She would never forget. Shed almost turned around a thousand times, wanting so badly to beg his forgiveness and plead with him to join her. Shed used his demon against him, something shed never wanted to do. And to do so after theyd kissed so spectacularly, when theyd finally turned onto the right road, headed in the right direction, gods. Only thoughts of Rhea and the goddesss vicious nature stopped her. Kaia couldnt keep her mind on the prize and protect Strider at the same time. Hunters could be lying in wait at the Odynia even then, ready to take his head.
At all costs, she had to protect Strider. She needed him more than she needed air to breathe. And hed been softening toward her. Wanting more from her. Hed kissed her in full view of everyone. Kissed her down and dirty, like they were about to make love. Like he couldnt get enough of her. Like she was a drug hed been denied for too long. Then hed called her baby doll and petted her like a treasured companion.
She had ruined everything by challenging him rather than talking to him, and the knowledge made her stomach cramp. But thered been no time to explain or convince him of the merits of her plan. Team Kaia only had twenty-four hoursnineteen nowto reach Rheas garden in the heavens, but to do so, they had to first reach the portal the god queen had opened.
With Taliyah and Neeka scouting ahead, Kaia and the rest of her ladies made their way to the wintry wonder-land of Alaska. Alaska, the homeland of the Skyhawks, and the location of the makeshift portala location chosen in honor of the first contest winner.
Their destination? A forgotten stretch of land between two specific mountains. They left no footprints, disguised their scents and stayed completely out of sight. Just in case another team thought to hamper their progress.
However, nothing hampered the determined men on their trail.
Were going to have to hobble them, Gwen said, mist forming in front of her face. She hopped from the top of one ice-covered tree to another, strawberry-blond locks blowing behind her.
A suggestion from Gwennie, the nice one. No, Kaia said, jumping to a new tree herself, her wings fluttering beneath her white faux fur coat. That would cause Strider to lose and she couldnt bear the thought of him being laid low, writhing in pain for days, and weakened as a result. It would make him an easy target for Juliette. The portal will close at 8:01 tomorrow morning. Well dive through just before it closes, and then they wont be able to follow us.
Thats risky, Bianka said from directly behind her. The limb swayed under their combined weight. Slight though it still was. We might be too late to enter ourselves and we cant afford to be disqualified from a competition. If we are, well be out for good with no hope of winning third place, much less first prize.
Damn it. Consorts were supposed to make life easier, not more complicated. Kaia paused, scrubbed a hand down her chilled face, suddenly so weary she just wanted to collapse. She hadnt slept in days, not really. First shed been too busy healing, and then shed been too busy worrying about possible sneak attacks. Can you think of any other way to pull this off without hurting our men?
There was a whistle of air, unnatural, causing her ears to twitch. It was a sound Kaia recognized very well, and dread washed through her.
They were about to be ambushed.
Duck! she shouted, tugging Bianka down with her. The branch shook, but just over their heads, an arrow embedded in the trunk. The scent of avocado and salt hit her nose and she cringed.
I broke a goddamn nail! Gwen shouted, more pissed than Kaia had heard her since her bridezilla days.
Kaia sniffed the air, discovered remnants of sweat and fear. Harpies had not loosed that arrow; humans had. Though she would bet big money Harpies had paid the humans to do so. How else would they have known to use arrowheads carved from the pit of an avocado and dipped in salt rather than bullets? How would they have known that combined, the substances weakened a Harpys heart for weeks, no matter where she was hit?
Or, if not hired by Harpies, theyd been hired by Rhea herself, since Kaia and company were friends of the Lords. As one of the humans drew the string on his bow taut, Kaia caught sight of the figure eight tattooed on the inside of his wrist. The symbol of Infinity. The symbol of the Hunters.
With Strider, Sabin and Lysander nearby Damn it. She didnt want Strider anywhere near these sick bastards. And maybe thats why the Hunters had been sent. Either to take out the boys, or to take out the girls dating them.
Not that theyd succeed.
They were lying in wait, and you know how I hate when people lie in wait, Bianka growled, dropping her bag of clothes and supplies. There was a puff as the heavy nylon landed in the snow. Gotta do a little punishing.
Yeah. In quick succession, six more arrows slammed into her tree, each closer than the last. She withdrew two daggers, found her targets, tossed one, then the other. There was a grunt, a scream. Save me one, will you? she asked, dropping her bag beside her twins.
Hell, no. Its your turn to save one for me.
Do it anyway and Ill stop calling you the Heavenly Hills Ho. Kaia blew her a kiss before droppingfallinglanding in a crouch with only the slightest jarring. Little snowflakes floated around her as she swiftly scanned her surroundings. She counted fifty-three Hunters, most still on the ground, bows cocked and ready.
You fight dirty, Kye, Bianka called from just behind her. But youve got yourself a deal.
She chuckled, happy she wouldnt have to control herself. More arrows peppered the trees, still far too close for comfort. Her Harpy squawked for release. Kaia didnt even try to hold the little sweetie back. Her sisters knew what to do, knew how to stay out of harms way. Instantly her vision tunneled to black, little dots of red becoming her focus. Body heat.
Her mouth watered for a taste of blood.
These men would hurt Strider if given a chance, and so these men would die. Painfully. She grinned as she unfolded herself, climbing to her feet.
There, shes there! someone shouted.
I see her!
A second later, arrows soared toward her. She watched themsix of them, moving so slowly. One by one, she caught them, looked them over and threw them down. They werent very fun toys.
Well, did you see that? Impossible!
Kaia leapt into action. One blink, and she was in the midst of the humans. She danced through them, claws slashing, fangs ripping. The sweet taste of blood slid down her throat. Soon, screams of pain and pleas for mercy echoed all around her.
Mercy? What was mercy? She knew not the word. The only word she knew was more. She needed more. More screams, more blood. She slashed with more fervor, bit with more enthusiasm. La la la, this was so much fun. Oh, look. She knew other words. So much fun. Bones made the most delightful sound when they broke. And when skin ripped, the most magnificent lullaby was created. Scream, scream, plea. Scream, scream, plea. La la la.
All too soon, the bodies stopped rising. The screams and pleas died. There were no more bones to break, no more skin to tear. No more lullabies. Kaia stilled, frowned. Butbutshe wanted more. Why couldnt she have more?
In, out she breathedand caught the scent of cinnamon. Cinnamon equaled Strider.
Strider.
Her Strider.
Her sexy, irreverent consort who called her baby doll.
The Harpy squawked and, sated, calmed by Strider, retreated to the back of her mind.
Kaia blinked into focus. She was panting, she realized, sweat coating her skin. No, not sweat. Blood. Blood andother things.
Nice to have you back, sister dear, Bianka said, slapping her on the shoulder in a job well done. As promised, I pulled one aside and saved him for you.
Kaia turned, saw the crimson snow, the motionless bodiesor rather, what was left of them. Humans had a saying. Mess with the bull and get the horns. Well, Harpies had a saying, too. Mess with a Harpy and die.
The only remainingand livinghuman was pinned to a tree. He had an arrow protruding from each shoulder and ankle, and he quaked as Kaia neared him. Each step hurt her and she paused midway to glance down at herself. When she saw nothing out of the ordinary, save for the blood, she removed her now red coat. She had cuts on her arms, stomach and legsand the tip of an arrowhead in her side. Shit.
Shit, Bianka echoed as she, too, noticed. Lets get that out before any more damage is done. Her twin grabbed her bag, withdrew a pair of pliers, pushed Kaia into a sit and went to work, digging out every single shard.
The burnKaia wanted to yell and really wanted to bat her sisters hands away, but she didnt. She forced herself to concentrate on something else. Her team. She studied Gwen, who was pale but unharmed. There were two team members beside her. Juno and Tedra. One was scratched up, but the other was riddled with puncture wounds and swaying on her feet. She wouldnt be fighting in the next competition. Damn it!
And hadnt Kaia smelled cinnamon just a little while ago? Wasnt that how shed calmed? So where was Strider now?
All done, Bianka said, straightening. Worry layered her tone. They both knew Kaia needed Striders blood, or shed be in bad shape later.
Thank you. Kaia stood and closed the rest of the distance between her and the Hunter. He was taller than her by at least five inches and probably outweighed her by a hundred pounds, yet the scent of fear wafted from him, acrid and potent. Hed had a front row seat to the show, after all.
Pleasedont kill me he cried. Not like that. Not like them.
I wont, she promised with a cold smile. And in return, youre going to do me a favor. Yes?
Yes. Tears of relief tracked down his cheeks. Please, yes.
Good. Thats good. Now, listen closely because I wont repeat myself. She unsheathed the dagger from her ankle holster and ripped a strip of furred cloth from her fallen coat.
Wh-what are you doing? You said you werent going to hurt me.
No, I said I wasnt going to kill you and Im not. Moving swiftly, she worked the crimson strip around his neck. Are you listening? Good. Heres what youre going to do
STRIDER SCENTED THE BLOOD long before he saw the pools of it.
Hed been on Kaias trail for hours, his demon going crazy inside his head. Win, win, win. If he heard the word one more time, he was going to kill someone. Namely himself. Then Kaia. Seemed impossible, but hed find a way to do it. He was that determined and she was that much to blame for this mess.
Except, as he sniffed to make sure hed identified the notes correctly, he forgot about his irritation with Defeat, forgot about his anger with Kaia and thought only of her safety. Definitely blood.
He and Sabin shared an oh-shit glance and burst into rapid-fire movement, shoving past ice-laden branches and being slapped in the face for their efforts. Strider had his Sig in one hand and a dagger in the other, ready for anythingexcept to see Kaia hurt. Or worse.
Win, win, win.
Find her? Yeah, he would. Save her? Yeah, hed do that, too. Lysander and Zacharel flew overhead and they must have scented the odor of death as well, because those long, graceful wings began flapping frantically, and they began a quick descent.
All four men hit the scene at the same time.
Bodies littered the ground. All male. Blood soaked the snow, evidence the humans had not died easilybut by the end, they had probably begged for that death.
Lysander walked the scene, sniffing, touching. A few of the Harpies were injured.
Kaia? he croaked, his heart skidding to a stop.
A terrible pause. Yes, but she walked away. They all did.
Thank the gods. His heart eked back into a semblance of a beat.
These humans were tainted by the demon of Strife, Lysander added. Their minds were locked only on dissension.
Rhea was possessed by the demon of Strife. And Rhea had opened her Garden of Goodbyes to all Harpies. To better destroy the women of her enemies? Not the demon of Hope? he asked, hopeful himself.
No. This was Strifes doing, no question.
Shit. Striders jobprotecting Kaiawas now ten thousands times more difficult. Not that he cared. Hed do what he had to do, even go up against the queen of the gods. How can you tell?
Each demon emits a certain scent. The words were said with disgust. And the pungent stench of discord seeps from these men even still.
Our girls are in danger, then, Sabin growled.
We know. But that was Sabin for you, Captain Jackass of the USS Obvious. Strider scrubbed a hand down his face. Now he was just being testy. Something else to blame on Kaia. Who was injured, without his blood to heal her.
I will summon my angels to clean the mess, Zacharel said.
His angels? Not yet. Amid the death, he, too, caught the hint of a scent. Kaias, to be exact. His sense of smell might not be as highly developed as Lysanders, but when it came to Kaia, Strider was attuned to the littlest things.
Sniff. He followed the coppery odor and Sabin followed him. Sniff. Strider crouched and lifted a broken arrowhead. Blood coated the tip. He brought that tip to his nose and gave another sniff, this one deeper. Sure enough, Kaias scent was there. As Lysander had said, shed been injured.
Having the evidence right in front of him did something to him. A red haze of fury dotted his vision. The thin shaft snapped in his hand. I need to hold her. Make sure shes okay. And I need to hurt the one who hurt her.
Shes fine, Sabin said. She walked away. The angel cant lie.
He heard a muffled whimper and every muscle in his body stiffened. Someone lived. He and Sabin broke apart, winding around a thick tree stump. A manhuman, a Hunter, his arms pinned at his sides and turned to display his tattooed wristwas trapped there, wearing nothing but a blood-coated bow around his neck. Furred, like Kaias coat.
A gift, then.
When the Hunter spotted the warriors, he began crying in earnest.
Strider stomped to him and gripped his chin, his dagger pressed against the mans cheek. Youre alive for a reason. What is it? Wait. Precautions first. If you dare try and utter a word of challenge, Ill cut your throat before you can finish. Understand? He wouldnt put something like that past his Harpy. She was a wily little thing, determined to leave him behind.