little strength he had left. Too little too late.
In a chamber of his heart, she encountered something hard, cold and round. She had to tug to remove it, breaking a few of his ribs, but his protests ceased, and his head lolled to the side.
He was dead. Once and for all. She felt no relief.
She stared down at her bloody palm, at the quarter-size piece of gold Alek had killed and died to possess. How could something so small and pretty cause so much trouble?
She couldn’t allow anyone else to find it or use it and perhaps aid Lucifer. Or Hades. Not even Baden. He’d grown to like Hades, and even she had to admit he was the lesser of two evils. The beast was trainable; Lucifer, who wanted Baden to embrace darkness, was not.
The problem was, Hades had once eradicated hellhounds. He couldn’t be allowed to take another shot at them.
Maybe...maybe she could use the coin to protect the dogs? But what if he punished Baden for her daring?
Then again, if she used the coin to save Baden, severing his tie to the king, Hades could punish the hounds.
If she wished for immortality, she might be strong enough to protect both Baden and the hounds. She might not.
Every option presented a major risk. She needed time to think, to consider all the pros and cons.
A paw scratched at her thigh. One of the dogs sat in front of her, his dark eyes intelligent, stormy—and locked on her. He had long, thick scars on his muzzle. One of his ears was missing. His speckled fur was matted with blood and fleas.
—I am Roar.—
“I’m Katarina,” she replied softly.
—The pups are mine. I am father. Werga is mother. We...thank you.—
The appreciation was unexpected and unnecessary. “They are wonderful—” If she said “dogs” would he take offense? “Pups.” As he’d called them. “I loved every minute I spent with them.”
—Agree they are wonderful, but they have done the unthinkable. Drank your blood and shared theirs with you.—
They had...yes, they sure had. She remembered tasting pennies when she’d awoken from their bite. But..
.what would that mean for them? Would they be punished? “The fault is mine. Any repercussions are mine to endure.”
—They knew our rules. You did not. No links. Kill what you taste. No survivors. No witnesses. Ever.— His mouth pulled back in a scowl, revealing his fangs. They were a lot bigger than hers. —The three of you are linked and will remain so...until death.—
“My death, I’m guessing.” Her dry tone clearly surprised him, but she’d had one too many death threats lately. This was just more of the same.
—No, girl. You misunderstand. Your death would bring theirs.—
What!
“Katarina!” Baden’s voice sawed through the tension.
She spun as new growls rang out, her heart seeming to soar and drop at the same time as she stuffed the coin in her pocket. “Don’t hurt him,” she shouted. “Please. He means you no harm.”
—He is yours?—
“He is.”
—He smells of another pack. A pack we thought long dead.—
Biscuit and Gravy had mentioned the fact that Baden smelled like Hades. And if Hades smelled like another pack... Was Hades connected to hellhounds?
Maybe. But if the male were, in fact, bonded to them, he would have died when they’d died. Yes? Unless...had he found a way to sever the bond?
To her shock, the dogs remained in place, simply watching Baden as he stalked across the sea of carnage to reach her.
His hair stuck out in spikes. His skin was bleached of color, but his eyes were brighter than ever, a frothing mix of fury and concern.
“Are you all right? You’re bleeding. Why are you bleeding? And you’re fucking crying?” He wiped his thumbs over her cheeks, collecting her tears. “What have they done to you?” He whipped his attention to Roar. “I’ll kill you in ways you’ve never imagined.”
The promise earned him another chorus of growls.
Katarina gripped his forearms and forced his attention to return to her. “I’m fine.” For now. “The blood I’m wearing belongs to others. Alek is dead.” She motioned to what remained of her tormentor’s body. “See for yourself.”
Baden glanced down at the motionless husk, silent for a moment. He withdrew a dagger, crouched down and sliced through Alek’s neck, until the head detached. “Now the bastard can’t regenerate.” He straightened. “But why the tears?”
The Darkest Torment Page 38
