Forged by Fate (Entangled Embrace)

by Reese Monroe

  Theo paused, drawing in a cleansing breath, seeking out his Mate. She ran on foot less than thirty minutes ago, so she couldn’t have gotten far.

  Unless someone took her while she was out on her own.

  Damn, his healing slumber was so deep. Had Justin gotten Theo awake sooner, they could have been that much closer to Sadie.

  “What’s wrong?” Justin asked.

  “What?” He glanced around.

  “You growled. You sense something?”

  “I did not.”

  “Actually, you’ve been doing that a lot lately. Possessive much?” His brother ducked behind the car as if expecting Theo to throw something at him.

  Hardly. But he was right about the possessive comment. Theo had every right, though. After nine centuries of waiting for his Mate, he’d finally touched her. Grazed his fingers along her neck.

  Too bad he’d scared her into running away.

  “Hello?” Justin’s voice sliced through his reverie.

  He threw his leg over and kicked the bike into action. “Follow me.”

  Theo pitched forward with the Camaro close behind. The sun had set hours ago, which left many shadowed areas for Sadie—and demons—to hide.

  He’d sensed none nearby, lucky for them, but he barely registered a blip on his radar for Sadie. That was concerning in its own right.

  He went north and proceeded to do a loop around the small campus. The town’s population was only forty thousand, yet it was spread out. An engine roared and Justin’s red sports car came alongside him.

  “Anything?” he shouted over the noise.

  Theo shook his head. And at that instant, the cold vibration he knew so well slid down his spine. Flashes entered his mind in rapid form: long fangs, fire, and granite.

  Shit. Sadie was in Hades.

  Instinct demanded he veer right. Hackles raised, he nearly skinned his knee he took the turn so sharply. Too sharp for Justin to follow. He’d have to catch up.

  Theo wasn’t near a gate to enter Hades, and if a demon hadn’t created a splice, he’d have a bit of a drive to get to a gate.

  “Where?” he whispered to The Great One.

  The pull was intense, as if a magnet drew his bike. The scent of rancid milk, sulfur, and dirt ransacked his senses.

  “Lead me,” he said again. “Your will be done.”

  A dark sliver within the void of night opened ahead of him, smack in the middle of the road. He held on to the handlebars and drove in.

  Considering that splices only opened to bring a Gatekeeper to the location a demon breached Hades, the fact that one opened for Theo to get to Sadie led him to believe she was in serious trouble.

  Darkness encapsulated him, but he forged onward. He’d made this trip millions of times, but this time it wasn’t to send a demon back to Hades.

  It was to retrieve his Mate.

  Pity anyone who got in his way. Wind whipped by, pounding in his ears louder than a raging river. The stench of sulfur clogged his senses.

  He opened his mind, searching for Sadie. Through the thick, pungent evil, he sensed a breath of fresh air. A light.

  A pure soul that didn’t belong in this darkness.

  Orange flames flickered into his awareness, and he let off the throttle. To his right. Yes. She was close. Her heartbeat was fast. Anxiety rolled through the air, slamming into him.

  Very close.

  Jagged rocks and granite burning red-hot from the flames flanked him, creating a narrow tunnel. Only the roof of this tunnel was an endless orange sky.

  Hold on, love.

  He didn’t sense they were hurting her at the moment. But if they had, he would rip this place to bits.

  “Theophilus.” It was Aggie’s voice floating in the air like a hushed whisper. “How nice of you to visit.”

  Theo glanced behind him. The rumble of his bike’s engine vibrated the air, a haunting sound. He wasn’t familiar with this part of Hades that he could tell, and he’d seen much of it. Splices to locate demons on earth stayed open until the vanquish was complete for Theo to return home. Hopefully, this unique splice did the same.

  A whiff of vanilla teased his nostrils. But it was quickly followed by the foul stench of fear. Anger. Desperation.

  Finally, the end of the ceiling-less tunnel came in sight. Seven demons formed a semicircle around Sadie with Aggie standing in the center. Aggie’s red eyes flamed.

  One demon held Sadie by the neck and shoulder, nails digging into her tender flesh.

  A roar burned through Theo’s throat and rushed out his mouth. One push off the bike, and he was airborne, aiming straight for Aggie, who smiled and vanished, only to reappear beside Sadie, dagger to her throat.

  Theo’s fangs dropped and blood burned through him as his muscles tightened, preparing for battle. No, they would feel his wrath. Judge, jury, and executioner were the three words to describe Theo.

  Yet he’d sentenced and convicted Aggie three times, but somehow the demon continued to return to earth.

  Theo froze, reading the situation. The demons hadn’t moved. And they wore ceremonial garb. No, sacrificial garb.

  Shit.

  “You will unhand her.” Theo calculated the odds of his super speed. Was he fast enough to get to Sadie without harming her too greatly? She’d been through so much recently.

  So much she’d run from him.

  And once again, he hadn’t protected her. That pumped his blood three notches hotter than it already was. His muscles twitched, begging for action. To kill.

  “Such a beautiful, fragile human.” Aggie smiled and brushed his knuckles along her bare shoulder.

  The one with Theo’s brand. The Mark they shared, declaring them Mates. Showing all males she was not available.

  Even humans, though they didn’t know it.

  Sadie tensed and fixed her stare on Theo. He opened his mind to hers but saw a fury of thoughts raining down. He couldn’t quite grab one to hear completely. Wait, she was running through scenarios, options to get herself out of the situation. Yes. His woman was strong. She’d fight.

  He widened his stance, inching his hand toward the dagger perched at his hip. But if he got one to her, could she wield the Mavet since they hadn’t mated yet? Normally the Mates couldn’t until—

  Trust her.

  The Great One’s voice was calm yet piercing. Yes. He would trust her. She was strong. Stronger than even she knew. She could handle the Mavet.

  “Aggie, you really are daft, aren’t you?”

  The demon hissed.

  “My woman would never be fragile.” Theo grinned slowly, praying to The Great One that Sadie understood he needed her to fight. To use her skills as a black belt and her strength as a Shomrei Mate. “You know what that means?”

  He nodded at Sadie and silently said, Be ready.

  She winked.

  Actually winked.

  This might work.

  He tossed one of his daggers toward Sadie while he sped at Aggie, pulling out the second dagger from his thigh holster.

  Sadie snatched the weapon from the air and sliced at the claws holding her.

  One dive forward had her rolling on the ground. Theo easily plowed through the first wall of demons that swarmed in front of her, and then jumped over her as she rolled away from Aggie.

  Theo sank his dagger in Aggie’s neck.

  Wait, it wasn’t Aggie. Instead, it was one of his minions. The creature flopped onto the ground, foaming at the mouth. Theo whipped around and found Sadie engaged with a giant demon. His nails sparked against the blade.

  “Stab them anywhere,” he yelled as he charged the scuffle. The rest of the demons fled.

  But he knew they wouldn’t be gone for long. They’d be back, and in greater numbers.

  Sadie pierced the demon’s thigh, and it sagged to the ground.

  “Now that’s just not fair,” Justin said from the distance. “She can handle the Mavet and your Companion can’t.”

  Sadie jumped awa
y from the demon that lay immobilized on the ground, black blood oozing from his wound. She flattened her back against the jagged wall, which had to hurt, yet she didn’t flinch.

  So strong.

  With wide eyes, she seesawed her focus between Justin and Theo. Sweat poured down her face, though it didn’t appear she had any bruises. Or cuts.

  “You might want to call in your fangs, brother,” Justin whispered.

  The adrenaline had been pumping so fiercely he’d forgotten. Instantly, he called his supernatural side in and faced his Mate.

  “Come here, Sadie.” He offered his hand. He didn’t like her in such close proximity to the demon. He recognized this one. He’d sent the bastard back here centuries ago. “Sadie.”

  She jumped to the side, not toward Theo. No, it looked as if she wanted to melt into the granite to get farther from him than she already was. Of course she’d be scared. She had seen his fangs. Shit.

  “I won’t hurt you.”

  She stopped as if considering her options.

  There weren’t any.

  He had to get her out of here, and she had exactly five seconds to get to his side so he could take her away from this place or he would speed to her and get her himself. Those demons would soon return with stronger numbers.

  “Am I dead?” she whispered, as she continued to inch to the side, looking at the paralyzed demon.

  “No, love. Please, come to me. I’ll get you out of here.”

  Justin flinched and glanced upward, his nostrils flaring. Theo, too, smelled the demons approaching. What a score to kill the Gatekeeper’s Mate, or at least try.

  “Look, Sadie. I know you’re scared.” Justin edged toward her. “But we need to go. Right now.” He offered her his hand as Theo had done.

  And she ignored it just as she had Theo’s.

  A snarl ripped through the air, and she flinched. Knees bent, hands fisted, she looked up. Theo sped to the demon and retrieved his dagger, then leaped in Sadie’s direction.

  Amazingly, she tracked him, because when he approached, he saw her wide eyes.

  “Sorry, love, time’s up.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Theo slammed into Sadie with such a force she feared her ribs cracked. His relentless grip around her waist held her steady. Each step he took, which she could barely register because he moved so fast, sent a jolt of raging energy through her until she figured her hair would burst into flames.

  She lifted her head to see where they were going.

  “Try not to move, love.”

  “Don’t call me that.” She craned her neck more to see.

  His bike. That black thing of beauty lay on its side among the granite walls and flickering flames. That’s right, he’d leaped off it when he’d seen her surrounded by…demons. Shit, they were demons, weren’t they? She was in hell right now.

  He’d come to get her in hell on his motorcycle? Just drove it on in, kicked ass, then rode out?

  “Go. I’ll buy you some extra time,” Justin said.

  Clashing metal rang through her ears. She dared a look back and found Justin engaged with four hideous creatures. They didn’t fight with daggers, though, like Justin.

  They used their claws…and fangs, judging by the snap one made for Justin’s arm. Theo slowed, and before she could register it, she sat astride the bike with him in front of her.

  “Hang on.”

  She must not have reacted quickly enough because he reached back and yanked her arm around his waist. “Now.”

  She twined the other around and latched her hands together. The engine roared, and they lurched forward toward a tunnel. No, a darkened hallway.

  Blooming orange clouds formed in the sky above them, but the dark walls on either side went up forever.

  She’d fallen into a nightmare. Literally. And she held on—for dear life—to another creature. Nothing like the fanged-out monsters who’d kidnapped her, but not human, nonetheless.

  Superfast. Superhuman strength. It didn’t escape her how those creatures cowered when he’d stridden in to where she’d been detained. She’d heard them gasp.

  Power wafted off this being she held on to so tightly. He scared her more than anything she’d ever encountered. Yet so far, all of his actions had been focused on her. Saving her.

  “Justin!” His voice bellowed off the walls.

  “Meet you at the entrance!”

  The bike raced forward so fast, the darkness blurred into nothing. Silence filled her ears despite riding such a powerful vehicle. And the wind whizzing by her should have made some sort of noise. But she heard nothing.

  She’d often taken rides to clear her mind, to relax, or just for the rush of speeding up and down the curvy mountain roads, but at this moment, it wasn’t working to settle her.

  She buried her face in Theo’s back and squeezed her eyes shut. Everything in her world had changed. Starting four days ago with the marking, and now this. Whatever this was.

  Hell. Creatures. Whatever Theo was… She felt her life slipping away, changing beyond repair. She’d been set, had her future planned out. She was even set up to have two weeks off after graduation and before starting her new job to investigate a lead in Colorado about her parents.

  Shit!

  “You can open your eyes now,” he said.

  She did and saw that trees surrounded her. Faint light from a pole a distance away didn’t do much to cut through the darkness.

  His powerful legs held the bike steady in an empty lot just off Hiseman Street. Holy hell, they were only a mile from campus.

  She gulped down the panic congregating in her throat. What to say? What could she say?

  A warm hand massaged hers where they were clamped together, resting against Theo’s firm stomach.

  “I’m sorry, love. You’ve been thrown so much so quickly.”

  She yanked her hand from his touch and leaned back. “Don’t call me that.”

  His body tensed, but he said nothing. He tilted his head back and drew in a deep breath. An uncomfortable silence weighed on her. So many questions whirled, yet she couldn’t grab one. More like she didn’t want to hear the answers.

  It was too much.

  “Are you injured?” he asked.

  She took mental inventory. “No.”

  The creatures had threatened to pierce her with their nails but never did. She glanced at her forearm, which hours earlier had been sliced nearly to the bone.

  She shivered. Midnight in May, though in the low desert there was still a chill in the air.

  Theo reached behind and tugged her hand so she leaned against him. She flexed, resisting.

  “I will not have you shivering. Use my warmth.”

  “Take me home.”

  “I can’t do that, love.”

  So much for him not calling her that.

  “You rescued me only to hold me hostage?” Her muscles tensed, preparing for a fight. She’d handled herself against those creatures back there, even stabbed one. “What were those things?”

  “Demons. Vanquished to Hades for eternity.”

  “Obviously not. The one with the red eyes who seemed to be bossing around the others came and got me.” He’d appeared directly in front of her a quarter mile from campus. He’d moved so fast and so unexpectedly she’d had no time to fight.

  “I’m not sure how Aggie gets out. I’ve banished him three times now.”

  “Aggie’s a wimpy name for a demon.”

  He laughed, and his entire body vibrated the bike. The sound caressed her ears like a familiar tune she’d heard her entire life.

  “He hates it when I call him that. His name is Agares. He was a vicious human and is even more so as a demon.”

  “I’d say.”

  “But you weren’t cut? They didn’t harm you?” He peered over his shoulder. Swirls of orange circled his black pupils. His chest swelled and jaw clenched as the air around him vibrated with electricity. Power.

  “No.”

  “
You’re not to run again, you hear me?” He pivoted at the waist, and she was able to get a better look at him, at least what she could see in the dim light.

  “Well, shit. What’d you expect me to do? You—” Black lines on his neck caught her attention. “Hey. What’s that?” She nodded to his neck.

  He held her gaze for another long second, then shifted his attention to her lips. Her heart hammered at the intensity of his scrutiny, and she felt an unexpected twinge of desire.

  In one swift motion, he scooped her up and settled her on his lap so she faced him. Heat steamed her cheeks with embarrassment, and she palmed his chest to keep distance between them.

  How’d he move that fast? And he lifted her as if she weighed less than a rag doll.

  “Let me show you.” He tugged down the neckline of his dark T-shirt and revealed a tattoo. One exactly like hers. As in same size, same…everything.

  She was pretty sure he hadn’t had that when she first saw him in the diner. No, it didn’t just appear. Did it?

  The corner of his mouth curved upward. “Be calm, love.”

  She huffed.

  “My Mark etched into my skin when we made contact.” Finally, his curving lips formed a brilliant, full smile. It filled his face, lit his eyes, and she realized his spiced cinnamon scent overwhelmed her. It beelined for her stomach, too. In the most pleasurable way.

  She shifted back. Distance. She needed distance. Straddling him so intimately wasn’t right. Yet it was, and she felt it all the way to her core.

  No! This was not happening. What she felt was because of what had just happened. He couldn’t just barge into her life and boss her around.

  “Sadie,” he said.

  Her name sounded absolutely perfect coming from his full lips, which shone as if he’d just licked them. Smooth, tawny skin reflected the moon above. He damn near glowed. She shook her head free of the thoughts.

  “Do you remember?”

  As if the question triggered it, the memory of when she’d touched him at the campus security offices came storming into her mind. He’d grimaced while holding her, but not until she wove her arm around his neck. Their skin touched. She remembered the silky warmth of it, and the ends of his hair tickling her forearm.

  “I see you do.”

  She slid a lazy gaze over his firm jaw, along the curve of his neck, where she saw the beat of his pulse through his thin skin, to the tattoo.