Revelation (Redemption of the Underworld)

by S. A. Gibbs

  My heart pounded. Shit. What had I been thinking, coming here alone? I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn’t move. My blood thrummed in my ears. I stood there frozen with fear as they headed toward me. The closer they came, the more the man wearing the hooded jacket resembled George. He raised a hand. His cohorts halted. My fingers curled into fists. I hoped he wouldn’t notice them trembling.

  “What do you want?” I took a step back and he halted. He cricked his head from side to side, the bones in his neck crunching. My stomach churned.

  “Esme wants your soul.” He lunged forward; his icy cold fingers dug into my throat. His other fist thumped into my face. “You won’t be needing that coin.” Booming laughter echoed from his decaying mouth. Dizzy, I lashed out, trying to get away. I couldn’t breathe. Blood pounded in my head and my vision blurred. A rumbling growl whooshed past me, louder than the hideous man’s laugh. He let me go and I stumbled. The blood-curdling screams of my attacker were dulled by the sickening thud of my head smacking the ground. My instinct to flee had finally kicked in, but it had come too late. I flailed around, trying to get up, but a searing flash of pain rocketed through my skull, sending me sprawling again. The side of my face hit the sandy path, and I couldn’t move.

  Disorientated by the pain pulsing through my head, I started when the air filled with a raucous howl, which was soon joined by others. Was something else coming for me? The wild song echoed close by. I tucked in my legs, hoping I wouldn’t be noticed, and the baying immediately ceased.

  The evening twilight faded to a pale gray speck and vanished.

  Chapter 11

  Lucas

  Amberleigh sported a whacking purple lump on the side of her forehead and some nasty bruises on her throat. Why the hell had she wandered down to the bridge instead of going straight home? If Ryle hadn’t called us the minute she’d left with the dog, they both might have been slain. I shivered. It could’ve ended so differently.

  I opened her eyelids. Both pupils reacted to the small penlight I flicked into them. Good, she wouldn’t need a trip to the emergency room. Her torn clothes, along with her injuries, would raise a myriad of questions, none of which I could ever truthfully answer. A sparkle of light reflecting off the coin around her neck caught my eye. It rested against the scarlet bruising. Athena always had a way of getting what she wanted. Amberleigh had the required coin for the ferryman in exchange for safe passage to the shores of the underworld.

  I glanced at my watch. Ten twenty-five. Surely Mitch and Ryle would’ve had enough time by now to dispose of the dismembered corpses in the park.

  Dragging the armchair closer to the bed, I relaxed back and sighed. Amberleigh was safe for now, and that’s all that mattered.

  She looked so serene, asleep beneath my covers. Her flame-red curls cascaded over my pristine white pillowcases. My pulse thumped and I yearned for her. She was the only woman I wanted to snuggle beside. Why did everything have to be a fight with this fiery vixen? If only she weren’t so stubborn. I couldn’t blame her, really. I hadn’t believed in the gods either, until the night I met Hades.

  He’d found me crumpled behind a tavern, bleeding like a stuck pig. My comrades had carried out our master’s orders, and I had been left to die. There was no code of honor among murderers and thieves. It was kill or be killed.

  Now, looking back at my impending death, it seemed quite apt. My role, which I’d relished at the time, was to dispose of unruly merchants upon my master’s orders. The ease of taking another man’s life boosted my confidence, and I foolishly thought it secured my position under his rule.

  I’d disposed of so many over the years that I’d lost count. But I hadn’t chosen this life. It had been thrust upon me. All it had taken was the clink of a few measly coins in my father’s hand, and my life belonged to another before I’d even turned five. And so, that night when Hades made his offer, the choice had been mine.

  Immortality in exchange for an eternity of service.

  I’m sure Mitch and Ryle had similar tales, but we never really discussed it. I was thrust into a realm of confusion, and the three of us never imagined the magical collar and chain he held would force us to transform into one beast: Cerberus, his guardian of the gates in the underworld.

  Amberleigh groaned, and I was at her side in a second. She clutched at her throat. Snatching the glass from beside the bed, I pressed the water to her lips. She took a sip and pushed it away. The grimace on her face flared my immortal flame. Damn Esme’s thugs! I looked away. I couldn’t let Amberleigh see the burning flames I knew would be there. I wanted to be back in the park ripping the heads off the corpses all over again. Taking a deep breath, I curbed my anger and then touched her hand. “I can give you a shot for the pain, if you like.”

  Her eyes brimmed with tears. “No.” Her raspy voice tore at my guilt. What if we’d been too late?

  I rubbed my brow. Surely, she’d have to give in and allow us to protect her after what she’d just endured. There was no changing the facts. She was the heir to the underworld, but now would she finally accept it?

  Chapter 12

  Amberleigh

  Lucas didn’t seem so strange after seeing those things down by the bridge. God, my head throbbed and my throat was raw. For a split second, I’d been fooled into thinking the man stoking the fire had been George. Remembering the laugh that had boomed from the thing’s rotten mouth sent chills up my spine, and I shivered. Lucas raised his head.

  “Are you cold?”

  “No,” I croaked. The light of the bedside lamp caught his eyes, and he rose from the chair, moving to the end of the bed where he pulled up the extra blanket. “I think you’ll be all right now. I’ll leave you to get some rest.”

  I bolted upright and grabbed his arm as he turned away. “Don’t leave.” My head pounded, and I instantly regretted the sudden movement. He hesitated, and I let him go to steady myself. “I’m sorry. I’d just prefer if you’d stay a little longer.”

  He frowned. “Will you at least let me give you something for the pain?”

  I nodded and he hurried from the room. I carefully lay down.

  I was wearing someone’s T-shirt, and I didn’t want to know who’d put it on me. He returned with a plastic tray containing a syringe and set it down on the edge of the bed.

  Christ! I didn’t like the looks of that needle. “You know how to give an injection?”

  He nodded. “It’ll be easier than swallowing tablets right now.” I laid my arm on the blankets. Closing my eyes, I waited.

  His weight settled on the bed, and he rubbed something cold and wet on my skin. The scent of the alcohol wipe suddenly filled my nose. I clenched my teeth. The sharp tip of the needle pierced my skin, and I sucked in a breath.

  “There, all done.”

  I opened my eyes and wriggled my shoulder, hoping the sting would quickly fade. The pattern on my arm had flourished above my elbow.

  “Are you okay?”

  I looked at him. The concern in his eyes touched me. The man with me now didn’t resemble the same jerk who’d been in my apartment last night.

  He stroked my cheek with his fingertips. His light caress sent a ripple of tiny tingles across my skin. “Close your eyes,” he whispered, “and get some sleep.”

  I couldn’t. It made the flashbacks worse. I melted against the soft, fluffy pillows, watching him. “How did you find me?”

  He abruptly rose from the bed. “Ryle called us when you left home with Rumple.”

  So Ryle hadn’t gone home. “He followed me?”

  Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Do I really need to answer that?”

  I shrugged. Probably not. “I didn’t see him at the park.”

  “Oh?”

  “In fact, I didn’t see any of you.”

  “You hit your head pretty hard.”

  Was he deliberately avoiding my questions? “Where are they now?”

  “At the park.”

  “Doing what?”

  He sighe
d. “Do we have to do this now? Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

  I shook my head. “I have an interview.”

  “Forget the job, Amberleigh!” He slammed the tray on the bedside chest.

  “What!”

  “You’re a fucking mess!”

  I thrust back the covers and stumbled over to the mirror. Fuck! My heart skipped a beat. Was that monster really me? No wonder my head hurt. The lump on the side of my forehead was huge, distorting my brow. I touched it with my fingers. It hurt like hell, and I quickly left it alone. My puffy right eye was a myriad of colors. I hadn’t really thought much about my blurry vision, putting it down to the headache. Scarlet bruising streaked my neck. I ran my fingers lightly over the scratch marks, raking my chest.

  Lucas appeared in the mirror behind me and placed his hands on my arms. “I’m sorry we didn’t get there sooner.”

  I blinked, trying to hold back the tears. “I thought I was going to die. Why did that thing want the coin?”

  “It’s the required payment to cross to the underworld.”

  My legs shook. Tears streamed down my face, and I crumpled against him. Lucas placed one arm around my back and another beneath my legs; lifting me into his arms, he carried me back to the bed. Once he’d tucked me beneath the covers, he gently kissed the side of my head. “Stay with me.” He climbed in next to me, and I snuggled into the crook of his arm.

  “You’re safe now, Amberleigh. We’ll never leave you.” My phone beeped and he reached for it. “It’s Tracey. She’s home. Do you want to call her?”

  I shook my head. What the fuck would I tell her?

  Chapter 13

  Amberleigh

  I woke alone in the darkened bedroom. A thin ray of sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains. How long had I slept? I glanced at the alarm clock. Eight forty-two. Still morning. Tracey would be on her way to work by now. I groaned. I’d have to call her at lunchtime. I reached for the bedside lamp, and, wincing, I froze, the movement igniting a new world of pain. To top it all off, my head began to pound. I gingerly drew my arm back, tucking it beneath the covers.

  Jesus, I felt like crap.

  When the pain in my body eased and the throbbing in my head died to a dull ache, I opened my eyes.

  The room definitely held a masculine touch. The dark high-backed reading chair was pulled close to the bed. Since Lucas had been with me last night, I figured this must be his room. He’d left the plastic tray on the bedside chest. Maybe I’d try and swallow some painkillers today.

  The door opened and Lucas leaned in. “Amberleigh,” he whispered.

  “I’m awake.”

  He strode to the bed. “How are you feeling?”

  “Worse.”

  He nodded. “I’ll get you a shot if you like.”

  I shook my head and immediately regretted it. “I’ll try to get some pills down.”

  “Then you’ll need to sit up.”

  I groaned at the thought, but he was right. I couldn’t lie down all day. He went to the closet and returned with more pillows. Helping me sit, he stuffed them behind my back.

  “I’ll get you that pain relief. Mitch’s making eggs. Do you think you could eat a little?”

  I hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning, and I wasn’t the least bit hungry. I already had too many worries without having to swallow more than the pills. My hand slid to my throat, and he pulled it away.

  “I’ll tell him to make them extra soft. They should slide right down. You need to keep up your strength.”

  I closed my eyes and sighed.

  He sat on the bed. My hand fit snugly within his.

  “What is it?”

  I opened my eyes, and his deep brown irises flecked with gold gazed back. “I’m disappointed; that’s all. I’ve bills to pay and my rent’s already late. I really needed that job, Lucas. What am I going to tell my landlady?”

  “You’ll tell her nothing. I’ll drop by there this afternoon and sort it all out.”

  “I can’t take your money.”

  His eyes brightened. “Why not? You did before.”

  “That’s not funny.”

  Lucas smiled. “We’ll call it a loan. You can pay me back later.” He stood. “I’ll go get those pills.” Walking to the window, he thrust the heavy drapes back halfway. “It really is a glorious morning.” Grinning, he walked out with a spring in his step.

  How could he be so different from the man I’d originally met. I realized I’d been wrong about him. He wasn’t a weirdo. I saw through his strange, quirky nature and realized he was gentle, honest, and soft all mixed up with a quirky sense of humor.

  He returned with crushed pills and a small cup of milky coffee. “It’s barely warm, so you should be able to swallow it.”

  I thanked him and tipped the mashed tablets into my mouth. Taking a small sip of the lukewarm coffee, I managed to get the pills down.

  “I need the bathroom.”

  “The pills haven’t had time to work. Are you busting?”

  “Lucas, I need to go. Can you walk me there?”

  He nodded and proceeded to assist me to hobble across the room. It took every ounce of strength I had to sit and then stand up again. Once I was tucked back up in bed, I was exhausted.

  A plate of scrambled eggs waited on the chest by the bed. Lucas picked them up, but I couldn’t stand the thought of swallowing them right now.

  “I’m too tired to eat. Maybe later.”

  He frowned and scooped some egg on the fork. “Have a few mouthfuls and then you can rest.”

  Reluctantly I took the fork from him. I didn’t want to be fed like a baby. Surprisingly, the eggs slid down my throat with ease, but after a few forkfuls, I’d had enough. He was right. I needed to get better. There was no way I could go out, considering how I felt and, even worse, the way I looked. I couldn’t even tell Tracey what had happened. Besides, no one would believe me, even if I did. I didn’t want to face an inquisition.

  I didn’t want to think about it right now. I needed to rest. I’d call Tracey around noon.

  I had to come up with a really good excuse to keep her away.

  I WOKE EARLIER THAN I’d expected. Bright sunshine still filled the room, and lying perfectly still, I listened to the quietness of the house. I must have dozed off again because when I opened my eyes, it was quarter past twelve. Shit! Tracey would already be at lunch. Looking around, I spied my phone on the other bedside chest. I took a deep breath and was surprised my body didn’t ache as much as it had earlier. Wriggling across the bed beneath the covers, I picked up my phone. I dragged over a pillow and shoved it behind my back and then leaned against the hard headboard.

  Flipping open the cover to my phone, I tapped Tracey’s picture. The trill of her phone, rang four times, before her chirpy voice answered.

  “Hi, Trace. Did you have a great time?” She babbled on about Jasper and how wonderful he’d been. And then I paused at her question.

  The flu. That could work.

  I managed a cough. “Yeah, I’m not feeling so good. It started last night.

  “No, no, don’t come over. I wouldn’t want you to catch it. Just call me whenever you like.

  “Really, I’m fine. Mrs. Evans can get me whatever I need.” It was a relief when she agreed to just keep in contact by phone.

  “No. I actually found a job.” I lied. “And luckily for me, I can work from home.” Another lie. I looked out the window. I hadn’t kept anything from Tracey since we’d first met, and I hated deceiving her now.

  “Sure, sure. We’ll catch up when I’m feeling better. Okay, bye.” God, I felt like an arsehole.

  “I thought I heard you.” Mitch ducked his head around the open doorway. He didn’t start at the hideous sight of me. He strolled straight over and plopped himself on the bed. “I know you probably don’t want to see me, but Lucas has dashed out. When I heard you wake up, I thought you might need something.”

  I felt safe with him, just like I did with
Lucas and Ryle. He’d trimmed his goatee, and I could smell the fragrance of his shaving cream. If I walked past him in the street, his angular features would certainly turn my head. “I’d love a shower. Could you help me into the bathroom?”

  “I think it would be too much for you right now. How about I run you a bath?”

  I looked at him quizzically. I’d only seen a shower when I’d visited the toilet.

  He grinned. “There’s one in your room.”

  “My room?” Of course I’d have my own room. They’d planned everything else. I held up my hand. “Don’t explain; just lead the way.”

  Supporting my elbow, Mitch led me down the hall. I glanced up at him. God, he was a huge bear of a man. Turning the corner, he opened a door, and we stepped into my room.

  It was larger than Lucas’s, with a leather couch facing a fireplace. The warm wooden shiplap walls made it feel cozy and accentuated the mixture of modern and antique furniture. An enormous pile of pillows lay artfully arranged on the huge king-sized bed. The rolled-up blinds on the windows on each side of the headboard let the sunshine in.

  I walked over to the bed and ran a hand over the soft patterned bedspread. An antique stained-glass lamp dressed each bedside chest. White, fluffy clouds outside caught my attention, and I wandered over to the window. I peered out through the squeaky-clean glass, down at what I assumed was the backyard. Mitch must have disappeared into the bathroom because I could hear water splashing as it filled the tub.

  I called out over my shoulder, “You have a pool?”

  His chuckle echoed somewhere beyond the next room. Wandering over to the door he’d left ajar, my mouth opened in awe as I entered the largest walk-in closet I’d ever seen. On the hardwood floor, placed in the middle of the room, sat a sea-green ottoman. Every wall had been decked out with cupboards, drawers, and shelves. I walked over and pulled several open. Each one held a new delight of either clothes, knickknacks, or shoes. I slowly turned around, taking it all in.