THE DARKEST PRISONLords of the Underworld Series, Book 3,5Gena Showalter
Prologue
Reyes, once an immortal warrior for the gods, now possessed by the demon of Pain and living in Budapest, entered his bedroom. He was drenched in sweat and panting from the force of his workout. Because he could not experience pleasure without physical suffering, the burn in his muscles had excited him.
As always, his gaze sought out his woman and he palmed the blade they preferred to use during their loveplay. She was sitting at the edge of their big bed, lovely features drawn tight as she studied the canvas in front of her. A canvas shed propped on an easel and lowered so that she had a direct view. Blond hair fell to her shoulders in wild disarray, as if shed tangled her fingers through the thick mass multiple times, and she was chewing on her bottom lip.
Sex could wait. She was troubled, and he would be unable to think of anything else until hed solved this dilemma for her. So he sheathed the blade.
Something wrong, angel?
Her eyes lifted and landed on him, worry in their emerald depths. She offered him a small smile. Im not sure.
Well, why dont I help you figure it out? Anything that bothered her, he would dispatch. No hesitation. For her happiness, he would do anything, kill anyone.
I would like that, thank you.
Shall I shower before I join you?
No. I like you just how you are.
Darling woman. But he didnt like the thought of dirtying her pretty clothes. He quickly grabbed a towel from the bathroom and rubbed himself dry. Only then did he settle behind his woman, his legs encasing hers, his arms wrapping around her waist. Breathing deeply of her wild storm scent, he rested his chin in the hollow of her neck and followed the direction of her gaze.
What he saw surprised him.
It shouldnt have. Her paintings were always vivid. As the All-Seeing Eye, an oracle of the gods and one of their most cherished aides, she could peer into heaven and hell. And did, every night, though she had no control over what she witnessed. Past, present, future, it didnt matter. Every morning, she painted what shed seen.
This one was of a man. A warrior, clearly. With that muscle mass, he had to be. A gold collar circled his neck, cinching tight. He was on his knees, legs spread. His arms rested on his thighs, palms raised. His dark head was thrown back, and he was roaring up at a domed ceiling. In pain, perhaps. Maybe even fury. There was blood smeared all over his chest, seeping from multiple wounds. Wounds that looked as if his skin had been carved away.
Who is he? Reyes asked.
I dont know. Ive never seen him before.
Then they would reason this out as best they were able. Was he from heaven or hell?
Heaven. Definitely. I think hes in Cronuss throne room.
A god, then? A few months ago, Titans had overthrown the Greeks and seized control of the divine throne. So, if this man was in Cronuss throne room, chained up, hurt, and Cronus was leader of the Titans, that must mean the warrior was a Greek. A slave who had been punished, perhaps?
You saw only this image? Reyes asked. Not what got him to this point?
Correct, Danika said with a nod. I heard him scream, though. It was She shuddered, and his arms squeezed her in comfort. I felt so sorry for him. Never have I heard so much rage and helplessness.
We can summon Cronus. Cronus wasnt too fond of Reyes and his fellow Lords of the Underworld-the very men who had opened Pandoras box, unleashing the evil from inside. The men who had then been cursed to carry that evil inside themselves. But the god king hated their enemy, the Hunters, more, because Danika had seen Galen, the leader of the Hunters, chop off Cronuss head in a vision. Now the god king was determined to kill Galen before Galen could kill him. Even if that meant soliciting the aid of the Lords. We can ask him if he knows this man.
A moment passed while Danika pondered his suggestion. Finally, she sighed, nodded. Yes. Id like that. Then she surprised him by turning to him and offering the sweetest smile hed ever seen. Well, all of her smiles were that way. But its too early in the morning to summon anyone, and besides, I think you had other things on your mind when you entered the room. Why dont you tell me about them? she suggested huskily.
He was rock hard in seconds-thats what she did to him. That would be my pleasure, angel.
She pushed him to his back, smile widening. And mine.
Chapter 1
Be still, Nike. Youre only making this worse for yourself. Atlas, Titan god of Strength, stared down at the bane of his existence. Nike, Greek goddess of Strength. His godly counterpart. His enemy. And an all-around grade-A bitch.
Two of his best men held her arms and two held her legs. They should have been able to pin her without incident. She was collared, after all, and that collar prevented her from using any of her immortal powers. Even her legendary strength-strength that was not on par with his, thank you. But never had a female been more stubborn-or more determined to fell him. She continually struggled against their hold, punching, kicking and biting like a cornered animal.
I will kill you for this, she growled at him.
Why? Im not doing anything to you that you didnt once have done to me. Motions clipped, Atlas tore his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, revealing his chest, the ropes of his stomach. There, in the center, in big black letters spanning from one tiny brown nipple to the other, was her name, spelled out for all the world to see. N.I.K.E.
Shed branded him, reduced him to her property.
Had he deserved it? Maybe. Once, hed been a prisoner in this bleak realm. In Tartarus, a divine dungeon. Hed been a god overthrown and locked away, forgotten, no better than rubbish. Hed wanted out, and he had been willing to do anything to see it done. Anything. So he had seduced Nike, one of his guards, using her feelings for him against her.
Though she would deny it now, she truly had fallen a little in love with him. The proof: shed arranged his escape, a crime punishable by death. Yet shed been willing to risk it. For him. Only, just before she could remove his collar, allowing him to flash himself away-moving from one place to another with only a thought-she discovered that he had also seduced several other female guards. Why rely on one to get the job done when four could serve him better?
Hed counted on the fact that none of the Greek females would want their affair with an enslaved Titan known. Hed counted on their silence.
What he should have done was count on their jealousy.
Nike had realized shed been used, that his emotions had never really been engaged. Rather than throw him back into his cell and pretend he did not exist, rather than have him beaten, shed had him held down and marked permanently.
For years hed dreamed of returning the favor. Sometimes he thought the desire was the only thing that kept him sane as he wiled away century after century in this hellhole. Alone, darkness his only companion.
Imagine his delight when the prison walls began to crack. When the defenses began to crumble. When their collars fell away. It had taken a while, but he and his brethren had finally managed to work their way free. Theyd attacked the Greeks, brutally and without mercy.
In a matter of days, they had won.
The Greeks were defeated and now locked exactly where theyd locked the Titans. Atlas had volunteered to oversee the realm and had thankfully been placed in charge. Finally, his day of vengeance had arrived. Nike would forever bear his mark.
You should be grateful youre alive, he told her.
Fuck you.
He smiled slowly, evilly. Youve done that, remember?
Her struggles increased. Increased so viciously she was soon panting and sweating right alongside his men.
Flip her over, he ordered them. No mercy. Atlas didnt have the patience to wait until she tired. Ill just keep tattooing until my name is clear enough to satisfy me.
With a frustrated, infuriated screech, she finally stilled. She knew he spoke true. He always spoke true. Threats were not something he wasted his breath uttering. Only promises.
Thats a good girl. Atlas strode forward and ripped the cloth from her back. The skin was tanned, smooth. Flawless. Once, hed caressed this back. Once, hed kissed and licked it. And yes, being with her had been more satisfying than being with any of the others, but he would not be ruled by his dick and release her before branding her, all in the hopes that he could get her into bed again. He would do this.
Thats not what I did to you, Nike rasped. I didnt mark your back.
You would rather I brand your lovely breasts?
At that, she held her tongue.
Good. He didnt want to mar her chest. Her breasts were a work of art, surely the worlds finest creation. No need to thank me, he muttered. He held out his hand and someone slapped the needed supplies in his palm. At least you wont have to look at my name every day of your too-long life. As he had to do.
Dont do this, she suddenly cried. Please. Dont.She turned her head and there were tears in her brown eyes.
She wasnt a beautiful woman. Could barely be called pretty. Her nose was a little too long, and her cheeks a little too sharp. She had ordinary brown hair cut to hit her toowide shoulders, and the body of a warrior. But there was something about her that had always drawn him.
He rolled his eyes. Dry the fake tears, Nike. And he knew they were fake. She wasnt prone to displays of emotion. They dont affect me and they certainly dont become you.
Instantly her eyelids narrowed, the tears miraculously gone. Fine. But I will make you regret this. I vow it.
Im looking forward to your attempts. Truth. Sparring with her had always excited him.
Without a single beat of hesitation, he pressed the ink gun just below her shoulder blade. His grip was steady as he etched the outline of the first letter. A. Not once did she flinch. Not once did she act as if she felt a single ounce of pain. He knew it hurt, though. Oh, did he know. To permanently mark an immortal, ambrosia had to be mixed into the colored liquid and that ambrosia burned like acid.
She remained silent as he finished each of the outlines. Silent, still, as he filled in the letters. When he finished, he sat back on his haunches and surveyed his work: A.T.L.A.S.
He expected satisfaction to overtake him, so long had he waited for this moment. It didnt. He expected relief to overwhelm him; vengeance had been achieved. It didnt. What he didnt expect was a white-hot sweep of possessiveness, but thats exactly what he experienced.
Nike now belonged to him. Forever. And all the world would know it.
Chapter 2
Nike paced the confines of her cell. A cell she shared with several others. Knowing her temper as intimately as they did, they were careful to stay out of her way. Still. Roommates sucked. She could feel their eyes boring into her robe-clad back, as if they could see the name now branded there.
If they dared say a single word about it
There hadnt been enough cells to contain all of the Greeks, so theyd been crammed into each chamber in groups. Male, female, it hadnt mattered. Maybe the Titans hadnt cared about the mixing of the sexes, or maybe theyd done it to increase the torment of each prisoner. The latter was probably the case. Husbands had not been paired with wives and friend had not been paired with friend. No, rival had been paired with rival.
For her, that rival was Erebos, the minor god of darkness. Once, Erebos had treated her like a queen. Once, shed really liked him. Had even considered marrying him. But then shed fallen in love with Atlas-that womanizing, lying bastard Atlas-so shed cut Erebos loose. Then shed discovered that Atlas had never really wanted her, that Atlas had only been using her. Love had quickly morphed into rage.
The rage, though, had eventually cooled. Shed forgotten him. For the most part. Now, with his name decorating her back, she hated him with every fiber of her being.
Maybe- maybeshed overreacted when shed done the same to him. Branded him forever. Impulsiveness had always been her downfall, after all. For years, shed even regretted her decision. Not that she would ever admit such a thing to him. Regret was not what she felt now, however.
She hadnt lied to him. She would kill him for this.
First, she would have to find a way to remove the stupid collar around her neck. As long as she wore it, she was powerless. Second, she would have to find a way to escape this realm.
The first, in theory, should have been easy. Yet shed already tried clawing and beating at it, and had even attempted to melt it from her neck. All shed done was cut her skin, bruise her tender flesh and singe her hair off. The second, in theory and reality, seemed impossible.
Her gaze circled her surroundings. After the Titans escaped, theyd reinforced everything. How, she didnt know. The prison was supposedly bound to Tartarus, the Greek god of Confinement whod once kept guard over the Titans, and when hed begun to weaken for no apparent reason, the realm had weakened, as well. Everything in it became structurally unsound. But now, Tartarus was missing. The Titans didnt have him and no one knew where he was. There was no reason the realm should be as strong as it was in his absence.
The walls and floor were comprised of godly stone, something only special godly tools-tools she didnt have-could break through, and yet, even without Tartaruss presence, there was not a crack in sight.
The thick silver bars that allowed a glimpse of the guards station below had been constructed by Hephaistos, and only Hephaistos could melt such a metal. Unfortunately, he resided somewhere else. As with Tartarus, no one knew where. Still, without Tartarus, she should have been able to bend that metal. She couldnt; shed already tried.
Could you settle the hell down? Erebos grumbled from one of the cots. From his dark hair to his dark skin, from his handsome features to his strong body, he was the picture of unhappy male, all of that unhappiness pointed at her. Were trying to plan an escape here.
They were always planning an escape.
Besides, he continued, your ugly face is giving me a headache.
Go suck yourself, she replied. Though shed been the one to hurt him all those centuries ago- unintentionallyhed repaid her a thousand times over. Purposefully. Not emotionally, but physically. He liked nothing better than to accidentally trip her, bump into her and send her flying, as well as to eat what little portion of food was meant for her before she could fight her way to the front of the line, starving her. If she hadnt been wearing the collar, he never would have been able to do those things. She would have been too strong. Another reason to despise her captivity.
Sucking myself would probably elicit better results than when you did it, he retorted.
The handful of gods and goddesses around him snickered.
Whatever, she said, as if the taunt didnt bother her. Except, her cheeks did flush. She was the epitome of strength-or she was supposed to be-and shed always been more mannish than feminine. That was why Atlass attention had so surprised and delighted her. That gorgeous man could have won anyone, yet hed chosen her. Or so shed thought. And shed fallen for his act because hed somehow made her feel like a delicate, beautiful woman.
Just then, Atlas strode into the guards station. She didnt have to see him to know. She felt him. Always she felt his heat. When her gaze found him, she discovered that he had his arm wrapped around a leggy blonde. A blonde who cuddled herself into his side as if she belonged there-and had rested there many times before.
The thought angered Nike. It shouldnt have; she despised Atlas with all of her being and didnt care who he slept with. Didnt care who he pleasured. And yes, he would have pleasured the blonde with those talented hands and seeking lips. He was an amazing lover whose touch still haunted Nikes dreams. But there it was. Anger.
She didnt mean to, but found herself striding to the bars and gripping them for a better, closer look at him. Three other guards stood around him, all talking and laughing. While prisoners wore white, guards wore black, and he wore that darkness well. It was the perfect complement to his dark, chopped hair and sea-colored eyes.
His face had been chiseled by a master artist, everything about him perfectly proportioned. His eyes were the perfect distance apart, his nose the perfect length, his cheeks the perfect sharpness, his lips the perfect shape and color and his chin a perfect, stubborn square.
She should have known he was playing her the moment hed turned those dangerous eyes on her and they lit with interest. Men just didnt look at her like that. Not even Erebos had, and he had loved her.
Bastard, she muttered, the curse for both the men in her past.
As if he heard her, Atlas lifted his gaze. The moment their eyes met, she wanted to release the bars. She wanted to step away, out of sight. But she didnt allow herself that luxury. That would have been cowardly, and this man had seen her weak one too many times.
Just to taunt him, and hopefully make him feel as out of control as he always made her feel, she allowed her attention to fall to his chest, exactly where her name rested. She smiled smugly before raising her gaze and arching a brow. Score. A muscle ticked in his jaw.
What does your lover think of your mark? she wanted to shout. What does the blonde think of my name on your body?
He jerked the stupid blonde deeper into his side and, without breaking eye contact with Nike, planted a lush, wet kiss on her mouth. Of course, she reacted as any other woman would have. She wrapped her arms around him and held on for dear life. As Nike well knew, that man could make a woman come with the expertise of his kiss.
Nikes anger intensified. Had she been able, she would have stomped down there and ripped them apart. Then she would have killed them both. Not because she wanted Atlas for herself-she didnt-but because he was clearly using yet another woman. Passion did not glow from his expression. Only determination did.
Nike would be doing the female population a favor by snuffing him out.
Erebos, she called. Come here. I want to kiss you.
What? he gasped out, his shock clear.
Do you want a kiss or not? Get over here. Quickly.
There was a rustling of clothing behind her and then her former lover was beside her. He was a prisoner, and sex was a rarity. He would take what he could get, even from someone he loathed. That much she knew.
Nike turned to him; he was already leaning down. Like the blonde, she wrapped her arms around her companions neck and held on tight. Only, she didnt enjoy the kiss, familiar as it was. Ereboss taste was toowhat? Different from Atlass, she realized, and that ratcheted her anger another notch. No man should have that much power over her.
Still. She let Erebos continue. Atlas needed to realize that she no longer desired him. He needed to realize that he would never, never play her emotions again. She was not an idealistic little girl anymore. Hed made sure of that.
Chapter 3
Rage. Absolute rage filled Atlas. He released his companion-he couldnt recall her name-and she gasped in protest at the abruptness of his actions. He didnt bother explaining what he was about as he stomped away from her. The rage continued to spread as he climbed the stairs that led to the prisoners cages and to the cell holding Nike.
His name was on her back. How dare she allow another man to put his lips on her?
When he reached his destination, he raised his arm, and the sensor hed had embedded in his wrist caused the bars to slide open. Several prisoners were seated against the far wall. Rapturous longing colored their faces as they watched the minor god of Darkness and the goddess of Strength clean each others tonsils. So absorbed were they, in fact, that they didnt rush Atlas and try to escape. Or maybe that had something to do with the pain they would feel if they did so. He had only to press a button, and their collars would ravage their brains.
Nike moaned, as if she really liked what was being done to her. Red flickered through Atlass vision. How. Dare. She. Teeth grinding, he grabbed Nike by the collar of her robe and jerked her into the hard line of his body, away from Erebos.
A gasp escaped her. Unlike when the blonde had gasped, he did not remain unaffected. He wanted to swallow the sound-and do something, anything, to cause Nike to make it again.
Whats wrong with me?
Hey, Erebos snapped, foolishly reaching for her to finish what had been started. We were busy.
Scowling, Atlas kicked him in the chest. The smaller man flew backward, slamming into his fellow prisoners. He jumped to his feet to attack, saw who had rendered the blow and stilled, nostrils flaring.
Touch her again, Atlas said, and Ill remove your collar-right along with your head.
The god paled, perhaps even whimpered. She wasnt worth it, anyway.
Atlas might kill him for his words, as well.
What the hell do you think youre doing? Nike demanded, suddenly coming to life and drawing his attention. She whirled on him, glaring up at him. I can sleep with whoever I want. And hey, I might even pick one of your friends.
Despite her heated words, she wasnt breathless as she would have been if Atlas had been the one kissing her, and her cheeks werent flushed. Her nipples werent even hard. Finally, something cooled the hottest flames of his rage.
Just zip your mouth. He latched on to Nikes upper arm and dragged her out of the cell with him. Automatically, the bars closed behind him.
What the hell do you think youre doing? she said again, tugging against his hold. Shed never been one to obey him.
What the hell did you think you were doing? he countered. When he reached the bottom of the steps, he stopped. The blonde, who just happened to be the goddess of memory-damn it, what was her name? Mini? No, but close. M and M? Minisong? Closer. Mnemosyne. Yes, that was it-Mnemosyne, as well as the three other warriors chosen to guard Tartarus today, were gaping at him.
What? he snapped. At least Nike stopped resisting him. She stilled at his side, attention darting from him to the others, the others to him.
You cant just remove a prisoner, Hyperion, god of light, said. He was a handsome man, though as pale as his title suggested, and Nike had better not be eyeing him as a possible bedmate.
Im not removing her, Atlas replied stiffly. Im relocating her. To a cell of her own, where no one could put their dirty, disgusting lips on her. Where no one could put their roving hands on her body. There was nothing sexual about this decision, either. He simply didnt want her experiencing any type of pleasure. She didnt deserve it.
Why? Mnemosyne regarded him curiously, not a single thread of upset or jealously in her expression.
Why? he wondered himself. Shed been eager to date him for months, summoning him constantly. Last night, shed even shown up at his home naked.
She was beautiful, yes, and hed almost given in and slept with her. His body had been worked into a frenzy after what had transpired with Nike, and hed been desperate for release. But before he sealed the deal, hed sent the determined goddess away. Hed felt too guilty to continue. As if he were cheating on Nike. Which was ridiculous. The only relationship he had with Nike was one of hate.
Besides, who wanted to spend time with a female who would never forget your mistakes? A female who would remember your every transgression? Not him. Yet hed flashed to Mnemosynes home this morning and asked her to spend the day with him, just so he could bring her to the prison this morning. Hed been strangely jubilant at the thought of parading her in front of Nike.
So again, he wondered why Mnemosyne did not feel as if Nike were a threat. Though most females didnt, he knew. Hed heard them talk. Nike was too tall, too muscled, they said. She was too hard, and too coarse. But those were the things that had first sparked his interest in her. She could handle his strength. She gave as good as she got. She would never wither under his glare. She would never run from his anger. She would always face him headon. And he liked that. A lot. No other female hed ever encountered had that kind of courage.
And she was pretty, he thought. Yes, only yesterday hed thought her barely so, but, just now, that seemed wrong on every level. Only a short while ago, when hed first walked into the prison, hed felt her gaze on him and had looked up. For a second, only a second, her defenses had been lowered. She hadnt known hed been watching her, so she hadnt guarded her expression. An expression that had been soft, wistful, her eyes luminous. The sight of her had heated his blood as if hed been caught on fire.
That still didnt mean he desired her, his enemy. The fact that his name was spelled across her back was simply playing havoc with his mind, his sense of possession, he was sure.
Well, Mnemosyne prompted.
Yeah, Nike said. Were waiting for an answer.
To what? Oh, yeah. Why was he moving her. He raised his chin, refusing to look down at her. Not that he would have had to look far. At six foot, she was nearly as tall as he was. I dont need a reason. Im responsible for this prison and everyone in it. Therefore, if I want to move you, I can.
The last was meant for the Titans. They would do well not to question him.
Without another word, he dragged Nike away. Where should he take her? To his office, he decided. At the moment, there wasnt an empty cell in the entire realm.
Youre lucky I dont have that bastard slain, he said when he was sure the others couldnt hear him.
She didnt have to ask who that bastard was. What for?
For touching whats mine. He didnt have permission to consort with you. Atlas snaked a corner, and there at the end of the hallway was his door.
Consort with me? She laughed without humor. Oh, wait. I get it. You can screw anyone you want, but I cant.
Good. They were on the same page. Thats right. He pushed his way inside and finally released her. His hands itched to return to her, but he kept them at his sides. Rather than settle behind his desk, he faced her, placing them nose to nose. You are to suffer in solitude. Gods, she smelled good. Like passion. Pure, white-hot passion.
As if. I have more fun with myself, anyway.
The image those words evoked nearly sent him to his knees. He should back away. Before he did something stupid.
Her eyes narrowed. You havent changed, you know. Youre as much of an ass now as you were years ago.
However, he continued, as if she hadnt just insulted him. Stupid, be damned. She was here, and they were alone. If you need to be kissed, Ill take care of it.
Chapter 4
There was no time to protest. In less than it took to blink, Nike found herself smashed into the wall, Atlas pressing against her, solid chest to soft breasts, his hands pinning her temples, his mouth slamming into hers. His tongue thrust deep, without warning, forcing its way past her teeth.
She could have bitten him. Wanted to bite him, actually, and not in affection. She wanted to draw blood, pain. Instead, her body became his slave, as if centuries of hatred hadnt passed, and she welcomed him inside. She wound her arms around him and arched into his erection. Erection? Oh, yes. He was hard. Hard and long and thick.
His taste was decadent, wild and burning, like dark spices. His muscles were tensed under her palms. Up she moved them, until her fingers were tangled in his hair. The short spikes abraded deliciously, causing her to shiver.