by Becca Van
“She was right.” Paser said. “We only ever consume blood if we lose too much. We aren't vampires, sweetheart.”
“Okay. Sorry for all the drama.” Nina's taut muscles relaxed now that her mates had affirmed she wouldn't need to survive on blood. The thought of doing so made her feel ill.
“You have no need to apologize, baby.”
Paser released her when she wiggled to get down.
“Promise me something.” Pen snagged her waist so she couldn't walk away.
“What?”
“If something is bothering you, come talk to us. Please?”
Nina nodded and smiled. “I will.”
“Good.” Pen slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her passionately. Nina kissed him back just as hungrily, and if she hadn't heard voices, she would have started tugging at his clothes. She was horny and needed her mates, but it looked like she was going to have to take a raincheck.
Pen released her lips and Paser immediately stepped in to kiss her, too. By the time he let her up for air, she was wet and aching.
“Hi, Nina.” Zara smiled and hurried over to her as she entered the room. Set and Sab followed close behind, as did Nehi, Menna, Mitry and Weni.
“Hi.”
“How are you feeling?” Zara asked.
“Great.”
Zara surprised Nina by hugging her. When she stepped back, she scrutinized her intently. “You look so much better. We were all worried about you.”
“Apparently, but as you can see, I'm better than normal.”
“It's amazing, isn't it? The underlying energy buzzing through your veins.”
“Yes, it is. It's going to take a bit to get used to.”
“You will. Before you know it, you'll be out and about with your mates and the rest of us.”
“I hope so.”
Zara winked at her. “You will. Did you get the mark of Ra?”
“What mark?”
Zara pulled the edge of her tank top down, exposing the top of her breast. Nina's mouth dropped open when she saw the eye of Ra on her new friend's skin. It looked just like the tattoo her mates had. Zara lifted her top back up and then did an about-face. Nina moved closer when she saw the image of a falcon tattooed into Zara's left shoulder blade. Her gaze moved to the woman's right shoulder blade and another tattoo-like mark. She studied it closely and saw the eye of Ra was also underneath the falcon and there was also a faint outline in white of what looked like an angel.
“That is so cool,” Nina whispered and touched the tattoo mark with her fingertip. A jolt of heat shot through her body and she shuddered before quickly removing her finger. The power surge she'd felt had been so phenomenal it had nearly brought her to her knees.
She glanced over at Pen and Paser to find them staring at her, but when she noticed they were both smiling, her frisson of fear dissipated. Obviously, they were used to feeling such things, and since they weren't concerned about it, she wouldn't be, either.
“Show me yours,” Zara said.
“My what?”
“Your mark.”
“I don't have—”
“I'll bet you twenty bucks you do.”
Nina pulled the hem of her shirt away from her body and her mouth dropped open when she saw she also had the eye of Ra on the top of her left breast.
“Told you.”
Nina turned so her back was to Zara. “Do I have…”
Zara tugged the neck of Nina's shirt back toward her, nearly strangling her, but she didn't care about a little discomfort. She wanted to know if she had the mark on her back, too, but she wasn't about to reveal her body to the other men in the room. She didn't think her mates would be too happy if she stood in front of everyone in just her bra.
“Yep, same as mine.”
“Why do we have an angel and our mates don't?”
“I don't know. We'll have to ask Ra next time he comes for a visit.”
“He visits?” Nina gulped and her belly fluttered with nerves.
“Yeah. Don't worry, though. He's cool.”
“If you say so.”
“Nothing?” Pen sounded astounded.
“What’s going on?” Nina asked as she and Zara walked over to where the men were chatting.
“We didn't find any demonic.” Zara frowned.
“That's good, isn't it?”
“Not necessarily,” Set answered.
“Why not?”
“There hasn't been a night in our five thousand years as sentinels where we haven't had to fight at least one shadow demon,” Mit explained.
“So maybe you're winning,” Nina said.
Sab shook his head. “No. More likely, Apep and his minions are planning.”
“Why here?” Nina asked.
“What, baby?” Pen slung and arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him.
“Why are you based here, in Utah?”
“For some reason, this area has always been the demonic's playground,” Wen replied.
“Yes, but why?”
“That's a good question,” Mit smiled at her before gazing at everyone else. His gaze stopped on Set. “And I think it's one we need to find the answer to.”
“Maybe you could ask Ra?”
“Ra only ever tells us what we need to know and nothing more. Sometimes his answers just give us more questions,” Nehi said.
“So you think that Apep is building an army?” Nina asked, and while she hoped she was wrong, the knot of dread in her gut said otherwise.
“Maybe.” Paser scowled.
“We’ll be ready for them,” Set said.
Nina hoped that he was right, but she couldn't shake the bad feeling in her stomach.
Chapter Twelve
Paser hated leaving Nina back at base each time he and Pen went out with the other sentinels in search of the shadow demons, but he was grateful that Zara had volunteered to keep her company and help to train her how to fight.
It had been a week since Nina had been transformed, and each day she was getting stronger and stronger. Now that he had her, he never wanted her out of his sight, but he couldn't shirk his duties because he was feeling overprotective.
What worried him, though, was that the shadow demons had been quiet. Too quiet. They had only encountered one demon or possessed human a night, and even though it was great to not have to fight as much, he didn't like it.
“There's something coming,” Pen murmured as they headed back to the base. “The hair on the back of my neck won't go down and my gut’s telling me not to let my guard down.”
“Yeah, I feel the same way.”
“Let's go see our mate,” Pen said before he sprinted away. Paser took off after him. He was eager to hold Nina in his arms again. He needed to make love to her until she screamed with pleasure. There was nothing more arousing than having Nina come around his cock or hearing her cries of pleasure. He smiled and adjusted his hard dick to a more comfortable position.
He would be holding Nina in his arms very soon.
* * * *
Nina couldn't believe how much progress she'd made in her training in seven days. She and Zara had spent each and every night sparring and sword-fighting with each other, and she felt as if she were ready to go out and fight at her mates' sides.
“You're a natural.” Zara lowered the sword to her side. “I think you handle that sword better than I do.”
“I don’t' know about that.” Nina placed her sword back in the rack on the wall.
“I do. I haven't been able to break through your defense once and you broke mine twice.” Zara sighed and pushed her hair back from her face before glancing at her watch. “The guys should be back soon. I'm going to have a shower before they get back.”
“Me too.”
“I'll see you in a bit,” Zara said before heading out.
Nina glanced about the room and shivered. The gym was bright because of the fluorescent lights overhead, but all of a sudden she felt as if it were full of shadows, darknes
s. Just as she started to get scared, the lights flickered and then went out.
She edged toward the doorway but stopped when she thought she saw something move in the far corner of the room. When she squinted to try and see what it was, all she could see was black. Fear made her heart pound in her chest and her legs began to tremble. She tried to push the fear back down and convince herself she was only imagining things, but she'd never been afraid of the dark before.
Ice and heat warred in her body and she began to inch her way back to the hallway again, keeping her eyes on the corner. She was no more than five feet from the door when it slammed behind her. The lock engaging was so loud she jumped and nearly fell onto her knees.
A cold breeze brushed over the back of her neck and she whimpered but quickly shuffled away toward where the swords were hanging on the wall. She chanced a glance back over her shoulder toward the now-closed-and-locked door and froze when she saw black, wispy shadows swirling in the air. Now that she'd mated and been transformed, she didn't need a light on to see. It had taken all of five seconds for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light, but right now she wished she couldn't see a thing.
There were at least five shadow demons in the room and she was scared spit-less, her mouth as dry as the most arid desert on the planet. She managed to get to her feet and her fingers were inches away from the sword, but she was too late. The shadows were on her before she could take her next breath, and though she opened her mouth to scream, nothing came out.
Evil, oily blackness enfolded her in its clutches and she couldn't even draw in another deep breath. Her chest was so tight if felt like it was being crushed, and the pain as those five shadows encased her whole body in their hold and tugged at her chest was pure, unadulterated agony.
Pain shot up through her knees when she landed on them on the floor, but she hadn't even felt her knees buckle. She was burning alive from the inside and yet she was also so cold her bones were aching.
She tried to move, but she couldn't break the shadow demon’s hold and she was fighting a losing battle. Tears streamed down her face, and while she was terrified she was about to die and wanted to scream, she couldn't. She remembered that Zara was in the building, too, and hoped the other woman wasn't aware the demons were here. She didn't want her new friend to be hurt or end up dying, too.
Pen's and Paser's face shimmered in her consciousness, and as she fell to the floor face-down, she prayed they would be okay and continue to fight and live without her. Then everything went black.
* * * *
“Something's wrong.” Pen rubbed at his chest and ran faster. “Nina!”
Paser and Pen overtook the other sentinels and barely stopped to open the door to the base. Pen ignored the burning in his palm as electricity surged through his body. Although it hurt like hell and would have normally brought him to his knees, it was inconsequential to what he was feeling coming from his mate.
“They’re inside,” Paser shouted before following Pen along the hallway. “Where is she?”
“The gym.” Pen stopped at the door, turned the handle and pushed, but the door wouldn't budge. His heart was hammering in his chest, and he was filled with rage, but he was also scared out of his mind. Their mate was in trouble. He needed to get to her, protect her and make sure she was okay.
“Stand back.” Pen moved across to the far side of the hall and then ran straight at it. His shoulder slammed into metal, and though it hurt like a son of a bitch, he wasn't giving up.
“Let me try. One after the other.” Paser shoved Pen aside and then aimed at the door. Again and again they battered on the metal, but it wouldn't budge.
“Zara!” Set and Sab yelled at the same time, but Pen ignored them. They needed to get the fucking door open.
“What's wrong?” Zara came out into the hallway.
“Thank God,” Set said.
“Let me try,” En nudged Pen aside and kicked at the door with his foot right next to the door handle.
“Where's Nina?” Sab asked.
“We were in the gym. She was going to have a shower. Oh god, are they here?”
“We think they have Nina, baby,” Set said.
“It's not working,” En said in a growly voice.
“Can you feel her?” Pen asked Paser, blinking rapidly when the back of his eyes burned.
“Yes, but she's getting fainter,” Paser yelled. “What the hell are we supposed to do? How can we save our mate if we can't get to her?”
Zara walked up and stopped in front of them, reached out and touched their arms. “I know you’re worried and scared, but you need to calm down. You can't go in there half-cocked. You'll end up getting yourselves killed, and what good will that do your mate?”
“We need to get to her,” Pen yelled and took a deep breath when he realized he was being unreasonable. “I'm sorry.”
“Don't apologize. Calm down and then use your brains.”
“Move out of the way,” Men said as he shoved through and moved up close to the door.
“What…” Pen didn't finish his question because he already had his answer. Men was prying the pins from the hinges.
He held his breath until his lungs began to burn and pulled in a gasp of air. The moment the pins were removed, Pen expected the door to move, but it remained fast. Men rose to his feet and pushed against the metal, and again it didn't move. The fucking door should have opened as soon as the last pin had been extracted.
“Pen,” Paser whispered as he slid down the wall to his ass. “I can't feel her anymore.”
Pen staggered and went to his knees. The tears he'd been holding at bay welled and flowed down his cheeks. “Nina!” he roared with grief and rage. The emotions were so overwhelming he could barely keep himself together. He felt like his heart, soul and body were being ripped in half. He was only vaguely aware of Zara’s quiet sobs and sniffles.
* * * *
Paser didn't care that his face was wet with his tears, the pain in his chest was agony, but he couldn’t give up, couldn't believe that Nina was dead. Just because he couldn't feel her through the connection, that didn't mean she had died. It couldn't, because there was no way he would be able to survive without her. He sat on the floor, drew in a couple of deep breaths and pictured his mate’s beautiful face, the love and warmth he felt whenever they were together and the love he held in his heart for her.
At first, her face was a little blurry, but as he concentrated on the emotions, the love he had for her, her face became clearer. He reached out, grabbed his friend’s hand and hoped Pen could feel and see what he was. If they could reconnect with Nina's heart and soul, maybe they could save her and get her back.
* * * *
Even though her eyes were open, she could see nothing but thick blackness. Her teeth were chattering together and she was so cold her nose was running. If she could have seen, she would swear that she would able to see her breath puffing out each time she exhaled.
Nina didn't think she was in the gym anymore, but she wasn't certain. However, she was aware of the cold, hard floor beneath her body, and she could hear a steady drip, drip, drip. Was she in a cave? Maybe a dungeon or a jail?
Other than breathing, her teeth clicking together involuntarily, and blinking, she couldn't move. Her chest felt like she had an elephant sitting on it and if she didn't know any better, she would swear she had broken limbs. All she could remember was those terrifying shadows wrapping around her and then total oblivion.
Nina wanted to go home. She wished she was in bed between Pen and Paser, safe and sound, but she couldn't wish away her nightmarish reality no matter how much she wished to. She tried to ignore the scrapes, shuffles moans and screams as best as she could, but no matter how hard she tried to push those sounds to the back of her mind, they kept seeping through.
The air near her head shifted and she blinked when she saw two large, shiny black boots stop right in front of her eyes. A scream trapped in her throat when a cruel hand grabbed a handful o
f hair on the top of her head, and then she was lifted from the cold, hard ground.
Her breath was rasping in and out of her mouth as adrenaline and fear surged through her veins, but she still couldn't move, and because of that, she couldn't flee or fight. The moment her eyes connected with those evil, soulless ones, her body began to quake even more. Her bladder was full and for a minute she wondered if she would piss her pants.
A hysterical bubble of laughter erupted from her mouth, and while she tried to quell, it she couldn't stop it. All the time she was laughing, she was cursing her insanity.
Way to piss off the demon god, Nina. You have a real death wish.
“Silence,” Apep roared so loudly her eardrums vibrated with pain, and when she felt trickles of fluid leak out of her ears, she wondered if they had busted. “What do you find so amusing? Don't you realize the peril you're in?”
“Duh,” Nina said and then gasped. She didn't know when she'd gotten her voice back, but she was glad she had. If that was the only way she could fight then so be it. “You're a dickhead.”
Apep chuckled and then full-out laughed. She had no idea what he found so funny but she ended up laughing, too. Not because she found her situation amusing, but because she knew if she didn't laugh, she would be screaming and crying with fear. This guy and his minions had already seen enough of her terror and didn't need to see anymore.
“Ra is going to kick your ass.”
His laughter grew louder and he dropped her to the ground before doubling over as his mirth continued. When he finally stopped, he grabbed her arms and hauled her to her feet. He must have been controlling her body because she was able to remain standing.
“You reek of those sentinels. Did they fuck you? I'll bet a few of my minions would love to get between your spread thighs.”
“You're sick.”
“You dare to say such things when you’re in such a precarious position? I could snap your neck with the snap of my fingers.”
“So what?” Nina said. “You do your worst. I don't care, but the sentinels and Ra won't give up until you and your followers are wiped from the earth and hell. Love is what makes the world go around, not power, greed or violence. I feel sorry for you, Apep. You are so evil you wouldn't know love if it bit you in the ass.”
