Sabin, no, a beautiful, dark-haired female said, patting the once again red-eyed warrior on the shoulder. Her voice was so laden with sorrow, Gwen cringed. Like you told us, we might need him.
Sabin. A strong name, reminiscent of a weapon. Fitting.
Were the two lovers?
Finally that all-consuming gaze left her, and she was able to breathe. Sabin dropped Chris and the bastard fell to the ground, unconscious. She knew he still lived because she could hear the rush of blood in his veins, the crackle of air filling his lungs.
Who are these women? a blond warrior said. He had bright blue eyes and a lovely face that promised compassion and safety, but he was not the one Gwen suddenly imagined herself curling next to and sleeping beside peacefully. Deeply. Safely. Finally.
All these months, shed been afraid to sleep, knowing Chris would have loved to take her unaware. So shed slumbered in short, shallow spurts, never relaxing her guard. Sometimes shed had to refrain from simply giving herself to the evil man in exchange for the prospect of closing her eyes and sinking into dark oblivion.
A black-haired, violet-eyed mountain stepped forward, eyeing the cells surrounding Gwens. Dear gods. That one is pregnant.
So is that one. This speaker had multicolored hair, pale skin and eyes as brilliant a blue as his blond friends, though this mans were rimmed with a darker shade. What kind of bastards keep pregnant females in these conditions? This is low even for Hunters.
The females in question were banging on the glass, begging for help, for freedom.
Anyone hear what theyre saying? the mountain asked.
I do, Gwen answered automatically.
Sabin turned to her. That brown gaze no longer sleeked with red once more honed in on her, probing, searchingperusing.
A shiver danced the length of her spine. Could he hear her? Her eyes widened as he strode to her cell, sheathing a knife at his waist. Heightened as her senses were, she caught the barest hint of sweat, lemon and mint. She inhaled deeply, savoring every nuance. For so long, shed smelled nothing but Chris and his overpowering cologne, his pungent drugs and the terror of the other females.
You can hear us? Sabins timbre was as rough as his features and should have grated her nerves like sandpaper, but somehow soothed her like a caress.
Tentatively, she nodded.
Can they? He pointed to the other prisoners.
She shook her head. Can you hear me?
He, too, shook his head. Im reading your lips.
Oh. That meant hed beenwaswatching her intently, even when his head had been turned. The knowledge was not unpleasant.
How do we open the glass? he asked.
Her lips pressed in a stubborn line, and she dared a quick look at the heavily armed, blood-coated predators behind him. Should she tell him? What if they planned to rape her fellow prisoners, just as the others had done? Just as shed feared?
His harsh expression softened. We havent come to harm you. You have my word. We just want to free you.
She didnt know him, knew better than to trust him, but pushed to shaky legs anyway and lumbered to the glass. Up close like this, she realized that Sabin towered over her and his eyes were not brown as shed supposed. Rather, they were ringed with amber, coffee, auburn and bronze, a symphony of colors. Thankfully, the glow of red was still gone. Had she imagined it those times?
Woman? he said.
If he opened the cell as promisedif she could gather her courage and not freeze in place as was her habitescape would finally be possible. The hope shed denied earlier sprang to life, unstoppable and tantalizing, tempered only by the thought that she might cruelly and brutally destroy these possible saviors without meaning to.
Dont worry. Unless they try to harm you, your beast will remain caged. One wrong move from them, though
Worth the risk, she thought, saying, Stones.
His brow furrowed. Bones?
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she lifted one of her nailsa claw when compared to a humansand carved the word STONES in the glass. Each etching would hold only long enough for her to finish a letter before wiping clean. Damned godly glass. Shed often wondered how the humans had acquired it.
A pause. A frown, his attention remaining fixed on her too-long, pointed nail. Was he wondering what type of creature she was?
Then, Stones? Sabin asked, gaze once more meeting hers.
She nodded.
He spun in a circle, eyeing the entire chamber. Though the look-over lasted only a few seconds, Gwen suspected hed cataloged every inch of the place and could have found his way out of it in the dark.
The warriors lined up behind him, all staring at her expectantly. Mixed with the expectation, however, was curiosity, suspicion, hatredfor her?and even lust. One step, two, she backed away. Shed take hate over lust any day. Her legs trembled so violently she feared her muscles would give out. Stay calm. You cannot panic. Bad things happen when you panic.
How did one combat the desire of others? There was nothing she could do to cover herself more than she already was. Upon her imprisonment, her jeans and T-shirt had been replaced with a white tank and short skirt her captors had given hereasier access that way. Bastards. One of the tank straps had ripped months ago and the shirt now gaped. Shed had to tie it under her arm to keep her breast covered.
Turn away, Sabin suddenly growled.
Gwen spun without thought, long red hair swaying at her sides. Breath sawed in and out of her mouth, and sweat beaded over her brow. Why had he wanted her back? To better subdue her?
There was another of those heavy pauses. I didnt mean you, woman. This time, Sabins voice was soft, gentle.
Aw, come on, someone said. She recognized the rich, irreverent tone of the male with the blond hair and blue eyes. Youre not serious about
Youre scaring her.
Gwen peeked over her shoulder.
But she the heavily tattooed one began.
Once again Sabin interjected. You want answers or not? I said turn!
A few groans, the shuffling of feet.
Woman.
Slowly she pivoted back around. All of the warriors had turned as Sabin commanded, giving her their backs.
Sabin placed a palm against the glass. It was large, unscarred and steady, but streaked with blood. Which stones?
She pointed to a grouping in a case beside him. They were small, about the size of a fist, and each had a different way to die painted on the front. The highlights: a beheading, limb removal, a stabbing, a pike through the gut and a wildfire climbing the body of a man nailed to a tree.
Good, thats good. But what do I do with them?
Now panting with the need to be freeclose, so closeshe pantomimed the placing of a stone into a hole, like a key into a lock.
Does it matter which stone goes where?
She nodded, then pointed to each particular stone and which cell it opened. Shed come to dread the use of those stones, as it meant she would be forced to witness another rape. Sighing, she began to scratch the word KEY into the glass when Sabin slammed a fist into the stones case, shattering the outer shell. It would have taken the strength of ten humans to do such a thing, yet he made it look effortless.
Several cuts branched from his knuckles to his wrists. Beads of crimson appeared, but he wiped them away as if they meant nothing. By that time, the injuries were already in the process of healing, torn flesh weaving back together. Oh, yes. He was something far greater than mortal. Not fae, for his ears were perfectly rounded. Not vampire, for he didnt possess fangs. A male siren, then? His voice was rich enough, delicious enough, yes, but perhaps too harsh.
Grab a stone, he called, never taking his focus from her.
Instantly the warriors spun on their booted heels. Gwen purposely kept her gaze on Sabin, afraid that looking at the others would cause her fear to spike. Youre in control, doing good. She couldntwouldntfalter. Already she carried too many regrets.
Why couldnt she be like her sisters? Why couldnt she be brave and strong and embrace what she was? If necessary, they would have cut off a limb to escapeand they would have done it long before now. They would have pounded a fist through the glass, then Chriss chest, and eaten his heart in front of him, laughing all the while.
She experienced a pang of homesickness. If Tyson, her former boyfriend, had told them of her abductionwhich he probably hadnt, scared as he was of her sistersthen they were looking for her and they wouldnt give up until they found her. Despite her weaknesses, they loved her, wanted the best for her. But they would be so disappointed in her when they learned of her captivity. Shed failed herself, as well as her race. Even as a child she had run from conflict, which was how shed earned the degrading moniker Gwendolyn the Timid.
Her palms were damp, she realized, and she rubbed them on her thighs.
Sabin directed the men, telling them which stone belonged in which hole. He got a few of the placements wrong but she wasnt worried. Theyd figure it out. He was correct about hers, though, and when one man, a blue-haired, pierced punk, tried to pick up the appropriate stone, Sabins strong, tanned fingers banded around his wrist, stopping him.
The blue-haired one locked eyes with Sabin, who shook his head. Mine, he said.
The punk grinned. Hating what we see, are we?
Sabin just frowned at him.
Gwen blinked in confusion. Sabin hated looking at her?
One by one the women were freed, some crying, some attempting to hurry out of the chamber. The males didnt let them get far, catching them and surprising Gwen by cradling them gently, even when the women fought violently. In fact, the most beautiful man in the group, he of the multicolored hair, approached the women one by one, softly muttering, Sleep for me, sweetheart.
Shockingly, they obeyed, sagging in the warriors protective arms.
Sabin crouched and palmed Gwens stone, the one that showed the man burning alive. When he straightened, he tossed it in the air, caught it easily. Dont run. All right? Im tired and I dont want to chase you, but I will if you make me. And Im afraid Ill accidentally hurt you.
You and me both, she thought.
Dontfree her, Chris suddenly sputtered. How long had he been awake? He lifted his head and spit out a mouthful of dirt. Bruises had already formed under his eyes. Dangerous. Deadly.
Cameo, was all Sabin said.
The female warrior knew what he wanted and stalked to the human, grabbed him by the back of his shirt and easily lifted him to his feet. With her free hand, she placed a dagger at his carotid. Either too weak or too frightened, he didnt struggle.
Gwen hoped it was fear that held him still. Hoped it with every fiber of her being. She even stared at the tip of the knife, willing it inside the bastards throat, piercing skin and bone and causing unforgettable agony.
Yes, she thought, entranced. Yes, yes, yes. Do it. Please, do it. Cut him, make him suffer.
What do you want me to do with him? Cameo asked Sabin.
Keep him there. Alive.
Disappointment caused Gwens shoulders to sag. But with the disappointment came a startling realization. Her emotions were under control, yet she was very close to releasing her inner beast anyway. All those thoughts of pain and suffering were not her own. They couldnt be. Dangerous, Chris had said. Deadly. Hed been right. You have to stay in control.
Feel free to hurt him a bit, though, Sabin added, his eyes narrowing on Gwen. Was heangry? At her? But why? What had she done?
Dont set the girl free, Chris repeated. A tremor rocked his entire body. He backed away, but Cameo, obviously stronger than she appeared, jerked him back into place. Please dont.
Maybe you should leave the redhead in her cell, the tiny warrior woman said. For now, at least. Just in case.
Sabin raised the stone, stopping just short of inserting it into the hole beside Gwens cage. Hes a Hunter. A liar. And I think he hurt her, but doesnt want her able to tell us.
Gwen blinked over at him in shock and awe. He wasnt angry at her, but at Chrisa hunter?for what he might have done. He truly meant what hed said. He wouldnt harm her. Wanted her free. Safe.
Is that right? Sabin asked her. He hurt you?
Cheeks heating in mortification, she nodded. Emotionally, hed destroyed her.
Sabin ran his tongue over his teeth. Hell pay for that. You have my word.
Slowly the embarrassment faded. Her mother, who had disinherited her almost two years ago, would rather see her dead than weakened, but this manthis strangerthought to avenge her.
Chris swallowed nervously. Listen to me. Please. I know Im your enemy, and I wont lie and pretend youre not mine. You are. I hate you with every fiber of my being. But if you let her go, shell kill us all. I swear it.
Will you try and kill us, little red? Sabin asked her, even more gently than before.
Used to being called bitch and whore by the men here, Gwen felt the sweet endearment drift through her mind with the potency of a rose-scented summer breeze. In their few minutes together, this man had managed to gift her with the very thing shed dreamed about since being locked up: a white knight, determined to slay her dragons. Sure, shed once thought that white knight would be Tyson or even the father shed never known, but still. It wasnt every day a dream came true.
Red?
Gwen snapped to attention. What had he asked? Oh, yeah. If she would try and kill him and his friends. She licked her lips and shook her head. If her beast overtook her, she wouldnt just try. She would succeed. I have control. For the most part. Theyll be fine.
Thats what I thought. With a flick of his wrist, Sabin drove the stone home. Her heart thundered in her chest, nearly cracking her ribs. Gradually the glass liftedliftedsoonsoonAnd then there was nothing between her and Sabin but air. The scent of lemon and mint strengthened. The coldness shed grown used to gave way to a blanket of heat that seemed to wrap around her.
She smiled slowly. Free. She was truly free.
Sabin sucked in a breath. My gods. Youre incredible.
She found herself stepping toward him, reaching out, desperate for the contact shed been denied all these months. A single touch, thats all she needed. And then she would leave, go home. Finally.
Home.
Bitch, Chris shouted, struggling against Cameos hold. Stay away from me. Keep her away from me. Shes a monster!
Her feet halted of their own accord, and her gaze swung to the wretched human responsible for all the distress, all the anguish, shed endured for the past year. Not to mention what hed done to her cell mates. Her nails elongated to razor points. Tiny, seemingly gossamer wings sprang from her back, ripping at the cotton, fluttering frantically. Her blood thinned in her veins, rushing through every part of her, fast, so fast, and her vision tunneled to infrared, colors fading as body heat became her only focus.
In that instant, she realized shed never had any sort of control over her beast. Her darker side. It had swirled inside her all along, mostly quiet as it waited for the opportunity to strike
Only Chris, only Chris, please gods only Chris. The chant rang through her mind, hopefully penetrating the bloodlust of her vengeful beast. Only Chris, leave everyone else alone, attack only Chris.
But deep down, she knew there would be no stopping the death toll now.
CHAPTER THREE
FROM THE FIRST MOMENT Sabin had seen the lovely redhead in the glass cell, hed been unable to remove his gaze from her. Unable to breathe, to think. Her hair was long and curled wantonly, blond streaked with thick locks of ruby. Her eyebrows were a darker auburn, but just as exquisite. Her nose was buttoned at the end, her cheeks rounded like a cherubs. But her eyesthey were a sensual feast, amber with striations of sparkling gray. Hypnotic. Black lashes spiked around them, a decadent frame.
Halogens hung from hooks in the walls and drowned her in bright light. While that would have revealed anothers flaws and did in fact expose the dirt streaking her skin, it gave her a healthy glow. She was petite, with small, round breasts, narrow hips and legs long enough to wrap around his waist and hold on through the most turbulent of rides.
Dont think like that. You know better. Yeah, he did. His last lover, Darla, had killed herself and hed vowed not to get involved again. But his attraction to the redhead had been instant. So had his demons, though Doubt wanted her for another reason. It had sensed her trepidation and had purposely targeted her, wanting inside her mind, pouncing on her deepest fears and exploiting them.
But she was not human, theyd both soon realized, and therefore Doubt had been unable to hear her thoughts unless she voiced them. That didnt mean she was safe from its evils. Oh, no. Doubt knew how to size up a situation and spread its poison accordingly. More than that, the demon relished a challenge and would work harder to learn this girls nuances and ruin any faith she might have.
What was she? Hed encountered many immortals over his thousands of years yet he couldnt place her. She certainly appeared human. Delicate, fragile. Breakable. Those amber-silver eyes gave her away, though. And the claws. He could imagine those digging into his back
Why had the Hunters taken her? He feared the answer. Three of the six newly liberated females were clearly pregnant, which brought to mind only one thing: the breeding of Hunters. Immortal Hunters, at that, for he recognized two sirens with scars along the column of their necks where their voice boxes had obviously been removed, a pale-skinned vampire whose fangs were gone, a gorgon whose reptilian hair had been shaved and a daughter of Cupid who had been blinded. To prevent her from ensnaring an enemy in her love spell, Sabin supposed.
How cruel the Hunters had been to these lovely creatures. What had they done to the redhead, the loveliest of them all? Though she wore a tiny tank and skirt, he could see no scars or bruises to indicate mistreatment. That didnt mean anything, though. Most immortals healed quickly.
I want her. Intense fatigue radiated from her, yet when shed smiled at him in thanks for freeing herhe could have died from the sheer glory of her face.
I want her, too, Doubt piped up. You cant have her. Which meant he couldnt either. Remember Darla? As strong and confident as she was, you still managed to break her down.
Gleeful laughter. I know. Wasnt it fun?
His hands fisted at his sides. Fucking demon. Eventually everyone caved under the intense worries his other, darker half constantly threw at them: You arent pretty enough. You arent smart enough. How could anyone love you?
Sabin, Aerons cold voice called. Were ready.
He reached out and motioned the girl over with a wave of his fingers. Come.
But his redhead had backed herself against the far wall, her body trembling in renewed fear. Hed expected her to beat feet, despite his warning of the consequences. He hadnt expected thisterror.
I told you, he said gently. We mean you no harm.
Her mouth opened, but no sound emerged. And as he watched, the golden glow of her eyes deepened, darkened, black bleeding into the whites.
What the hell is
One minute she was before him, the next she wasnt, gone as if shed never been. He spun, gaze scanning. Didnt see her. But the only Hunter still standing suddenly belted out an agonized screama scream that halted abruptly as his body sagged, collapsing on the sandy floor, blood pooling around him.
The girl, Sabin said, palming a blade, determined to protect her from whatever force had just slain the Hunter hed planned to interrogate. Still he did not see her. If she could disappear with only a thought like Lucien, she would be safe. Out of his reach forevermore, but safe. But could she? Had she?
Behind you, Cameo said, and for once she sounded more shocked than miserable.
My gods, Paris breathed. I never saw her move, yet
She didntdid shehow could she have Maddox scrubbed a hand down his face, as though he didnt believe what he was seeing.
Again, Sabin spun. And there she was, back inside her cell, sitting, knees drawn to her chest, mouth dripping with blood, atrachea?clutched in one of her hands. Shed rippedor bitten?the mans throat out.
Her eyes were a normal color again, gold with gray striations, but they were completely devoid of emotion and so faraway he suspected the shock of what shed done had numbed her mind. Her expression was blank, too. Her skin was now so pallid he could see the blue veins underneath. And she was shaking, rocking back and forth and mumbling incoherently under her breath. What. The. Hell?
The Hunter had called her a monster. Sabin hadnt believed it. Then.
Sabin stepped inside the cell, unsure of what to do but knowing he could neither leave her like this nor lock her back up. One, she hadnt attacked his friends. Two, swift as she was, she could escape before the window closed and do serious damage to him for breaking his word.
Sabin, man, Gideon said, grim. You might not want to rethink going in there. For once, a Hunter was lying.
For once. Try once more. Know what were dealing with here?
No. Yes. Shes not a Harpy, the spawn of Lucifer who did not spend a year unfettered on earth. I havent dealt with them before and I dont know that they can kill an army of immortals in mere seconds.
As Gideon couldnt tell a single truth without soon wishing he were dead, his entire body wrapped in agony and riddled with suffering, Sabin knew everything he said was a lie. Therefore, the warrior had encountered a Harpy beforeand he clearly didnt mean the word in a derogatory senseand those Harpies were the spawn of Lucifer and could destroy even a brute like himself in a blink.
When? he asked.
Gideon understood his meaning. Remember when I wasnt imprisoned?
Ah. Gideon had once endured three months of torture at Hunter hands.
One didnt destroy half the camp before a single alarm could be sounded. She didnt take off, for whatever reason, and the remaining Hunters didnt spend the next few days cursing the entire race.
Hold on. Harpy? I dont think so. She isnt hideous. That little nugget came from Strider, the king of stating the obvious. How can she be a Harpy?
You know as well as we do that human myths are sometimes distorted. Just because most legends claim Harpies are hideous doesnt mean they are. Now, everyone out. Sabin began tossing his weapons on the ground behind him. Ill deal with her.
A sea of protests arose.
Ill be fine. He hoped.
You might not be
Oh, shut the hell up.
Shes
Coming with us, he said, cutting Maddox off. He couldnt leave her behind; she was too valuable a weapon, a weapon that could be used against himor used by him. Yes, he thought, eyes widening. Yes. And shes coming alive.
Hell, no, Maddox said. I dont want a Harpy anywhere near Ashlyn.
You saw what she did
Now Maddox cut him off. Yes, I did, and thats exactly why I dont want her near my pregnant human. The Harpy stays behind.
Another reason to eschew love. It softened even the most hardened of warriors. She has to hate these men as much as we do. She can help our cause.
Maddox was undeterred. No.
Shell be my responsibility, and Ill make sure she keeps her claws and teeth sheathed. Again, he hoped.
You want her, shes yours, Strider said, always on his side. Good man. Maddox will agree because you never pressure Ashlyn to go into town and listen to conversations Hunters might have had, no matter how badly you want to.
Eyes narrowed, Maddox popped his jaw. Well have to subdue her.
No. Ill handle her. Sabin didnt like the thought of anyone else touching her. In any way. He told himself it was because shed most likely been tortured, used in the most horrendous way, and might react negatively to anyone who tried, but
He recognized the excuse for what it was. He was attracted to her, and a man attracted couldnt turn off the possessive thing. Even when that man had sworn off women.
Cameo approached his side, attention riveted on the girl. Let Paris deal with her. He can finesse the cruelest of females into a good mood. You, not so much, and we clearly need this one in a perpetual good mood.
Paris, who could seduce any woman, anytime, immortal and human alike? Paris, who needed sex to survive? Sabins teeth ground together, an image of the couple flashing through his mind. Naked bodies tangled, the warriors fingers gripping the Harpys wild fall of hair, bliss coloring her expression.
Would be better for the girl that way. Would probably be better for them all, as Cameo had said. The Harpy would be more inclined to help them defeat the Hunters if she was fighting by her lovers sideand Sabin was now determined to have her help. Of course, Paris couldnt bed her more than once, would eventually cheat on her because he needed sex from different vessels to survive, and that would probably piss her off. She might then decide to aid the Hunters.
Bad idea, all the way around, he decided, and not just because he wanted it to be.
Justgive me five minutes. If she kills me, Paris can have a turn with her. His dry tone failed to elicit a single chortle of laughter.
At least let Paris put her to sleep as he did the others, Cameo persisted.
Sabin shook his head. If she were to wake early, she would be scared and she might attack. Ive got to get through to her first. Now get out. Let me work.
A pause. A shuffling of feet, heavier than usual as the warriors were carrying the other women out. And then he was alone with the redhead. Or strawberry blond, he supposed the color was called. She was still crouched, still mumbling, still holding that damn trachea.
Such a bad little girl, arent you? the demon said, tossing the words straight into the Harpys mind. And you know what happens to bad little girls, dont you?
Leave her alone. Please, he begged the demon. She cut through our enemy, preventing them from searching forand findingthe box.
At the word box, Doubt cried out. The demon had spent a thousand years inside the darkness and chaos of Pandoras box and did not want to return. Would do anything to prevent such a fate.
Sabin could no longer exist without Doubt. It was a permanent part of him and much as he sometimes resented it, he would rather give up a lung than the demon. The first he could regenerate.
Just a few minutes of quiet, he added. Please.
Oh, very well.
Satisfied with that, Sabin stepped the rest of the way inside the cell. He bent down, placing himself at eye level with the girl.
Im sorry, Im sorry, she chanted, as though she sensed his presence. She didnt face him, though, just continued to stare ahead, unseeing. Did I kill you?
No, no. Im fine. Poor thing didnt know what shed done or what she was saying. You did a good thing, destroyed a very bad man.
Bad. Yes, Im very very bad. Her arms tightened around her knees.