THE MOMENT DEFEAT led her down the hallway to Amuns bedrooma hallway still filled with towering angels and their outspread wingsshe heard the warriors voice inside her head and forgot everything else.
Haidee! That single word was a tormented wail. Needyouplease
How long had he been calling for her? Why hadnt she heard him before now?
Haidee!
Shed uncover those details later. Right now, he was in pain, so much pain, and nothing but helping him mattered.
Wrenching away with all her strength, she broke free of Defeats hold and rushed forward. No one tried to stop her. Not the angels and not the Lord. She expected Amuns doorway to still be splintered from Defeats vicious kick, but someone had fixed the metal and wood, both now blocking her entrance.
She twisted the knobunlocked, thank Godand raced into the bedroom, quickly slamming the door shut behind her. She tried to flip the lock in place and noticed it had been removed. Shit! Something else to worry about later. Tiny beads of ice dotted her skin, and her knees knocked shakily as she pivoted. Then she saw him. He was thrashing atop the bed, just like last time.
Finally, she was with him again. He was alive. But for how long? He was worse, Defeat had said, and Amun had barely survived the last set of wounds.
Haideeplease
So weak, suffused with all that pain. Im here, baby. Im here. Acid flowed through her as she stumbled toward him. Some distant part of her brain noticed that every piece of furniture but the bed had been carted out. Then she was standing at the edge of the mattress, peering down at him, and all thoughts fled.
He moaned inside her head.
I know. I know you hurt.
Haidee? Not quite so pained now.
Yes, baby. Haidees here.
He sighed with the barest hint of relief.
The shadows had returned, were even then dancing around his once again savaged body. His eyes were swollen shut, his hands bloody and torn. The wings of his butterfly tattoo weremoving, breaking apart, forming hundreds of other butterflies. Those, too, danced over him, up his thighs, on his stomach, his pectorals, his arms, then disappearing behind his back.
In that moment, she was absolutely certain the man she watched was Amun rather than Micah. Which meant the Lords wouldnt hurt him. Thank God. The intensity of her relief was stunning.
Whats wrong with you? she wondered again. Now that her worries over Amuns possible torture and execution were proven unnecessary, she couldnt forget or refute two simple facts. This man had never been a Hunter. This man was her enemy.
She should kill him. She should add to her tally and be all the closer to evening the score. Like Baden, Amun deserved whatever punishment she dished. The vile things these men had done in ancient Greece Still. She couldnt force herself to hurt him. He was too battered, too pitiful. Had sought only to protect her.
His attitude will change. You know it will. The moment hes well, his friends will tell him who you are. Hell go for your throat faster than you can say, But I spared you.
Shed worry about his hatred then. For now, for better or worse, she and Amun were connected. Later, she would search for answers, find out how and why. Maybe she could even convince herself shed never had visions of him. And thenmaybe then she could find a way to cut the ties that bound them. If he didnt do it first.
Until then
She would do everything in her power to save this man, just as before.
Even the thought was a betrayal to the Hunters. A betrayal Micah would take personally. But that didnt alter her plans, and that, she realized, drove home the knowledge that her relationship with him was over.
She was shocked by her lack of unhappiness at the prospect. Shocked further that she didnt wish things were different. She just wished there was a way to let him know. Gently. She desired another man, a demon-possessed man at that, and Micah deserved better than she could ever give him.
She sighed, the relieved sound an echo of Amuns. It was nice, having something figured out. If only healing Amun proved to be that simple. She reached out and brushed the sweat-soaked hair from his brow. Those dancing shadows screeched, darting away from her and burrowing under Amuns skin, even as the warrior leaned toward her, seeking closer contact.
What did that darkness represent? What did it mean? Definitely something evil, as shed first suspected. Amun obviously hated it, cringing as the last thread of gloom faded inside him.
Haidee, my Haidee. Another sigh wafted through her head, this one laced with contentment. Dont leave me.
I wont leave you. Her trembling intensified as she climbed in beside him and wrapped him in her arms. Ill be here as long as you need me.
IN HIS OWN BEDROOM, Torin watched Haidee on one of his computer screens. Haidee. Come back to life. Who would have thought? And why hadnt Strider told him? The questions lost their importance between one heartbeat and the next. His eyes widened as the shadows scrambled to escape her touch. Hed never seen anything like it and had no idea what it meant.
He did know one thing. She wasnt human, as shed told Strider. No mere human could frighten demons as shed just done. And they were frightened of her. Theyd hidden inside Amun, rather than try and escape him as theyd done from the first.
So what the fuck is she? he muttered.
SCOWLING, STRIDER BARRELED his way inside Amuns chamber. How eager Haidee had been to reach the warrior, her sworn enemy. And now Strider saw her sprawled on the bed, curled into Amuns side, tenderly smoothing his brow. As if she wanted to be there. As if she was glad to be there. Helping a Lord.
She thinks Amuns her boyfriend, remember? Of course she was glad. Of course she was helping.
Ex? he growled with more force than hed intended.
Her gunmetal gaze shifted and locked on him warily. What? There was nothing wary about her voice. That single word snapped at him with more force than even he had used.
Clearly, she wanted him to get out and leave her the hell alone.
His molars gnashed together, and he beat down the tide of jealousy that suddenly raged through him. Jealousy. Jealousy over a Hunter. A Hunter hed always planned to kill. Why couldnt he simply be happy that Amun now had a chance to pull through?
Because Haidee was going to make Amun miserable. And if the big guy fell in love with her, he just might abandon his friends to be with her. Which would get his ass killed for good. Ultimately, she would betray him.
I wont let that happen. Ever.
Win, Defeat said, sensing the challenge.
I will. Strider raised both of his hands. In the left, he held a syringe. In the right, chains. Theyd been waiting in the hallway, but shed been too damn concerned for Amun to notice. You didnt honestly think youd have free rein with him, did you?
CHAPTER NINE
AMUN DRAGGED HIMSELF FROM the tangled web of his mind and forced his eyelids to open. First things he noticed: the taste of frosted apricots filled his mouth, there was a wonderful chill inside him, cooling the fires that had raged, and an earthy perfume wafted into his nose every time he inhaled.
Second thing: sunlight streamed through the window, the heavy curtains parted and the blinds slatted to welcome every single bright ray. His eyes teared and burned, but at least those tears washed away the hazy shield seeming to cloak the entire room, allowing him a clearer view.
Third thing: Strider reclined in a cushy chair hed placed just in front of Amuns bed, watching him with an intent, almost forbidding expression.
Striders mind was blank, and purposely so. The warrior knew Amun could read every single one of his thoughts. Everyone here knew it. Which was why, when they wanted privacybecause Amun simply couldnt stop the flow of their innermost secrets, no matter how much he wanted tothey had to wrap themselves in darkness and silence.
How do you feel? Strider asked, his timbre scratchy and rough.
Even though the new demons were rattling against his skull, Amun had no trouble understanding. He tried to raise his hands to sign his reply. Like shit, for the most part. The apricots, the chill, both overshadowed the worst of his pain. Only, his arms refused to obey the mental command. Why? His head turned to the left, gaze sliding to his wrist. Scabbed skin, dried blood. Fingers swollen, nails ruined.
Suddenly memories flooded him, Secrets stretching to wakefulness inside his mind, enjoying the unveiling of what his inner defenses would have liked to keep hidden.
Hell. Those other demons. The dark flashes, the vile urges. Haidee. The knowledge that he should kill her, the inability to do so. A taste of heaven, her body writhing against his, her hands all over him, her sweet cries in his ears. Strider. Battle, blood. Hating himself for hurting his friend and shielding a Hunter. Failing to reach the girl when she needed him. The return of the demons, the dark flashes and vile urges. No Haidee. No heaven.
Grim expectation mixed with white-hot rage and bone-numbing fear, all filling him as he jerked himself upright. The bedroom spun, a sharp lance of pain tearing through his temples. He didnt care, remained upright. Where was she? Dead? The thought left him sick to his stomach.
No. No, he assured himself desperately, and he felt Secretss agreement. She couldnt be. That earthy perfume belonged to her, as raw and basic as his need for her. He had to find her. Had to make sure she was okay, that no one had hurt her.
Even though you meant to kill her yourself?
He ignored the simple, rational question and experimented with his range of motion, lifting one leg and rotating his ankle. He grimaced, then repeated the process with the other leg. He grimaced again. Both legs fell back onto the mattress with a hard thump. The bones had woven back together, but they were still fractured.
Whoa. Strider pushed to his feet, the chair skidding behind him. What the hell do you think youre doing? Lie down. Youre still recovering.
Amun hardly ever despised his inability to speak. Silence was his choice, his way of righting the wrongs hed committed all those centuries ago, of helping the innocents so much like the ones hed once slaughtered. Not to mention his friends. They had enough to worry about. But just then, he wanted to shoutthe girl, where the hell is the girluncaring that the moment he did, all the secrets inside him would spill out, hurting everyone who heard them. Not physically but mentally, and that was a far worse pain to bear. He knew that very well.
Not even the warriors he lived with would be able to tolerate knowing when other men desired their women. Nor would they be able to tolerate the disgusting things their enemies had planned for their loved ones. Friendships would be destroyed, jealousy a constant companion, and paranoia would follow their every step.
Amun could deal because hed spent thousands of years learning to distance himself from the visions and voices in his head, blocking emotions before they could even form. Not this newest onslaught, of course. Hed never experienced anything like this and had no idea how to cope. Had no idea how he was lucid now, the new demons cowering in the back of his mind. Unless
Haidee.
Her name whispered through his mind, a plea, a prayer, his demon sensing the truth, even as Amun struggled to accept it. Was she responsible? The first time, as well as now?
The first time hed tasted frosted apricots, hed come to his senses. Now he tasted apricots again, and his senses once again returned. Couldnt be a coincidence. His desperation to find her intensified.
He threw his legs over the side of the mattress, hinges squeaking. Every muscle he possessed knotted and ached, clamping tightly on those fractured bones.
Amun, damn it. Youve been bed-bound for days, recovering from your wounds and our little experiments. Stop before you
Agitation somehow making his motions fluid, he twisted to face his friend, lips pulled over his teeth. Most of what Strider had said confused him, but he left it alone. Finally forcing his hands to work, he jerkily signed, Im sorry I hurt you. Sorry I challenged you before. But I have to find her. Where is she? If theyd hurt her, he didnt know what the hell hed do. Didnt know how she affected him like this. Didnt know why he cared what was done to her, whether she was responsible for his recovery or not.
Secrets whispered, She is fine, and despite the low volume, the High Lord still managed to be the loudest voice in his head. At the same time, Strider sat back down and said, Shes there. His tone was hard and unbending as he motioned to the left with a tilt of his chin.
Amun noticed his friend didnt have to ask who she was. He followed that tilt with his gaze, and hissed in an agonized breath. She was on her knees, her arms chained above her head. That chain was anchored to his ceiling, offering just enough slack to keep her spine erect. Her head lolled forward, her chin pressed into her collarbone.
The length of her blond-and-pink hair shielded most of her dirt-smudged face, but he could see that her eyes were closed, her long, curling lashes fanning down.
His lips parted in a silent roar as he at last pushed to a stand. She is not fine! His knees almost gave out, his stomach almost rebelled, but fury and reckless determination gave him strength.
I drugged her, Strider said as if to soothe him from a violent temper. Shell recover.
That didnt fucking matter! What mattered was that something had been done to her. How long had she been tethered like that? Unconscious? Helpless? Amun stalked to his friend, stumbling twice, and held out his hand, palm up. Secrets began prowling restlessly. Because they were closer to the girl?
Strider knew what he wanted and shook his head. Shes a Hunter, Amun. Shes dangerous.
He waved his fingers, insisting. He would challenge Strider if necessary. Would do anything for what he wanted.
Damn it! Do you care nothing for your own safety?
Again he waved his fingers.
Fine. You can deal with the consequences on your own. Scowling, but perhaps sensing the depths of Amuns resolve, Strider reached inside his pocket and withdrew a key. He slapped the metal into Amuns still open palm.