by Juniper Hart
“What are you thinking, babe?” Arden whispered, his hot breath sending shivers of warmth through her body. “You can tell me, you know?”
Slowly, Gena turned to face him fully, her head cocked back as she met his eyes.
“Are you worried about our baby?” she asked and watched Arden’s green eyes shadow over slightly.
“Worried about what?” he asked quietly. “That they will be healthy?”
“Well, yes, and…” She trailed off and looked away. “About everything.”
Arden’s arm gently tightened around her, and he yanked her closer, his palms extending over her womb.
“We have existed for thousands of years,” he reminded her softly. “Well before you were aware of us. We are safe, our child will be safe.”
But his words did little to alleviate the nervousness in her bones. If anything, she felt herself growing more apprehensive.
“Will they, though?” she muttered before she could stop herself. Her eyes darkened, and she met his eyes, gnawing on her lower lip.
“What are you thinking about, Gena?” The confusion on Arden’s face was clear, and she could tell he was trying to probe her thoughts.
“I’m thinking about Helios,” she confessed in a rush of wind. The answer surprised her, partially because she hadn’t even realized that was the problem.
How long had it been since she had even thought about him? Despite what he had done to her, she had managed to put him into the recesses of her mind, especially as the sense of security grew in Arden’s nearness. But he was still out there. He was around, and Gena should be worried… shouldn’t she? Why wasn’t Arden?
“Oh, honey…” Arden sighed, brushing her hair out of her face to stare deeply into her eyes. “There is nothing to worry about with Helios. He won’t be coming back around here, not after the fuss he caused.”
“Maybe he’s not coming back here,” she agreed tersely. “But he’s still around, isn’t he? He waited how long to come back and exact his revenge on Cruz Reyes? He has a debt to settle—”
“Woah, wait a second,” Arden said quickly. “Have you been following what he’s been up to?”
“You haven’t?” Gena demanded dubiously. “He could come back for me, for our baby! I want any and all word on him, so yes, I have been asking Lane Aldwin for updates where I can get them!”
A fleeting flash of anger passed over Arden’s face, and Gena knew why he was upset; Lane hadn’t mentioned her keeping in touch.
“I don’t know what Lane told you, but you need to trust me on something here, all right?” Arden paused and collected his breath. “Helios has always been a force that has hung over the Enchanted. Think of him as the boogie man that the mortals always warn their children about.”
“The boogie man isn’t real,” Gena grumbled.
“Isn’t he? Up until a few months ago, you didn’t think vampires or Lycans were, either. The boogie man could very well be real.”
“Helios is real,” Gena snapped, annoyed by his analogy. “And he’s got a bone to pick with me.”
“He’s got a bone to pick with half the Enchanted,” Arden said. “Moreover, he’s not going to chance coming into the public eye. He’s going to lay low, trust me.”
“And now you’re an expert in Helios’ behavior? Who knows what happened to him after he left the hospital, Arden. For all we know, he—”
“For all we know, he’s dead from the poisoning already. Look, Gena, I know you’re stressed and—I loathe to say it—highly emotional right now, but you can’t let the bad thoughts take hold of you. It’s not good for you, and it’s not good for the baby.”
Gena wanted to snap back at him, but on some level, she knew he was speaking the truth. After all, there was nothing that Arden could do to make things better. What did she want him to do? Go looking for Helios? Of course not!
Shame flowed through her as she contemplated it.
“I just wish I knew where he was right now,” she sighed, sinking back into his arms and allowing her husband to stroke her hair. “I think I’d feel better if I had some inkling of where to find him.”
“I know,” Arden said comfortingly. “I understand.”
Once more, his words were doing nothing to make her feel better, and Gena decided to close her mouth on the topic. There was nothing they could do anymore than wait for Helios to make his next move.
Gena went to take a nap, and Arden hurried down the stairs and entered the living room where Malik sat, a scotch in his hands.
“Given any thought to coming back to LA?” his agent asked dryly. It was the same question Mal asked every time he came to visit, even though he knew Arden’s answer. This time, however, Arden didn’t manage a smile for the running joke.
“Did you know that Gena has been talking to Lane Aldwin?” he asked without preamble. Malik’s brows shot up, and he shook his dark head.
“No. But it’s not really surprising. I’m sure she has lots of questions about all the changes and the baby coming—”
“She’s asking about Helios,” Arden interrupted. “Apparently, she’s worried he’s coming back.”
Malik let out a long sigh and leaned forward to drop his drink on the coffee table. “It’s to be expected, Arden. She’s always had a bit of a nervous disposition, and given everything that’s been going on…”
Arden forced himself to heed Malik’s words of comfort.
“Do we know where Helios is?” he asked. Malik shook his head.
“He seems to have completely disappeared off the radar. Trust me when I say that the Council has gone full force looking for him.”
“They’ve done that before to no avail,” Arden reminded him bitterly.
“Are you worried that Helios is coming back?” Mal asked, sounding mildly surprised.
I wasn’t until Gena brought it up, he thought, chewing on the insides of his cheeks. His wife had some very valid points. Helios was nothing if not patient. Eventually, he would get everyone he had come to get on his list and end up with nothing to do. At that point, would he return for their baby? Will the baby have demon blood? Will they be able to protect themselves?
There was no way of knowing before the child was born, and all of a sudden, Arden was plagued with questions to which he didn’t have any answers.
“I don’t know what to think,” he finally said when he realized Malik still stared at him. “Should I be worried?”
“I think everyone should be worried until he’s captured and brought to justice,” Malik replied evenly. “But I also think that he has a lot of reckoning to get through before he makes his way back to you.”
That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, Arden thought grimly. The bears eyed one another for a long moment, each lost in their own thoughts.
“What are you thinking?” Malik finally asked, breaking the silence. Arden inhaled and shook his head.
“I’m thinking that we need to hunt that bastard down and makes sure he’s eliminated once and for all.”
“I agree.”
Arden whirled and looked at Gena with exasperation. “You’re supposed to be sleeping.”
“And you’re supposed to be pretending that we have nothing to worry about with Helios.”
A bemused grin touched Arden’s face. “Touché.”
“Maybe that’s the key,” Malik said suddenly. “Maybe that’s how we get him.”
The couple turned to stare at the agent questioningly.
“What do you mean?” Arden asked. “What’s the key?”
“He’s got so many enemies, right?” Arden nodded, not quite understanding where Malik was going with it.
“The list keeps growing and growing,” he agreed. “So what about it?”
“So far, he has gone after Cruz Reyes, which is to be expected. I imagine he’ll look for all the Aldwins he can find. Theo is likely on that list… now you…”
Arden’s face darkened. “What is your point, Mal?” he growled. “Or do you have one?�
�
Malik grinned, his brilliant white teeth almost blinding them both.
“Of course I have one,” he laughed. “Don’t I always?”
“Then please make it,” Gena sighed. “All this talk about Helios is making me queasy.”
Arden didn’t remind her that she had roused the conversation herself and instead kept his eyes trained expectantly on Malik.
“Well?” he insisted, sensing that his friend was drawing out the pause for effect. Malik nodded and rose, his smile only widening.
“Perhaps it’s time to round everyone up and create an army of our own,” he chuckled. “Helios will never know what hit him.”
5
A Few Weeks Ago
Graham and Kate stared at Theo in sheer disbelief.
“Please tell me this is a joke,” Kate muttered. “A joke in really poor taste.”
“I wish I could,” Theo sighed. “But I got word today.”
“It’s been a month! How can you be sure this isn’t a trick?”
“I can’t,” the leader of the bear shifters said. “All I know is that no one has heard from Michael since the day Helios stole the antidote from the hospital until now.”
“For all you know, he could be working with Helios!” Graham argued, echoing Kate’s own thoughts. “I don’t trust either of them.”
Theo exhaled in a whoosh of breath. “Helios has been working behind the scenes for years, gathering a small army with the help of an off-grid demon named Vaughan. He was once considered an Unenchanted.”
“We don’t use that term anymore,” Graham grumbled, seeming uncomfortable by the word.
“Well, that’s what Vaughan was when Helios found him. From what we’ve gleaned about him, he has been amassing intel and rogue agents to help with Helios’ mission.”
“What the hell is Helios’ mission now? Kidnapping Michael? How does that fit into everything?” Kate wanted to know.
Theo paused and looked down at the ground before reluctantly raising his eyes and meeting her face. “He wants me to deliver Cruz Reyes and Lane Aldwin to him.”
Kate and Graham gasped in shock.
“You can’t do that!” they choked in unison.
“I know that!” Theo snapped. “But I am also going to have to learn to live with the fact that I’ll be responsible for my cousin’s demise if I don’t.”
“Not if we find him and free him first,” Kate offered.
“Absolutely not!” Graham growled. “Walter got what was coming to him after everything he did to sabotage us.”
“Graham!” Kate was aghast that her mate would speak so candidly in front of Theo, but the werebear leader seemed to agree.
“Michael was always the screwup of the pack,” he groaned. “If there was trouble to be found, he would seek it out.”
“And he deserves to die because he’s the black sheep of your family?” Kate demanded, stunned.
“No one is saying that,” Graham interjected before Theo could answer. “But does he really warrant a suicidal rescue mission?”
“It won’t be suicide if I have the sword to take him out,” Theo offered lightly. “Which I do.”
“Oh, Theo…” Graham moaned. “What are you suggesting?”
“I’m suggesting we get in there and save my cousin while ending Helios’ insane hold over the Enchanted once and for all.”
“You just said he has an army of supporters!” he growled. “You have no idea what you’d be walking into.”
“We have to do something!” Kate insisted. “We can’t let him win! He’s terrorized the Enchanted for far too long!”
Graham looked at her, knowing that whatever he said would fall on deaf ears.
“Don’t forget that we have the Council behind us,” Theo reminded them, but Graham wasn’t convinced.
“The Council hasn’t stopped him before.”
“The Council hasn’t been as motivated as we are.”
From the shadows stepped several forms, and Kate reeled back in surprise at their appearance.
“Hi,” one of them began, “I’m—”
“Arden Morrow!” Kate gasped, her eyes widening as he and three others entered the room. “I’ve seen all your movies!”
“I’m Gena,” the blonde at his side introduced herself. “Arden’s wife.”
“I know!” Kate gushed, hating the fangirl sound of her voice, but her eyes only widened when they rested on the dark-haired man behind them. “And Cruz Reyes. What are you guys doing here?”
“I’m Sage,” the redhead beside him said with a wave. “Cruz’s mate.”
Suddenly, Graham understood what Theo had done. “Is this our army?”
“Part of it,” Theo agreed. “We’ve all been affected by Helios in some form. Who better to stop him than the ones he is trying to stop?”
“This is a bad idea,” Graham grumbled.
“Maybe,” Arden agreed. “But it’s better than sitting around waiting for him to strike again, and now that he’s presumably been cured, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with. You don’t have to come with us, Graham, but we are going through with it, whether or not you do.”
“I’m in,” Kate said quickly, the memory of Helios’ eyes still burning in her skull.
“Can we talk about this?” Graham asked her, but even as he spoke the words, he knew that Kate had already made up her mind.
“How many more of us need to suffer?” Kate responded. “He’s holding Michael hostage.”
“That’s what he’s saying!” Graham protested. “For all we know, Michael is working with him!”
“Even Michael wouldn’t be that dumb,” Theo replied, but Graham could hear the note of uncertainty in the bear’s tone.
“Set up the trade,” Cruz said, stepping forward into the living room. “Tell Helios that you have me and Lane. Tell him you’ll trade us for your cousin.”
“Yes,” Kate said slowly. “And when he appears, you can take him out with the sword.”
There was a flurry of eager nods around the room, all except for Graham, who didn’t seem as confident as everyone else.
“He’s evaded capture this long,” he muttered. “Do you really think he’s going to fall for it?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Kate said firmly, turning her full attention toward Theo. “Set up the trade.”
“Someone should inform Lane and Raven about what we’re doing,” Sage said quietly, and all eyes moved toward Theo.
“Have you told the Council what you’re planning?” Graham demanded, sensing the answer was a resounding, Hell no.
“Not yet,” Theo answered evasively. “I didn’t think I should until I was sure everyone was on board.”
“More like you thought they’d shoot you down,” Graham snapped. “You need to tell them this plan.”
“We can tell them after Helios is dead,” Kate replied, whipping her head around to glare her mate into silence. “We don’t need to complicate matters with more people who don’t belong.”
Graham wanted to continue his protests but wisely clamped his mouth closed. There was something nagging at the back of his mind, something that didn’t fully occur to him until well after the group had dispersed, leaving him alone in the condo with Kate.
“You’re really dead set against this, aren’t you?” she sighed. Graham shook his head slowly.
“I think it’s a good plan. In theory,” he said quietly.
“But?”
“But there are so many factors we haven’t accounted for.”
Kate stared at him pensively. “Like?”
“Like what if Helios doesn’t show up for the exchange?”
“Then we take whoever does.”
“That will mean a certain death for Michael, won’t it?”
“If we don’t do this, it’s a certain death for Michael anyway,” Kate groaned. “Why are you being such a pessimist?”
Graham lifted his head and met her eyes squarely. “Because I have anoth
er concern,” he confessed.
“What? What is it?”
Graham exhaled. “He took the antidote.”
“And? So what?”
He let out another breath and finally spoke what had been troubling him from the minute he’d realized Helios had gotten his hands on the vial in the lab.
“What if the antidote protects him from any future aranium poisonings?” he mumbled. Kate’s face paled in shock.
“Do you think that could happen?” she breathed. Graham could only shrug. He had no answer. After all, there had never been a test subject outside the demon-infused lab rats.
As far as we know, we created an even more resistant strain of demon blood and gave it to the most dangerous demon on the planet.
6
Today
Toby and Sierra turned and looked at Simon, Theo, and Lane, who waited expectantly for their response.
“Let’s get that bastard,” Toby called. “Once and for all.”
The doorbell rang as Theo cleared his throat.
“Who the hell is that now?” Toby growled, moving toward the door.
“That would be the rest of our army,” Theo muttered, but Toby didn’t seem to hear him. A moment later, he returned with a small group, his brow furrowed.
“What’s this all about?” Toby wanted to know, gesturing at the small crowd.
“You said you wanted to get Helios,” Simone reminded him dryly. “This is how we do it.”
“Hey,” the newcomers mumbled, followed by a quick introduction of themselves. Toby was barely listening to their names, staring at Theo questioningly.
“Why do I feel like you have some explaining to do, too?”
“Did you tell Lane?” a stunning redhead asked, her eyes widening as they fell upon the Aldwin witch.
“Tell me what?” Lane asked, rising from her spot on the couch.
“Toby,” Sierra called softly, patting the cushion at her side. “I think you better come and sit.”
“Tell me what?” Lane asked again, her eyes narrowing.