“No.” She ran to him. His head was slumped forward, his long black hair covering his face. He didn’t move, didn’t answer. His breathing was shallow, labored.
She spun around. “What have you done to him?”
“He defied me. This is the price he paid.” She sneered. “You can blame yourself for his condition. He took this punishment to keep you safe. You failed him, made all he’s suffered for nothing, because now he will watch you die.”
Mia barely managed two steps before she was grabbed and thrown roughly onto the bed in the center of the room. The male she now realized was a demon pulled her arms and legs wide and tied her down. When he stepped back, sick anticipation covered his face.
The sadistic monster who’d spent several lifetimes making Zenon’s life a living hell stepped forward, and this time when she smiled, she let her pointed teeth peek past her full lips. “Time for the real fun to begin.”
Helena fucking him up more than he already was wasn’t Zenon’s only problem, because right then his mind was playing tricks on him. He could smell Mia. Smell the woman he craved with every fiber of his being. He sucked in another breath and his gut tightened.
Tilting his head, he listened for movement but couldn’t hear a thing. Not when his pulse pounded so hard it felt like someone was playing a fucking drum solo against his eardrums.
Helena wasn’t in the room, he knew that much. A low buzz vibrated over his skull, the same feeling he got whenever she used her powers. She was in one of her trances somewhere else in the penthouse. He could feel the difference in her power, like she was on a different frequency. In that state, she could communicate with the demons she hoped would help her overthrow Diemos, could get in their heads. She wasn’t aware of much when she was like that, so she’d have herself locked away in one of the rooms, have it well warded.
He tried to lift his head but it was a complete fail. His skull felt like a dead weight hanging from his neck. His limbs screamed in protest at being stretched out too long, and his muscles spasmed and knotted, sending sharp stabbing pain to his joints.
He licked his dry, split lips, and a groan slid up his throat.
Yeah, Helena was pissed. And she’d made sure he was fully clued in. He’d never seen her so full of rage. Not only had he refused to service her, but her power over him had failed. When she’d shoved him down on the bed and pumped him full of her toxic lust, his dick had remained lifeless, hanging between his legs. He’d stayed silent, letting his body show her how much she repulsed him, which had sent her into a tantrum of mass proportions.
Refusing her probably wasn’t the best idea considering what he had planned, but there was no way in hell he could touch that bitch, not after Mia.
This had better fucking work.
A faint sound made it past the blood rushing through his head. He concentrated on breathing through the pain, and his head began to clear. He heard it again—a whimper. Locking his knees, he tightened his protesting muscles and forced his head up.
The blurry outline of someone came into view. Someone was on the bed. Blinking rapidly, he worked at clearing the dried blood from around his eyes. They stung and watered, but cleared enough to see who lay there.
No. His legs collapsed from under him and agony shot through his shoulders. He shook his head. Please let this be a nightmare, a goddamned hallucination.
Mia.
The sound that tore from his throat was pure animal, raw and untamed, his demon taking control of his vocal cords in a roar that rattled the windows.
She was tied to the bed, at Helena’s mercy. One of her filmy robes covered most of Mia’s body, but it had ridden up to about mid-thigh with the way she writhed on the mattress, barely aware of her surroundings.
Zenon could smell her fear as well as the heavy scent of her arousal, could feel the deep pulsing beat of her need hitting him in the groin in heady waves. His dick answered instantly, growing heavy and hard, his balls tightening. She thrashed, trying to press her thighs together, but the restraints stopped her.
“Mia? Princess, talk to me.”
She spun to face him. Relief made her sag against the mattress before another sob broke free. Now that he could see her better, he saw the tears running down her face, soaking the hair at her temples. “Zenon. I’m…” She stopped suddenly, a moan gasping past her lips. The helpless look on her face fucking killed him.
“Mia,” he roared as he bucked against his restraints.
Panic flared behind her wild eyes, and she shook her head. “No, please, not again. I…I don’t want…” Her pale skin flushed pink and she squeezed her eyes shut, her swollen lips parting like she did right before she… “No, please no,” she sobbed.
Oh fuck no.
Her body bowed, convulsing almost violently. She cried out as if in pain. The orgasm tore through her strung body, racked her small frame with tremor after tremor. When the last moved through her, she lay there shaking with her silent tears.
He called her name, but she wouldn’t open her eyes. “Mia, please, look at me.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to…I…he’s making me. Oh God, I think I’m going to be sick.” She lifted off the bed as much as she could with her arms and legs tied down, and turned away, heaving repeatedly.
He? Zenon looked around the dim room, and a growl ripped from his chest when he spotted Amen, the sex demon from the club, sitting by the door, his uninjured hand down his pants, stroking his dick while he watched Mia. Zenon had been so focused on her he hadn’t even noticed him in the room. He was using his power on Mia. Zenon could feel it this time.
Somehow he’d escaped the compound.
“Stop,” he roared.
A grin spread across the demon’s face.
“Don’t you even fucking look at her.”
“Nice to see you’re awake, drudge.” He didn’t stop stroking himself. Having another audience member only seemed to increase his excitement. “See how your female comes for me? See how badly she wants it? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful. But she’s suffered long enough.” He looked back to Mia. “Shh now. I know how it aches. I’ll make it all better.”
Zenon fought so hard he felt his shoulder pop out of the socket. “Touch her and I’ll cut off your balls and make you fucking eat them before I slit your skinny throat.”
Amen stood, jeans undone around his hips, still working the turgid flesh jutting from his body as he moved toward the bed. “Well, you’re not really in a position to make threats, now are you? I was waiting for you to wake so you could watch me put her out of her misery.”
Zenon tugged harder at his restraints, ignoring the pain screaming through his body, the way his raw flesh tore from his wrists and ankles. Mia was struggling, blood leaking from beneath the ropes tying her to the bed.
This couldn’t be happening. Being here was supposed to ensure Mia’s safety. He’d come here this one last time, taking the only chance he’d get to gain his freedom—to be with the female he loved.
He watched Amen stand beside the bed and run his fingers down her bare arm. “I feel as though I already know you so well.” He pulled Zenon’s cell phone out of his pocket and dropped it on the bedside table. “I’ve enjoyed our little chats back and forth.”
Zenon growled and continued to fight, tried to break free, but it was hopeless—he was hopeless. He had failed her in the worst possible way.
The bones in his hand shattered when he pulled against the steel restraining him with every bit of remaining strength. He barely felt it, his entire focus locked on Mia.
She turned her head away from the demon at her side and held his gaze. “I love you,” she whispered.
Zenon cried out, his heart shredding into a million pieces. She didn’t look away from him as Amen climbed onto the bed beside her, her hollow stare desolate, broken. Zenon’s frantic struggles were useless. He couldn’t get free. He couldn’t save her. And as the demon moved to cover her, his soul screamed, rendering him wide
open.
Mia flinched.
She’d heard it, too.
Chapter 19
Below the waist, she was swollen and hungry—above the waist, her stomach revolted and she was on the verge of throwing up.
Her body had been taken hostage, and Zenon would be forced to watch as that creature used her.
“You ready for me, honey?” The bastard cupped her face, but she refused to look at him and kept her gaze locked on Zenon. As soon as she got the chance, she planned to scratch his eyes out.
He ran a finger down the side of her face. “You’ll enjoy what I do to you. I promise you that.”
She shuddered and started to retch again.
Anger welled up inside her. Her power stirred, tightening in her chest, but something forced it back, locked it down. She cried out.
The bastard laughed. “Your powers are useless here,” he said to her. “Isn’t that right, Zenon?”
Zenon roared again, his struggles so violent the steel frame bolted to the ground shook.
She swallowed back her sob and held Zenon’s wild gaze.
He howled like a wounded animal, a helpless beast, as his eyes flashed between yellow and black. His face contorted suddenly and his fangs burst from the top of his mouth, extended long and white and sharp down over his chin.
She heard Amen suck in a breath.
Then suddenly, he was gone, and the sound of Amen’s body colliding with the wall came next.
Whatever spell he had over her lifted and she sagged back.
Gentle hands moved the flimsy fabric of her robe down to cover her, and Zenon broke eye contact, looking at whoever stood beside her.
A tall male stared down at her, expression filled with concern. “You’re all right now,” he said to her. His voice was deep, gentle.
In her shocked state, she noticed he was handsome in an odd kind of way. His wide black eyes looked at her with a tenderness that softened what she imagined could be hard features. He wore a beautiful suit and shiny black shoes. She knew this man. He’d helped her the night of her attack. He began to untie her, being careful of her damaged skin.
“No one will hurt you again. I promise you that.” The fierce way he said it made her believe it was true.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Zenon gasped out.
Stumbling to her feet, she tried to go to him, but her legs gave out from under her. Her rescuer scooped her up in his arms and held her protectively to his chest. For some reason, she didn’t fear this man. He’d helped her twice now. “Please, untie him.”
His brows drew together. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I can’t do that.” She started to struggle, tried to push away, get to her feet, and go to Zenon, but he was strong and tightened his hold on her.
His big body stiffened, and seconds later the door was opened and Helena breezed back into the room, her silky dark hair swinging around her waist. Her sharp gaze took in the scene then narrowed on Mia’s rescuer. “Marcus.”
“Are you happy to see your brother alive and well, Helena?” Sarcasm dripped from his voice.
“Of course.” The sneer on her face said the complete opposite. This was not a happy reunion. “Sneaky as always, I see.”
Marcus inclined his head, a humorless smile curving his lips.
“You can’t have her,” Helena said, waving her hand in Mia’s direction.
“You can’t stop me, and you know it. We’re closely matched, you and I. In fact, I’m pretty sure I have the advantage.” Her eyes flared. “But if you want a fight, I will happily oblige.”
She stepped forward, and lifting a beautifully manicured hand, picked up a lock of Mia’s hair, studying it like the red strands held some kind of answer. “Why?”
“Mia is my daughter.”
Her father? Oh my God. Her father was alive.
The bitch sucked in a breath, the hatred that flared sharp enough to cut her to the quick.
Realization moved over her face, and her glare slid to Zenon. “She can sustain you?”
Zenon didn’t answer.
Hatred rolled off Helena in waves. “If I let you keep your daughter, you must give me your word that you will not come after Zenon. He is mine and he stays with me.”
“No.” Mia started to fight again, but he restrained her with no effort.
“I will agree to your terms with one caveat: you will leave anyone with my blood in their veins alone. You go against me on this, and I will find a way to kill you.”
Mia gasped for oxygen, agony gripping her chest at the thought of never seeing Zenon again, of leaving him in the hands of that monster. She dug her nails into the arms banded tightly around her, trying to break free. She fought and screamed, hysterical in her need to get to him.
“Mia.” The strength in Zenon’s voice broke through the haze and she looked over at him. She took in his ravaged face, his swollen lips, the pain in his yellow gaze. “This is how it must be.”
“No. You can’t mean that.” Her words were barely coherent past her sobs.
He looked down. “Take her away.”
Without another word, she was carried from the room. She watched over her father’s shoulder as the bitch, a woman she now knew was her aunt, smiled coldly. Zenon’s head remained down, his hair obscuring his damaged face. His body sagged in the steel frame again, lifeless. She called to him, but he didn’t look up.
Another sob tore from her throat as she fought to get free.
Helena closed the door.
Oh God. She’d never see him again.
Mia was bundled, fighting and screaming, into a waiting limo a short time later. The man who claimed to be her father climbed in after her, trying to subdue her.
She grabbed at him and tore at his jacket. “Please, go back for him. We can’t leave him there.” She was crying, her words almost unintelligible.
He gave her another one of those sympathetic looks. “You must trust him.”
“W-what do you mean? What aren’t you telling me?” She’d gotten a glimpse of that woman’s powers. How could anyone best her?
“Please, Mia. You need to calm yourself.”
She gripped his arm tighter. “The man I love is in the hands of pure evil, and you want me to be calm?”
He ran a hand through his black hair. “He knows what he’s doing.”
Mia looked across at Marcus, her father, and forced herself to slow her breathing and her still racing heart. They’d been driving around the city for several hours. He refused to let her out because he didn’t trust her not to go after Zenon on her own. Which was perceptive. She knew she couldn’t win, but she couldn’t just sit by and do nothing either.
He also wouldn’t give her the damned answers she wanted.
“Tell me,” she tried again. “Please.”
“You need to trust that Zenon knows what he’s doing,” he said again for the millionth time.
Mia threw up her hands. “Jesus, you sound like Chaya, talking in damn riddles. What is he doing?”
A smile spread across his handsome face. “How is she? I’ve been so busy watching you I’ve not seen her in several months.”
Mia stilled. “She knows about you?”
“Yes. But only after she gained her powers. Like you, I’ve watched her from a distance.”
“I can’t believe this.” How could Chaya keep their father’s existence from her?
Marcus shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I know I failed you, Mia. I thought you were safe within the compound walls.”
“How long?” she breathed.
“Have I been watching you?”
She dipped her chin.
“Always.” Sadness and longing transformed his handsome face. “Your mother, too, until she passed away.”
“Why?” Why did you leave? Why did you stay away all these years? Why did you let my mother die of a broken heart? All the questions she’d carried around her whole life swam through her mind.
“Your mother knew why I had to leave. She knew I l
oved her, loved you and your sister. But I couldn’t risk your safety. When Helena escaped Hell, she was weak for many, many years. She was no threat to me or my family. But I sensed the growth in her power over time. I knew eventually she would be strong enough to escape her prison. And I knew once that happened she would come after me and mine. I couldn’t allow that, couldn’t allow her to hurt the people I loved most.” He paused. “You see, I betrayed her, destroyed her chances to overthrow Diemos. Diemos may be an evil bastard, but Helena is far worse.”
It was too much to process, especially when all she could think about was Zenon alone with that evil, heartless monster. He leaned over and squeezed her knee. “You have to trust him.”
She shoved him away, shaking her head. “Why didn’t you help him?”
“It was too much of a risk.”
“Is he…is Zenon going to try and free himself from her?” she said, voice shaky.
He held her gaze. “Yes.”
“You planned this together?”
“Well, not the part where you showed up and nearly got yourself killed.” Pain and guilt twisted his striking features. “Despite her promise, you will never be safe from your aunt. Zenon knows this. As soon as she knew of your existence, you became her target. We must follow this course. She now knows you are his mate and my daughter. This is Zenon’s only chance to break free. She will never allow him to be with you, and she won’t let you live if Zenon doesn’t go with her.”
How could this be happening? She stared over at the male in front of her and saw where Chaya got her dark coloring, the determined tilt to her jaw, and held his gaze. “He could die, couldn’t he?”
“Yes,” he said, not pulling any punches. “But at least he’d finally be free.”
It was the eve of the equinox, and power stirred through Zenon’s blood. The excitement vibrating from Helena wrapped around him and crawled over the surface of his skin. Made him want to take an acid shower to scrub it off.
Knight's Salvation (Knights of Hell Book 2) Page 21
