She wont awaken, I promise. Anyway. As my time has not yet expired, maybe I can
As Olivias words trailed off, he stopped, pivoted. She knocked into him and humphed. Even though hed felt her only briefly, he savored the contact. Soft, warm. Exhilarating. Thats all his body needed to ready itself. Again.
Mine, Wrath said.
I know. Youve told me. Over and freaking over again. And Aeron had let him, had stopped caring. BecauseNo. Dont go there.
A moment passed in silence, their breathing the only sound. The air was musty, thick with age, dust and death, but he wouldve been content to wait here forever. Here, she was safe. Here, they were together.
Can what? he finally prompted.
This. Pinpricks of light flickered.
He blinked, rubbed his eyes. Those pinpricks were actually sparking off her skin, he realized, blending together and growing in intensity. Growing so much she was soon chasing away the shadows and his eyes were tearing.
How
Slowly she grinned, her beautiful face illuminated, shining like the purest star, those dark lashes framing those sky-blue eyes. He could have kissed the breath right out of her. Dont you dare. But now that he knew her taste, now that hed felt her rub against him, how was he supposed to resist?
Legion. Lysander. Freedom.
Oh, yeah. He could have cursed.
Humans were sometimes trapped in darkness, and I had to show them the way out. Olivia shifted from one foot to the other, and motioned behind him with a tilt of her chin. Scarlet is just around the corner. I can sense her.
Thank you. Motions stiff, Aeron forced himself to turn away. His eyes immediately mourned the loss of her.
Wrath, too, howled in protest.
Calm. Were still with her. Aeron led his charge down the correct dirt path and soon found himself standing in a makeshift bedroom. Pikes sprung from several places in the floor, gleaming sharply and anchored firmly by concrete. Between them were trip wires, and at the far end of the room, guarded by the entire fun zone, was a coffin.
Why a coffin? Because she could close herself in for better protection? Smart woman, if so.
He palmed a blade and closed the distance, dodging those pikes. Olivia stayed close to his heels, every step measured.
Careful, he muttered. Stay behind me. He flipped open the lid, halfway expecting a fight.
Nope. As Olivia had promised, Scarlet slept peacefully, completely unaware of his intrusion. He studied her. Silky black hair framed her seemingly delicate face. She hadnt looked delicate before, when shed cornered him in that alley. Her lashes were longer than hed realized, like feathered fans reaching for her cheekbones. She had a small nose, and her lips were redder than before.
She wore a T-shirt and jeans, both black, and weapons were strapped all over her body. She didnt disarm, even to sleep. Interesting. Even he removed his blades before crawling into bed. He kept them nearby, of course, but not on him.
Relaxing, his gaze shifted. The walls were dirt, just like the floor, and there were blades peeking from several locations. Anyone who fell, either into the wall or onto the floor, would tumble straight to their death.
Nightmares could have placed traps at the doorway or even on the steps leading down here, but hadnt. Why? Perhaps shed known the unerring gloom would frighten most peoplemost innocentsaway. But the ones who persisted, the ones who kept going, would clearly have more sinister intentions. Perhaps those were the only people she wanted to hurt.
If that were the case, that would mean she killed discriminately. That would mean there was a line she wouldnt cross. Or perhaps she just liked the kills to be made nearby, so that the first thing she would see when she awoke was blood and death.
Either way, the woman was serious about protecting herself.
He almost hoped she would rouse and attack him. He needed a battle. His nerves were on edge and bloodshed would have calmed him. Too many things were happening, changing. Too many things were going wrong.
Badens demon finding a new host, thanks to Galen. Discovering Cronus and Rhea were possessed. Everything with Olivia, of course, and her naughty clothes and searing kisses, with her irresistible suggestions (just then, he almost missed the voice) and her attempted seduction of another man, all of which were like matches on the kindling of his arousal. And jealousy. And anger.
Yes, he needed to kill someone today.
And if all of that wasnt enough to deal with, Legion looked at him the way he wanted Olivia to look at him. Shed made a pact with the creator of evil, and shed blatantly lied to him about it. There at the end, just before leaving her behind, thered been no more deluding himself about that. Sly determination had practically poured off her.
What was he going to do about her? How was he supposed to handle her? He still loved her like a daughter, still planned to keep her in his life. No way would he abandon her. There justthere had to be a solution.
Dont think about that now. You have a job to do. The job. Right. So. Back to Scarlet, the problem at hand. Did Galen know about her?
She used to live in a church, Olivia said guiltily, before he could tell her they needed to leave. But that didnt work out for her.
Why the guilt? Because shed led him here? Probably. Careful. He couldnt let her guilt spark his own. I believe I asked you to be quiet.
I told you. Shes not going to wake up.
How do you know? Silly question. Olivia knew everything, it sometimes seemed. Which meant Sabin was going to love her. Information was the mans best friend. Thank Olivias One True Deity she would be gone before the warrior returned. Aeron would hate to have to stab his friend for interrogating his woman.
At the thought, Wrath chortled with glee.
Well, maybe he wouldnt hate stabbing the warrior. He owed Sabin, after all. And shes not your woman! Never mind. It doesnt matter. We have to hurry before we run into other visitors.
Like who?
Like Hunters.
Oh.
Aeron might have craved a battle with Nightmares, but not with Galens army. He didnt want Olivia involved in something like that. Hed show her the horrors of his life another way. From a safe distance.
Scarlets crypt was a good distance from The Asylum, so that was a point in their favor.
so dark, an unfamiliar voice suddenly said, the words echoing from the concrete steps above and reaching into the small enclosure.
My flashlights not working.
I cant see anything.
Just keep inching forward, damn it.
Well, hell. This day could indeed get worse. Hunters were here, just as hed feared. Had someone followed him? Used the Cloak of Invisibility?
Was someone watching him, threatening his woman, even now?
Aerons hands curled into fists. He scanned the crypt anew, but saw nothing out of place. He glanced at Olivia, who was still glowing but frowning now. Next he glanced at Scarlet, who was still sleeping. After that, the doorway.
That dark, open space was the only way out of here. And to reach it, theyd have to run straight through the humans. The most likely armed humans.
Those humans couldnt see through the darkness, but then, Aeron wouldnt be able to, either, without Olivias light. But with her light, everyone would be able to see everyone else.
There was only one thing to do. Only one option that kept Olivia safe.
Aeron slapped a blade into her hand. Keep it pressed to the girls throat, he whispered. If she moves even a little, dont hesitate to cut her.
Not giving her a chance to reply, he gripped Olivia by the waist and hefted her into the coffin beside Scarlet. The sleeping female remained exactly as she was, but Olivia gasped. Immediately he clamped a hand over her mouth and shook his head. She gulped in fear, but nodded that she understood what he wanted of her. Silence.
Kill the light.
Again she nodded, and the glow of her skin washed outdimmedthen disappeared completely. The shadows must have been waiting for just such an occurrence because they raced forward, enclosing every inch of space with that suffocating gloom.
Shit! Watch where youre going.
Sorry.
The voices were closer.
Big as Aeron was, he knew he wouldnt fit inside the coffin to act as Olivias shield. Not without crushing her. Instead, he flattened his hand on her shoulderor what hed thought was her shoulder. He jerked that now-burning hand away because hed actually cupped her beautiful breast. And her nipple had instantly pearled.
Mine. Protect.
Careful this time, he aimed higher. Shoulder. Good. Trembling. Not good. That meant she was as overcomeand distractedby the mistake as he was. Or afraid. He preferred the thought of her overcome.
Clearly, he was the distracted one. Jolting back into motion, he pressed her to lie down and stay still. Thankfully, she didnt resist. Whether she did as hed commanded and placed the tip of the blade at Scarlets throat, he didnt know. Just to be safe, he angled his other hand over Nightmaressface. Good. She was still motionless, her breath trekking onto his skin, warm, even.
He hadnt seen any traps around the coffin itself, so he inched his way to the front end, away from the corridors entryway. Not once did he remove his touch from either woman. He wanted Olivia to know he was here, that he would guard her. Always. He would have closed the lid, but wanted access in case the girl did, in fact, awaken.
Wait, one of the men said. Stop.
What?
Air. Do you feel the breeze?
We must be close to an opening.
Closer still.
There was a shuffling of feet. Multiple sets. Olivias trembling increased, and he squeezed her in reassurance.
Its gotta be a room. A pause. A crackle. Yes. Yes! Theres too much space for this to be another hallway.
She cant be here. She couldnt have found her way inside.
Shes possessed by the fucking demon of Nightmares. Of course she could have found her way. Justfeel around. Shell be asleep. If you encounter warm skin, just start shooting.
How did they know so much? Had Cronus told his wife? Or again, had someone made use of the Cloak and listened to private conversations?
Hell, no. No shooting. Well just shoot each other.
Thats better than allowing a demon to go free.
There was a beat of shocked silence as the other Hunters absorbed the mans death wish.
We either cut her, or Im out of here, someone finally snapped. I didnt sign up for a suicide mission.
Then cut her, damn it, but make sure you incapacitate her so we can cart her out without fearing shell be strong enough to attack. Every bad dream weve ever had is her fault. Every bad thing weve ever endured is her doing.
More shuffling. Aeron tensed, waiting. If any of them managed to make it to the coffin, he would have to
A man screamed.
What the hell
Another scream. A gurgle. Followed by another and another.
There would be no one making it to the coffin.
Nightmaress traps would see to that. Several of the Hunters discharged their guns, despite their fear of friendly fire, but the darkness hid the sparking of the powder. One of those bullets slammed into Aerons shoulder, knocking him backward.
He caught himself as several more human screams rent the air. Though he didnt want Olivia trapped with the girl, unable to protect herself, he didnt want her shot, either. He slammed the coffin lid shut.
Whats happening?
Cut, someone managed to say between coughs.
Another scream, this one blending with the rising tide of pained moans and the wafting scent of fresh blood.
Retreat, someone wheezed. Re Argh!
There was even more shuffling, but the number of moving feet had severely decreased. And then, as more screams and moans abounded, the shuffling ended entirely. Over. Done. It was the battle hed wanted, craved, yet he hadnt had to lift a single finger to win.
He waited until silence reigned before tossing back the lid and saying, Light.
Immediately Olivia obeyed. Once again that nearly blinding light glimmered from her, grew, and conquered the darkness, and he saw that she was pale but unharmed. Scarlet still hadnt moved.
Aeron, I was so Olivia sat up and twisted to face him. Her expression immediately became pinched. Youre hurt.
He gazed down at his wound. There was a hole in his shoulder; crimson seeped from it, riding the ridges of his stomach, each drop absorbing into the waist of his pants. Now that his concern for Olivia had faded, and his adrenaline had decreased, he realized it hurt. Fire spread, quickly, surely, as if his veins pumped gasoline rather than blood.
Didnt matter. Ill be fine, he said. Been injured worse, so its nothing to worry about.
I cant help it. Chewing on her bottom lip, she reached out and traced her fingertips over his jaw. Im worried.
The touch was meant to comfort him. But as always, the feel of her tormented him. He needed more. Wrath needed more, whimpering inside his head.
Now isnt the time. Bleeding bodies were piled upon bleeding bodies, blades protruding from each of them. Some had fallen face-first, and others had landed backward. Each had died. He would have to thank the girl for her decorating skills. They, rather than he, had saved Olivias life.
He didnt know if any of the Hunters had managed to escape this room of terror, but he wasnt going to wait around to see if they returned with backup. After helping Olivia to her feetshit! and causing his wound to splithe hefted Nightmares into his arms as hed wanted to do before they were interrupted.
Stay close, he said. Only step where I step.
I will.
He made his way to the open doorway, darting around bodies along the way, grimacing as the fire inside him intensified.
Hurt, Wrath cried.
His lips curved into a frown. You, too?
Bad.
Well go home. Rest. There were no trails of blood on the stairs, not even a speck. Which meant no one had made it out. Excellent. Exceptby the time he reached the top of the stairs, he was trembling. Weakening. His eyes were glazing over, creating a fog everywhere he looked.