I thought youd stay behind to check on the boy, he said, grin widening. Your friends caused his death, yet still you thought to return to them. So disappointing. So predictable.
Bastard!
He lunged for the wall, and Olivia rolled out of the way, clutching as many rocks as she could hold. She scrambled to her feet, careful not to make another sound, and Galen ended up slamming into the building.
He straightened. Doesnt matter. I can see your footprints. Its just a matter of following you now.
Thanks for the warning. She zigzagged left, right, gaze continually moving, searching for a path to safety. Only dirt and gravel greeted her. Which meant anywhere she stepped, he would continue to see her prints. And he did. He followed her.
Escape me, and Ill go after Aeron next. Ill cut off his head while you watch, helpless.
He was taunting her, trying to trick her into retreating.
Slowly, inch by agonizing inch, Olivia moved backward. Still Galen followed. She threw a glance over her shoulder. A hundred yards away was a busy area, with a high-traffic road and many other buildings. Hunters had probably chosen the location as a way of hiding in plain sight, but what they hadnt counted on was that it would be easier for their prisoners to hide, as well. All she had to do was make it there, and then she would be safe. He would never be able to pick her out.
Problem: he was fast, faster than her, and uninjured. If she ran, he could catch her. Worth the risk.
Drawing on a reservoir of strength she hadnt known she possessed, she spun around and sprinted forward. There was a crunch of gravel, and she knew that Galen was still hot on her trail. Her entire body screamed in protest each time she threw one leg in front of the other, but she only increased her speed.
Almost there Galen gripped the Cloak and jerked. Yelping, fisting the material with her free hand to keep it around her, she rounded a corner and slammed into a group of pedestrians. Two fell backward as her shoulder and arm were revealed. Panting, Olivia refit the material around her, then plastered herself against the nearest wall.
She tossed her handful of rocks into a pole. Pop, pop, pop. She watched, hopeful, as Galen soared past her toward the pole, giving chase to where he thought shed gone.
So close. So close to disaster. But shed done it. Shed really done it.
Hot breath slammed in and out of her nose, burning her throat and lungs. Sweat was pouring obscenely now, and she probably smelled. Her limbs were once more shaking. Unfortunately, she couldnt go to the fortress. Galens men would be surrounding the place by the time she reached it. She couldnt call Aeron for a pickup because she didnt know his number.
She had to do something, go somewhere; she couldnt stay here. Using the wall to prop herself up, she careened forward, winding around several corners, letting herself become lost in the different crowds and locations. Finally, she spied a shadowed, empty alley and sat. Mistake. The moment her body stilled, she knew she wouldnt be able to force it into action again. Her muscles clamped down on her bones, and every spark of energy drained.
Lysander, she whispered. Waited.
Once again, she received no reply.
Alone. A terrible thought. This wasnt the best location to hide. Someone could stumble over her invisible legs. More than that, Hunters would probably be searching all the alleys when she failed to reach the fortress. But
Shed rest her eyes, she thought. Just for a bit. Catch her breath, too. Then shed pick herself up and start moving again. Except, she must have fallen asleep, because when she finally opened her eyes, still unable to move, she saw that the sun had set and the moon was glowing prettily.
Her pain was magnified, her resolve finally shaken. She couldnt do this. She couldnt go on. Death would be welcome. She wouldnt fight. She would
Olivia, a male voice said, startling her. Come on, sweetheart. I know youre here. Your spirit trail ends here, but I cant see you. A second later, a body materialized.
Lucien. She recognized him, though theyd never been properly introduced, and knew he carried the demon of Death. How appropriate. He could escort her
Im not going to hurt you. I want to help you. Aerons looking for you.
Aeron. Death could suck it. With a shaky hand that felt as if boulders anchored it in place, she reached up and tugged the Cloak from her shoulders. H-here. Im here.
Luciens eyes widened when she suddenly appeared. Oh, sweetheart. Im so sorry. Everything will be He shook his head. No time to explain whats going on. Theres a soul at the warehouse where you were tortured, and I need to escort him into the hereafter.
His names Dominic, she said in that savaged voice of hers. He saved me. Be gentle with him, please.
I will. Lucien disappeared.
She folded the Cloak as best she could, expectingLucien reappeared with Aeron.
All other thoughts faded. Aeron. Unexpected. Welcome. I thought you werethe soul
Thats what Im doing next. See you back at the fortress, Lucien said, and once again disappeared.
Oh, baby, Aeron said gently as he crouched beside her. Despite the gentleness, she could hear his worry and his fury. But he was here, he was safe after the earlier battle. What did they do to you?
Like Lucien, she didnt have time for explanations. Theyre out here, looking for me. Waiting by the fortress.
He immediately stiffened, his gaze sweeping the area. No ones near us. Youre safe. And Ill call Torin and warn him about whats going on. Anyone in the area will be taken care of before we get there. With a tender expression, he withdrew a vial from his pocket and held it to her lips. Drink, baby, drink.
She shook her head. There was no need to waste a drop on her. Shed be going home soon and
Determined, he parted her lips himself and tipped the glass. The cool liquid slid down her throat, more than a sip, and settled wonderfully in her stomach. Within seconds, that liquid was deluging the rest of her, giving her strength, peace. The pain left her entirely, leaving a cool hum of pleasure in its place.
Stubborn man. You shouldnt have given me so much. Even her throat was healed, the words leaving her smoothly.
I would give you all of it.
What a sweet thing to say. Sweet and wrong. She didnt want to hear things like that. Not now. It would make leaving him that much harder. How did you find me?
His eyes narrowed. I knew you wouldnt leave without saying goodbye, so I had Lucien hunt down your spirit trail. Which means he saw where youd been, what paths youd taken. I will never forgive myself for how long it took us to locate you. And I will murder that fucking bastard Galen if its the last thing
Aeron, she interjected. She wouldnt have him endangering himself for her. Just hold me.
His arms settled under her knees and at her back, and he lifted her, cradling her against his chest. When we get home, youre going to tell me everything that was done to you. You might as well tell me what the demons did to you that first night, as well. With every word, his voice hardened. And then Im going to find Galen and the demons and return the favor. No one hurts my woman and lives.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
AERON LAID OLIVIA ON HIS BED as gently as possible. The swelling was gone, her cuts and bones healed, but he wasnt taking any chances. Legion was absent, and he was glad for that. He didnt know where she was; all he knew was that he couldnt deal with her right now. His darling Oliviawhen hed found her
His hands fisted. Wrath screamed for vengeance, and Aeron wanted to give it to him. Now. No waiting. He wanted Lucien to flash him to wherever Olivia had been held and just start killing. Actually, the want was more of a need, like breathing and eating. But the cowards had already run away, the warehouse empty. That much Lucien had told him before carting him into that alley. Not that that mattered to his demon.
Clearly Olivia had been beaten, tormented. Lucien had told him her energy had been bright red with pain and fear. Aeron didnt care what he had to do to find Galen. He was going to do it and finally kill the bastard.
Slow and painful, Wrath said.
Slow and painful, he agreed. First, though, he would battle past those dark urges and have his promised chat with Olivia. Her comfort, her needs, came before everything. And also, he couldnt punish Galen properly until he knew exactly what the asshole had done to his woman.
He was going to punish him properly.
Relax. For Olivia. Aeron crouched beside the bed and Olivia rolled to her side, maintaining eye contact. I wouldve understood if youd gonehome during Galens interrogation, he said. In fact, he would have preferred it if she had. He would rather have lost her forevermore than know that shed suffered.
I didnt want to leave. Yet. I had to make sure you got this. She lifted a small piece of folded gray material. Its the Cloak of Invisibility.
For a moment, he could only blink in astonishment. Then he shook his head and laughed. His first in forever, it seemed. This tiny woman, this fallen angel, had done what an army of immortals had not been able to do. Shed stolen the third artifact from under the Hunters nosesand shed trounced Galen in the process. Pride swelled his chest.
Reward.
First the demon had wanted to chastise Legion, now Wrath wanted to give Olivia a prize. Were on the same page, demon. Thank you. Not that those two little words express the depths of my gratitude, but thank you all the same.
Youre welcome. So, what do you think of it? The artifact, I mean.
Looks so small. He studied it from every angle. So innocuous, too. How does it
Cover an entire body? It expands as you unfold it.
He didnt want to leave her, even for a second, but he had to ensure the Cloaks protection. Ill be back in a minute, he said, and she nodded.
He kissed her forehead, then stood reluctantly, practically sprinting from the room. The first warrior he ran into wasStrider. Again. Aeron shoved the material into his hands and said, Cloak of Invisibility. Give it to Torin for safekeeping. Thanks. There. Done. Not his problem anymore. And then he was off, heading back to his room.
Strider caught up to him just before he reached the door, grabbing his arm and jerking him to a stop. How did you get this?
Later.
Fine. Deets about the Cloak are on hold. Weve got more important things to discuss, anyway.
Later. He only had five days left with Oliviaif he could convince her to stay for the rest of that time. If not Hell, no. He would. He was a warrior. He would act like one. Victory, at any cost.
Heaven. Any cost.
Two against one. He liked his odds. Then, when their time was up, then hed finally have his vengeance.
This cant wait, Strider insisted.
Too bad. His fingers curled around the knob.
His friend gave another jerk.
Aeron swung around, scowling. Let go of me, man. Im busy.
For news like Ive got, you need to make time for me. Cause, here we go. Youre about to lose your head. Literally. I wanted to break it to you gently, but you were too much of an ass.
He froze. What do you mean, lose my head? How do you know?
Danika painted a new picture. In it, your head was detached from your body.
He was going to die? So far, Danikas paintings had never been proven wrong. The Lords hoped they could change some of their outcomes, sure, but had never really learned whether they could or not. Which meant it was more than likely that he was going to die.
He waited for rage to fill him. It didnt. He waited for sadness to overwhelm him. It didnt. He waited for the urge to drop to his knees and cry and beg for more time to claim him. Again, it didnt.
Hed lived for thousands of years. And now, having met Olivia, hed led a full and glorious life. Because hed loved. His friends, definitely. His surrogate daughter, Legion, despite her recent actions. But mostly Olivia. He loved her. He could deny the emotion no longer. She was his. She was Wraths. Their reason for being. The source of their happiness. Their obsession.
Their heaven.
He would have chased her all over the world, just for a few more minutes of her time. Minutes. Perhaps all they had left now, he mused, rather than the days hed thought to fight for. She was his everything, and he wasnt going to waste any more of their remaining time away from her.
Finally, he understood the humans. They didnt beg for more time because they wanted to spend what they had left enjoying each other. Not wishing for what could have been.
Wrath must have understood, as well. The demon wasnt crying, wasnt urging him to change his course. Without the angel, they had nothing. And as long as they completed their missionGalens destructionthey could die happy.
Aeron, Strider prompted.
He forced himself back to the present. Who takes my head? He would still have to be with Legion. That couldnt change. He wouldnt allow his friends to deal with a mess of his creation without him, but he would take care of that once Olivia was gone and avenged. And then, then he could die in peace. It would be better that way, anyway. He didnt want to live without his Olivia.
Now he wouldnt have to.
Lysander. I think. Cronus and Rhea are there. Ive talked to the others and we decided
Later, he said. What the others speculated didnt matter right now. If they didnt have facts, they didnt have anything he needed. Tell me later. I appreciate the warning, but like I said, Im busy now. He pushed his way back into his bedroom and shut the door, his gaze remaining on Strider until the wood blocked them.
Any other time, the confusion and concern on Striders face would have made him laugh.
There was a knock. Aeron. Come on, man.
Go away or I swear to the gods Ill cut out your tongue and nail it to my wall.
That earned a growl. Shut your mouth, Wrath. Im trying to ignore the challenge in your tone, but its not working. Now listen. We cant lose you. We cant go through something like that again. We just cant. As he spoke, Strider pounded at the wood. You remember how it was after Baden.