Scowling, Galen tucked the length of his wings into his sides and pressed against the wall. The action caused a white feather to loosen and drift to the floor, no longer hidden by the Cloak. He bent to pick it up, stopped.
A short, curvy blonde clutching a black dogthing darted after Cameo. Alls Im saying is that with a little makeup you could look like my country cousin rather than my undernourished uncle. Maybe no ones told you this, but bags are meant to be carried in your hands, not under your eyes.
Themutant dogs?head twisted, twisted, its beady eyes locked on Galen. A lethal growl rent the air, fangs spearing its lower lip. Evidently the Cloaks magic did not work on all creatures. (What was that thing?) He flipped it off, and it yipped.
Hush, princess. Mamas teaching Beauty 101 to the clueless. Besides, we dont want the silly Lords upset with you again, do we?
Galen didnt recognize the blonde or her ugly princess. What he did know? The Lords welcomed only a select few into their exalted midst. That meant she was either a new addition to the Lords army or a warriors girlfriend. Pitiful how many of the once-stalwart men had fallen in lurrrve recently.
Whatever or whoever she was, she would die like the others.
The duo and their not-quite-canine companion stormed into one of the bedrooms. A door slammed. No alarm was sounded.
His scowl melted into a grin. They couldnt see him, but they could have sensed him. That they hadnt meant this would be easier than hed thought.
Strider, the idiot, had given the Cloak of Invisibility to the Unspoken Ones, beings so vicious, so evil, even Hercules would have trembled in fear at the slightest mention of them. Cronus had enslaved them before his own imprisonment, had once thought to control them. In turn, they wanted him dead. Now they were trapped on their private island in Rome and reduced to bargaining.
A point in Galens favor. They knew he was destined to remove the Titan kings head, and so when he visited their island, they sought his support. Their first gesture, giving him the Cloak. Their second, teaching him exactly how to use it. Hed assumed it was a shield against prying eyes, but hed assumed wrong. The Cloak was also a weapon. A very effective one at that.
He needed every advantage he could get, even if that meant aligning himself with the worst creatures ever to roam this earth. His men were disappearing right off the streets, never to be heard from again. His queen had disappeared, as well. Hed had no contact with her for weeks.
She knew him well enough to know he looked out for Number One. He would betray anyone to get what he wanted, and if shed decided to walk away, to betray him as hed betrayed so many others, that was her problem. He would go after her the same way he continued to go after her husband. With everything he had.
Galen planned to rule the heavens. And Ill succeed this time. He knew it, but then, he always knew his plans would work. His demon could convince anyone to do anythingand Galen was included in that number. Hope built up everyones dreams, then laughed when those dreams came crashing down.
But it wasnt Hope driving him this day. It was Jealousy. His other demon.
Oh, yes. His former friends might not have been bright enough to figure this out yet, but Galen was possessed by two of Pandoras demons.
Because he had convinced his fellow warriors to steal her box, because hed then betrayed them, thinking to become leader of the Elite Guard himself, taking Luciens place, hed committed two crimes. Therefore, he deserved two punishments. Or so Zeus had said when hed set about pairing each Lord with their demon and restoring order to the heavens.
He despised having two demons. Hope built him up only to tear him down, then Jealousy would rile him back up, whispering things like, That male has a female, yet we are far better. Why dont we take her from him? Hope would then fill him with an urge to do just that, to take, the need becoming a living thing inside him, every ounce of his being certain he would succeedbut somehow always falling short of victory.
Well, today he would not fail.
Today he landed a stunning blow to his enemy.
He would steal away Legion, the devil-woman theyd once sent to kill him. The she-cat who had seduced him. The innocent virgin whod been living inside a porn stars skin. Shed screwed him within an inch of his immortal life before biting him with her poisoned fangs. While he had writhed in pain, she had left him to die, only to be carted into hell thanks to a deal with her maker gone bad.
Galen had hunted her, but the Lords had found her first. Theyd brought her here, and Galen wanted her back. Wanted to have her again. Wanted to punish her. To kill her and cut the tether she seemed to hold him on.
He was sick of wondering about her, sick of thinking about her.
How many warriors had she given herself to since her return?
Yeah, like that. He was sick of imagining her with a thousand others, sick of the constant rage of jealousy concerning her.
He would discover the answer, though, and if any of the Lords had enjoyed her luscious body, they would pay a higher toll than their friends. Oh, each and every one of them would die, but some would scream for months before he took their heads.
Excepthe searched the fortress from top to bottom, looked in every chamber, accounted for every warrior still in residenceand not even Torin, who monitored the place, noticed himbut there was no sign of the girl.
Very well. Hed go with Plan B. He would take a page from the Unspoken Ones book and bargain before he struck.
Despising the delay, he stalked to Maddox and Ashlyns bedroom and ghosted through the wood. He wasnt just invisible, he was insubstantial. Maddox, keeper of Violence, was no longer inside. His very pregnant female reclined on their bed, reading a book to her unborn babe. A babe Maddox would be desperate to save.
Ashlyn was a pretty thing, with hair, skin and eyes the color of a honeycomb. Truly, she was as golden as the moon on the brightest of nights, and she was delicate and fragile as only a human could be. Her voice was soft, lilting, and filled with love.
No question, Maddox would move heaven and earth to get her back.
Galen padded to the side of the bed and pushed the Cloak from one shoulder. As he materialized, another grin quirked the corners of his mouth. Ashlyn noticed him and quieted, her entire body jolting with fright.
Galen, she gasped out.
Scream for me, little Ashlyn, he said, reaching for her. And she did.
WILLIAM KIND OF EXPECTED to be pulverized the moment Paris emerged from the bedroom. Fists hammering at his face, teeth ripping at his jugular, something menacing like that since hed dared to interrupt the happy reunion. After all, madness and mayhem were a Paris Lord staple. What William hadnt expected was a half grateful, half thunderous stare, but thats exactly what he got.
What did you want to show me? the Lord of Sex snapped.
Paris had moved mountains to get here. Had done things that made a reprobate like William look like a choirboy, all to save the girl he currently had tucked into his side. And that he was holding her hand as if she were a life raft and the flood had come, rather than swinging at the man who had just cock-blocked himwell, that was just weird.
It could mean one of two things. Paris had already had sex with her, so thered been nothing to block. Yet only an hour had passed since their parting. So that would mean Paris was quick on the climax trigger and, as many ladies as hed nailed, William would bet the guy could go all night and then some.
Option two was slightly more likely, but still improbable. Paris hadnt known what to do with the girl and had wanted to bail.
But why would he want to bail? For that matter, why, with every second that passed, did he appear more pissed than ever? Had Sienna turned him down flat?
Impossible, William thought next. She was clutching Pariss hand as desperately as he clutched hers.
William raked his gaze over her. She was pale, her freckles stark in contrast, and she was a bit shaky on her feet. Hmm. Studying her like this, he wondered what Paris saw in her.
At first glance, and hell, maybe even at second, she appeared plain. He looked deeper, though, and thats when the delicacy of her bone structure became evident. Whats more, those hazel eyes were large and unbelievably lovely, the perfect blend of emerald and copper. Her hair was a waterfall of mahogany, cascading around her. And her lipsyeah, he would have committed a few crimes himself to have those fit around his shaft.
She was on the slender side, small-breasted and even underweight, but damn if she didnt call on every protective instinct a man possessed.
Are you just going to stare at her? Once again Paris snapped the words. This time, menace poured from him, the threat of attack very real.
Now William doubted his face would be the only thing rearranged. His favorite appendage would be on the receiving end of a nice little slice and dice. Sooo. The biggest he-slut ever created was possessive as hell over a woman whod once wanted to kill him. Talk about comeuppance. But then, wasnt that what Wrath specialized in?
Paris took a step toward him, the menace intensifying. I asked you a question.
William cut off a grin and held his hands up, palms out, questions rolling through his mind. How much did Paris really want the girl? Did he regret coming here? How much influence could she wield over his emotions? Was the plan still to get in, get out and get rid of her? Only one way to find out.
Answer me, Paris snapped.
Nope, William said. I dont just plan to stare.
A growl erupted from the warrior. They both knew hed just implied he meant to do more.
Good. Maybe William would survive what came next, maybe he wouldnt. I like your shirt, he said, directing the compliment to Sienna. I really like your pants. She wore a plain white T-shirt, dirt-smudged and torn, and baggy cargo pants. Her tennis shoes were missing laces.
I Thanks? Her brows knit with her confusion.
May I make a wardrobe suggestion, though?
Another growl sounded from Paris before she could reply, a hand darting out and wrapping around Williams windpipe. Pinpricks of red glowed inside those ocean-blues. No, Pariss irises were no longer blue. They were black, no difference between pupils and the rest. Are you now implying her clothes will look better on your bedroom floor?
So. Much. Fun. Who, me? He couldnt breathe, so the words squeaked out. No, Paris did not regret coming here.
Paris, Sienna said, utterly calm. I know I have no right to ask this, but will you please not kill him? Im not a fan of the rotting body scent.
Tightertighterthen the pressure eased, fell away. Show us what you found.
Interesting. She wielded a lot of influence. He wondered if Paris realized how muchand exactly what the warrior thought of the development. But no matter what, William assumed the plan was still of the get-rid variety. No relationship lasted without trust, and these two had not a spark of it between them. Even as Paris eyed William like a slab of beef to carve for dinner, he kept Sienna in his crosshairs, as if afraid shed bolt, or even do a little carving of her own.
Come on, or youll be ticked I didnt show you sooner. William turned on his heel and marched down the hallway and up another flight of stairs to the third floor. He didnt have to look back to know the couple followed him. Pariss booted footfalls reminded him of stampeding buffalo.
He slowed his pace and Paris came up beside him. At some point, the warrior had picked Sienna up. She was cradled in his arms, her wings tucked around her, her head resting in the hollow of his neck. Even more interesting was the fact that she hadnt uttered a complaint.
Her gaze met Williams, steady as a rock. She frowned. Wrath goes silent around you. He doesnt show me any of your perceived sins. Why is that?
Oh, no. He wasnt veering down that conversation path. Not with a former Hunter and a dead, though brought back to life, newly possessed whatever the hell she was. Youll have to ask him.
I did.
He pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth. And?
And he offered no response, so I decided its because you have to live with yourself, a punishment worse than anything Wrath could mete out.
Miracle of miracles. The demon wasnt tattling on him. The answer will just have to remain a mystery, then. Oh, and a word of warning. Smart mouths really crank my chain. Keep talking dirty to me, baby.
She rolled her eyes.
Paris inserted himself into the conversation with a hesitant, Did he show you mine? That he didnt threaten William proved the depths of his uncertainty about what Wrath might have broadcast.
William had seen Paris aroused (not on purpose), playful, pissed off, blood-soaked, stubborn, drugged out, relaxed, stressed and everything in between. But he had never seen the warrior frightened. Just then, Paris was frightened, his expression haunted, his muscles knotted over bone.
Yes, she replied so quietly he had to strain to hear.
A taut beat of silence. Do you want me to put you down?
No! Color flooded her cheeks when she realized just how loudly shed shouted the word. No. I like where I am.
From a mouse to a lioness. Adorable really, and William thought he might make a pass at her when Paris finished with her. Because, even as fierce as Paris was about her, he would let her go. Resolve had bled into the fear. Even though Paris had suspected she would not want to be touched by a man who had done the things hed done, even though she had proven him wrong and that had to be a relief, he was determined to live without her.
I just meant that, uh, my back hurts, she added. I need your support.
Like a good jockstrap, William said, patting his boy on the shoulder. But then, thats Paris for you.
Even with Sienna in his arms, Paris managed to give him a two-fingered salute. Mentally, of course, but William saw it all the same.
I should have asked him to finish you off, rather than to let you go, she muttered. Then, Are we heading to the fifth floor?
Ah. So she knew what was up there. Yes.
Why? Paris asked.
Youll see, William replied.
Sienna opted to ruin the surprise. Other demon-possessed immortals are up there.
Other demon Paris increased his speed, leaving William eating his dust. Are they armed?
No, she said, but theyre trapped.
Show me.
Thats what I was trying to do, William muttered as he chased after them. One day it would be nice for someone to place him first. Not a lover, though, and not the girl who haunted his dreams. The girl he would protect with his life now and always. She wasnt meant for him.
His one true love would dieor kill him. It had already been foretold, and there was no other option.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CAREFUL TO KEEP HIS MIND on the situation at hand, rather than on his aching, needy body, Paris stopped in the center of the fifth-floor hallway. He was shocked by what he found. Only Siennas slight weight in his arms, her tropical, feminine scent in his nose, her silky hair brushing against his skin, grounded him.
Funny, that. The magnification of her drugging scent should have sent him flying straight into a round of withdrawalor chewing at her neck. Instead, the need to protect her, even from himself, beat everything else.
There were three immortals up here, a female and two males. They stood at the back of their rooms, staring at him, making no moves toward him. Hed never met them, which meant he hadnt locked them in Tartarus before his possession. Still, they were glaring at him. Did they know who he was? What he was?
I want them, Sex said.
Wow. What a shock.
A whiny Im becoming weaker by the minute followed.
Believe me, I know. How he longed for the days when Sex retreated into the land of silence and led him simply through urges. Now, do me a solid and stuff it.
Thats what Im trying to do!
Crude bastard.
Like Paris was really any better. Over the years Paris had slept with thousands of different people for thousands of different reasons, and not all of them had been about passion. He truly needed to take a woman, like, yesterday, and thats one of the reasons he was here, to be with Sienna again. But he hadnt so much as kissed her, even though he was desperate to do so, because he didnt want to be with her for any reason but passion.
Mutual desire mattered.
She desired him, yes. At least, he was pretty sure hed caught the scent of her arousal while shed offered to service him, but hed treated her shabbily. Shed looked at him with those sad, watery eyes, hopeful for forgiveness, and hed snapped at her.
Damn it, he didnt want her apology or her gratitude. Didnt want her pity, and certainly didnt want her to want him because of his demons pheromones. Had he taken her up on her offer, gratitude and pity would have been in that bed with them, as well as anger, distrust and regret. He hadnt done the ménage thing for a long time.
Maybe he should have taken what he could get, though. Waiting was kind of stupid. Case in pointhis current weakness. More than that, Sienna might not give him a second chance. She might run, as hed feared. It was just, she wasnt like any of the other women hed been with, and he didnt want to treat her as if she were.
What makes her different from the others?
The question sprang from deep within him, throwing him. She was gutsy, but so were others. She was witty, but so were others. She was sometimes sweet and sometimes spicy, but again, so were others.
Mmm, spicy.
Stupid Sex. Anyway. Sienna was also guarded, yet vulnerable. Determined, yet kind. She was willing to go to any lengths to see a mission through to the very end. Just like him. She had seen visions of his past, yet had thrown no judgment his way.
Once, Paris had asked Aeron exactly what the demon revealed in regards to him. The reply had been brutal: all the hearts youve broken, all the tears youve caused. Thats what Sienna had seen and forgiven. So, yes, she was different, and he liked those differences.
She stiffened when Paris returned to the first door from the landing. That suggested thered been conflict between her and the man inside. So, of course, Paris studied the guy intently. He was tall, muscled and glaring more fiercely than the others, as if Paris were already tagged and under a microscope. Handsome, if you were into deeply tanned skin and freaky bicolored eyes. Not that Paris was jealous or anything.
But just how much time had the guy spent with Sienna?
Thats Cameron. Hes the keeper of Obsession, she said with a tremble.
A tremble born of fearor desire? I wont ask. I wont. With the way theyd left things in the room, and hell, with the things Paris had done since their first parting, the answer wasnt his business.
Has he ever touched you? Damn. Hed asked, and with a whole lot of force.
She looked surprised. No. The same invisible doors that keep me inside the castle keep them imprisoned in their rooms.
Her voice. Would he ever get enough of it? His ears hummed with sensation every time she spoke. Did you want him to touch you? He had to stop this.
Never!
A beautiful reprieve. Then he can live, Paris muttered. He repositioned her in his arms, reached out and, yep, sure enough, there was an invisible block preventing him from entering the room.
So youre not going to murder him? Thats quite generous of you, she said dryly.
Irreverent humor from her, with him, was a shocker every time. In each instance theyd been togetherand granted, there werent manythings had been serious between them, gravely so. He liked that she now felt comfortable enough to tease him.
I try. He stopped at the second doorway.
This is Púkinn, aka Irish. Hes bonded with Indifference, she informed him.
Indifference was half man, half animal. Horned, clawed and furred. Something out of a nightmare. For real. The man beast just looked Paris up and down and turned away, as if Paris were of no importance.
At the third door, Sienna twirled the ends of her hair around her finger. Here we have Selfishness, she said with a hint ofanger? Or the same stinging jealousy he (hadnt) felt?
Shes very pretty, isnt she? Sienna asked.
Yes. The female had the same bicolored eyes as the first male, the same deeply tanned skin. She was attractive, there was no denying that, but he hungered only for the woman in his arms.
Her name is Winter.
Thats great. How long have you been here? Paris asked, looking down at Sienna instead of the immortal. Her lids were downcast, her lashes causing shadows to tumble over her cheeks. How long have they been here?
Ive lost track. The pink tip of her tongue slid over her mouth, leaving a glistening sheen of moisture. They were here first, though.
I want to taste her. I will taste her.
His blood heated another degree. Get in line.
With all of Pariss experience, he was clueless when it came to this woman. What would soften her toward him totally and completely? Not just light a fire under her sympathies, but truly seduce her? She had changed since theyd last met in Rome, but she was still just as much of a mystery to him.
That shed cried, that shed apologized, that shed sounded sincere, all were far more than hed ever unexpected from her. Try hell had just frozen over shocking. But she had, on all three counts, and shed looked at him like shed never looked at him before. As if he were a man worthy of affection and attention. As if he werent some dirty, disgusting thing on the bottom of her shoe. As if she wanted to protect him.
How the hell was he supposed to deal with that? How was he supposed to react?
Was he a fool for wanting to believe her? Hell, not wanting to, but actually doing so.
Maybe he shouldnt have been so offended by her offer to service him. Maybe he should have just taken her up on it. Hed had her on a bed. He could have stripped her, spread her legs and pounded inside her. Her hands would have been all over him, her passion cries ringing in his ears.
He cut off a bitter laugh. He was all twisted up, confused, waffling and contradicting himself. He didnt trust her; he trusted her. He wouldnt touch her without passion; hed touch her any way he could get her. And shit. Why hadnt she run from him, despite her vow? Or was she too busy regretting her offer to service him to launch into motion?
And really, what did that mean to her? That he could take her here, now, anytime, or that she would go down on him? Dont think about that. Hed just get hard again.
The bitter laugh escaped. Make that, just get harder. His erection had yet to dissipate, acting like a heat-seeking missile as the female immortal strolled to her doorway, her hips swaying in a totally feline way. Didnt matter that Paris wasnt attracted to her. His demon saw, his demon wanted.
Part of him had hoped that being in Siennas presence would stop this kind of thing from happening. But, no. Even though he could have her again, his demon still sought other women and always would.
Im such a prize. No wonder shed once hoped to slay him.
As carefully as he was able, he set Sienna on her feet. When she moved to his side, he dragged her back in front of him, pressing his erection between the curves of her ass. He hissed at the beauty of the pleasure. Pure, undiluted. Yet
She had stiffened, he realized. At least she didnt jump away, and she didnt chastise him. Eventually, she even softened against him, as if she was exactly where she wanted to be. Well, hell. She must have feared hed set her away from him, rebuffing her, and thats why shed gone board-rigidand why shed relaxed when he hadnt. Talk about an ego boost. He wanted to beat his chest King Kongstyle.
Tell me what you know about them, he said, barely stopping his hands from flattening on her stomach, burrowing under the waist of her pants and seeking the warm, wet heart of her.
About who? the immortal in front of him asked. And who the hell are you?
One question answered, at least. They didnt know him, either. Wasnt talking to you, he said.
The female splayed her arms. Then who? Youre alone.
Like hell Im
They cant see me, Sienna interjected. Ive listened to some of their conversations, and thats how I know who and what they are. As she spoke, her stomach growled.
The sound gave him the excuse he needed. He moved his hands to her belly and rubbed. Hungry?
Yes.
Then he would feed her. He would like that, he thought. Would like knowing he was fulfilling at least one of her needs. What do you eat? What could she eat?
I dont. And its only recently, within the last few weeks, that Ive developed an appetite. She covered his hands with her own, her skin growing clammy. Cronus brings me a glass of something sweet once a week. He forgot this time.
A glass of something sweet. Sweet. Sweet. The word echoed in his mind, an answer to one of his earlier questions sliding into place. His stomach bottomed out as he said, Is it transparent, with tiny purple beads floating inside?
Yes. Her neck craned, allowing her to look up at him, and he watched as her brow wrinkled. Howd you know?
That bastard! Paris kept the curse inside his head and his expression neutral. Does it taste like coconut, this liquid? he asked, ignoring her question.
Yes. But again, how did you know? Do you know what it is? Hes never told me.
Yeah, he knew what it was, and now understood why she smelled as delicious as ambrosia. Cronus had done more than enslave her. He had condemned her. And he would pay. Oh, would he pay.
For better or for worse, though, vengeance would have to wait. Cronus liked to visit Torin, keeper of Disease, and have the computer genius find things for him. Currently he wanted cell locations for the Hunters, and had given orders for the Lords not to attack. Torin was giving him the info, all right, but only a piece at a time, as per Pariss request, keeping the king busy traveling back and forth between the heavens and earth as he stalked his prey and did whatever he did to them. That way, he had little time for Sienna. But little had been too much.
I should have gotten here sooner. There was no way to fix the damage that had been done to Sienna. There was no cure for what ailed her. Paris would have to tell her, have to prepare her for what would happen when she was out of here and on her own. Not now, though. She would be upset, and rightly so. More than that, he wanted to first taste her blood to be sure.
Yo. Dude. Who the hell are you talking to? the immortal demanded. Dont make me ask again.
Or youll what? he snapped. Flip me off? Call me names?
Winter opened her mouth to respond, and judging by the fire in her eyes, the words would scorch, but then her gaze shifted to Pariss right and her lips pursed in disapproval.
Oh, goodie. William had just decided to throw himself into the convo.
You again, she said, and she did not sound happy.
I know, the warrior replied with a heartfelt sigh. Youre so lucky to see me twice in one day. Youre honored by my presence, yada, yada, heard it all before. Lets just move on, shall we. I dont handle fawning very well.
She flashed a scowl full of fangs, and Paris did a double take. Fangs? She was a vampire? He knew such creatures existed, knew William liked to bed them, but hed never met one himself.
Theyre not going anywhere, and Siennas hungry, he said. Lets find the kitchen. I
Suddenly the immortal female stumbled backward, landed on her ass. Her skin leached of color, and as she crawled farther and farther from the doorway, her gaze began moving throughout her chamber. She was babbling about shadows and pain. The same babbles erupted from the other doorways.
Sienna dug her nails into Pariss arm, a great shuddering wave moving through her. No. No, no, no.
What? The panic spread into him. He forced her to turn, to face him. Whats going on?
Theyre coming. Her eyes filled with horror as she peered up at him.