Heart of the Serpent: Hades' Carnival, Book 5

by N. J. Walters

  She tried, but she was so weak. Her hands fell away from his wrists, flopping back to her sides. The mark on her arm seemed to pulse with dark power. Her eyelids slowly lowered. He roared when he lost sight of her blue eyes. Was it the last time he’d ever see them?

  “No, you can’t die. You must live.” He shook her. Her body flopped around like a rag doll, lifeless and boneless.

  Arand touched his shoulder. “There is nothing more you can do.”

  “There has to be,” he snarled. He’d taken on Hades and beaten him. He could defeat this death curse. “There has to be a way to save her.”

  His friend went still beside him. Mordecai pinned him with his black gaze. “What is it?”

  “You could share your life force with her. That might be enough to drive out Hades’ darkness.”

  For the first time since he’d come into being, Mordecai wished he’d been more like his fellow warriors. But his soul was dark and stained. “I fear I have only darkness to give her.” He saw the growing understanding in Arand’s eyes. “It might only hasten her death.”

  “She’s dying anyway,” Arand pointed out.

  “Do it,” Sabrina demanded. She’d tucked away her phone and now climbed onto the bed next to her mate. “Save her.”

  “She’ll be tied to me forever,” he warned.

  “Better that then dead.” Sabrina’s bluntness drove the point home. What did it matter as long as Jessica lived? And if he had to give her every last drop of his life force, he would. Because he’d already decided he didn’t want to live without her.

  He only prayed he didn’t taint her with his darkness.

  She was lying on the bed, her skin damp with perspiration, her face pale, her lips turning blue. Mordecai leaned down and gently touched his mouth to hers. “I won’t let you die,” he promised her.

  He closed his eyes and placed his hands over her heart. Digging deep, he searched for the light of his goddess. It was a rainbow of color, hidden beneath layers of shadow. It tried to conceal itself from him, but he ruthlessly yanked it from its hiding spot and shoved it into Jessica. As though sensing more light energy, it flowed eagerly from him into her.

  Good. That was good. The heat was intense, even more so than the bowels of hell. But Mordecai held firm. Jessica’s life was in the balance.

  His serpent roared, lending its strength to the battle. Like him, the beast didn’t care if he lived or died as long as Jessica survived.

  Darkness swarmed around him. It poured into him until he could no longer see or sense the world. He was blind and deaf. It was the same sensation he’d gotten every time he’d stepped into one of Hades’ dark portals. It was like being imprisoned in a void of nothingness. Staying here for long would drive him mad, would make him pray for death.

  Still, he held on. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for Jessica.

  It dawned on him as the darkness consumed him that he loved her. He’d never understood the emotion, wasn’t even sure he’d believed in it. But this had to be what it was. He put her well-being above his own, willing to do whatever it took to make her healthy. He wanted her happiness above his own. Even if that meant his death.

  She belonged to him and he would take care of her.

  As the last of the light streamed from his hands, he prayed to the Lady to save her.

  Jessica wasn’t sure if she was dying or if she was already dead. She couldn’t breath. The suffocating feeling enveloped her despite Mordecai’s attempts to help her. She felt so bad for him. He was so alone. He needed her to love him even if he didn’t realize it.

  But time had run out and Hades had won this round. She wondered what Hell would be like, because she had no doubt the god would be coming for her soul.

  The light faded, leaving only darkness. Fear gripped her. She fought through the thick black, searching for a light. She centered herself and concentrated, not without, but within. The light wasn’t outside her, she carried it with her.

  It began as a mere difference in shade. A pinpoint of black became gray. She imagined a circle of power around her, blocking out the negative. It grew brighter. Hopeful, Jessica concentrated on the point until the faintest glow emerged.

  She nurtured the ember and it grew bigger and bigger until it surrounded her. She was the sole light in the pitch black. Then the world went supernova. As though a star exploded, the world around her lit up in a rainbow of color. It poured in, driving out the blackness. The dark could not survive in the face of such beauty.

  The light was alive and it was more powerful than anything she’d ever imagined. It chased the darkness, opening up and swallowing it whole. It was destroying the death curse.

  Hope filled Jessica and the glow grew even brighter. It was like being in the middle of the sun. She closed her eyes but could still see the light. She laughed and spun in a circle. Mordecai and the others must have found a way to defeat Hades’ curse.

  She held out her hand to the light and it skipped over her palms, tickling them. It was a playful energy. It swirled in front of her and began to take a shape. A sense of anticipation filled her as the light coalesced.

  It was a serpent. But not any serpent. It was Mordecai.

  She frowned, not quite understanding.

  Voices pulled at her attention. They seemed to be coming from far away. They were distracting her. There was something important she needed to know, needed to understand. But the voices wouldn’t go away.

  Finally, she was forced to open her eyes. The first thing she saw were the faces of Arand and Sabrina leaning over her, both of them worried. She offered them a smile to let them know she was okay. The light still filled her and she had a feeling it always would. She felt great. Better than great. She felt invincible.

  Everything inside her stilled. Invincible.

  “Where’s Mordecai?” Why wasn’t he here with her? He never would have left her.

  Arand shook his head and glanced to her side. She followed his gaze and cried out when she saw Mordecai’s lifeless body lying next to her on the bed. She surged upward, filled with purpose and determination. “What did he do?”

  “He gave you his life force so you could live.” Tears rolled down Sabrina’s cheeks.

  “No. It doesn’t have to be this way. Why did he give it all to me?”

  “I think there was too much darkness in him,” Arand began.

  “I don’t believe that,” she shot back. Really, she was tired of Mordecai and the others treating him as though he were defective.

  She took a deep breath and centered herself. She muttered a quick protection spell and was shocked when it slammed down around her like a titanium shield that nothing dark could penetrate. “I’m not letting you go that easy, serpent.” Placing her hands on his chest, she concentrated. The light hesitated, but she wielded it ruthlessly.

  Jessica sang a healing chant as she surged into Mordecai along with the light. The serpent was right alongside her, protecting her. The darkness surrounded her, trying to suffocate her. But she was stronger than the encroaching shadows. And she had something that could stand against all darkness.

  I love you. She said the words, not aloud but inside her, as she chased the darkness through his body. Like it had in her body, the light began to consume the blackness. Mordecai, hear my voice and come to me.

  The shadows went deep and she followed them. There was no way she was turning back. Better she be lost in the depths of Hell forever than to leave Mordecai to such a fate.

  Laughter, sly and masculine, seemed to come from all around her. “You cannot beat me.” She recognized Hades’ voice before he stepped forward. The devil had come to claim their souls.

  Then she did the one thing she knew he’d never expect. She turned her back on him. Fighting him would only increase his power. What she needed was something to counter it.

  Love.

&
nbsp; Mordecai. If you can hear me, I need you. I love you. Hades has come for me. Help me. Jessica threw the plea out from the depths of her heart and waited. It was their only hope.

  Mordecai knew he was already lost to madness. He was hearing Jessica’s voice calling to him. He tried to turn away from it, but it was impossible. Even if it was nothing more than a figment of his imagination, it was her voice.

  He traveled toward the sound. It grew louder and clearer the closer he got until he understood her words. Hades had come for her and would not let her go. No! He would not let that happen.

  Giving a fierce battle roar, Mordecai surged forward, pressing through the pitch black that fought to surround him. Nothing would keep him from Jessica.

  He stumbled from the black void into a circle of light. Jessica. She was truly here. How had that happened?

  As if sensing his presence, she turned and smiled at him. Behind her, Hades loomed, like the demon god he was, waiting to snatch her soul.

  Mordecai snarled and pushed forward, ready to fight. But Jessica stopped him. She stepped into his path, blinding him with her radiance. He threw up his arm to block the light so he could see.

  “Get behind me,” he roared. She was between him and the vengeful god. He tried to move her but couldn’t. She was shockingly powerful.

  “No, my love. Fighting will only empower him. If you want to defeat him, there is only one way. You must trust me.”

  Trust. It was the one thing he’d always had trouble with, even with the Lady and his fellow warriors. But Jessica he would trust even if she led him to the very depths of Hell for eternity.

  “What would you have of me, my lady?”

  Her eyes widened at his manner of address. The Lady might be his goddess, but Jessica was the lady of his heart.

  “Do you love me?” she asked.

  “With all of my being,” he freely offered.

  Behind them, Hades gave a frustrated roar. “I will have your souls.”

  Jessica turned and smiled at the god. “No, you won’t. Be gone from here. You cannot harm us now or ever. I am part of Mordecai now. I share his life force. If you try to harm either of us you will die. That was the deal you agreed to with the Lady.”

  Hades’ roar practically deafened them. Darkness swept around them like a whirlwind, swirling madly. But it didn’t touch them. Their love anchored them.

  More certain now, Mordecai poured all his love into Jessica. If that’s what it took to protect her, he would give it his all.

  “You are the light in my dark world,” he told her.

  “And you are the light in mine,” she returned.

  The thought of being anyone’s light astounded him, but he didn’t doubt her sincerity. A rainbow of light swirled around them and through them until no hint of darkness remained. He felt his serpent rise within him, more powerful than ever before.

  “You did it,” he told her. “You drove away the darkness.”

  “No, Mordecai, we drove back the darkness.” She took his hand and led him upward. “Now it’s time to return to the real world.”

  He followed her. He who had grudgingly followed Roric for an eternity, followed this slight female without hesitation. She was his salvation.

  But would she still want him when they returned to the real world?

  Then it was too late for questions. The bright light receded and he felt his body lying on the bed, cradled by the soft covers. He sat up and looked around. Arand slapped him on the back. Sabrina was laughing and crying at the same time while she talked to someone on the phone. But he only had eyes for Jessica, and she was smiling at him.

  Hades roared with fury as he landed back in his body. He hadn’t physically left Hell. He couldn’t. Not with Persephone watching him so closely. He’d imagined having problems with his brothers, not with his estranged wife. But he’d managed to send his spirit into the void created at the moment of Jessica’s death in order to claim her soul. It astounded him that she’d had the power to fight him. Even more incredible was the idea that the serpent had given the woman all of his life force, sacrificing himself for her.

  Now the woman was lost from Hades and, along with her, his chance at vengeance against Mordecai. The serpent had been clever enough to discover the loophole in his plan. If the warrior shared his life force with a woman, she became a part of him. He’d honestly never expected Mordecai to do such a thing. It perplexed him.

  Why anyone would give up power to another was beyond his comprehension. The goal in life was to be the most powerful of all. He curled his lip. The weak got trampled by the strong, and no one was going to walk on him. Not while there was life in his body.

  He strode over to the gold-lacquered table and poured himself a drink. He tossed back the expensive liquor without a thought, enjoying the burn as it traveled to his stomach. He was ridiculously weak after expending so much energy. It was time to sacrifice a few more demons and recharge.

  He set the crystal glass back on the sideboard and considered his options. There was still another woman he could go after. The corners of his mouth drew up in a smile. It wouldn’t be quite as satisfying as stealing Jessica from the serpent, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Her friend, what was her name? Tilly, yes, Tilly. She would have to do.

  Chapter Seven

  Jessica knew something was wrong. It had only been a matter of hours since they’d defeated Hades’ death curse. She was immortal now. That was hard to wrap her head around. She was filled with an abundance of energy and more alive than she’d ever felt in her life.

  The only problem was that Mordecai seemed more distant than ever.

  Of course, he’d been through a lot. She should probably give him time to come to grips with everything that had happened. But she feared if she did, he might disappear somewhere to the far reaches of the world. Not that she wouldn’t be able to find him. With his life force coursing through her veins, she could easily sense the serpent within him. She knew he was down in the yard even now.

  Freshly bathed and dressed in a simple sundress, her hair hanging around her shoulders, Jessica walked barefoot down the stairs to the garden. Arand and Sabrina had retired to their home a few hours ago. Darkness now shrouded the world. She stepped out into the fragrant night and peered up at the sky, wishing she could see more of the stars shining there.

  Like the last time she’d sought him out here, he was seated on a bench in the far corner, hiding in the shadows. It was time for him to step into the light.

  She knew that he sensed her presence. He straightened, his shoulders tensing, but he didn’t turn to face her. With her new immortality, she was able to see him clearly even though the darkness clung to that corner of the yard. A handy skill for sure. Solar lights were scattered throughout the space, lending their glow to the thick foliage, but she no longer needed illumination in order to be able to see in the night.

  She paused beside him and waited.

  “You should be resting.” His low, rough voice gave her shivers, the good kind. She was naked beneath her dress. Her skin was sensitive to the brush of the fabric against it. Her breasts swelled and her nipples puckered.

  “I had a long nap.” In truth, she’d slept most of the day away and had awakened totally invigorated. “If I should be resting, then you should be too.” She tentatively touched his shoulder and felt the muscles bunch beneath her fingertips. He was so wary, her dark warrior. “I feel fine. Better than fine.”

  “Good.” He inhaled sharply and slowly released his breath. “That’s good.”

  “There’s still no word from either Stavros or Phoenix. I’m worried about Tilly.” She wished she knew her friend was okay. Tilly hadn’t answered her phone and Jessica’s concern grew with each passing hour.

  “No news is probably good news. If Hades had Tilly, Phoenix would have contacted us immediately.”

  “I
suppose so.” Still, she hated not knowing. Taking a chance, she sat alongside him. Her arm and leg touched his. So close but so far. “What’s wrong?” She had to know.

  He shook his head, the distance between them a growing chasm.

  “I won’t let you do this,” she told him. She reached out and took his hand in hers. “I won’t let you turn away without talking to me.”

  He slowly turned. His face could have been carved from stone. Gone was the man who’d professed his love in order to save her. In his place was the implacable warrior who’d spent decades in Hell.

  “What is there to talk about? You’re safe. You’re free. And you’re immortal.” He tried to pull away from her, but she tightened her grip on his hand. “You have your entire existence ahead of you.”

  That sounded like a goodbye if she’d ever heard one. Her heart sank and her stomach clenched in fear, but she fought it back. She’d come too far to give up now. “And you, Mordecai. What do you have?”

  The laugh he gave was not the least bit pleasant. “Me, I have eternity as well.”

  “You don’t sound happy about it,” she pointed out. She had to get him talking. Had to find out what was going on in that complex brain of his.

  He shrugged. “It is what it is.”

  The man was maddening. She was tempted to smack him but refrained. “Do you know what I want?” Better to lay it all out even if that meant he might break her heart. She really didn’t have any other choice.

  He looked at her then, really looked at her. His eyes glowed in the darkness, their blackness so deep and compelling. “What do you want?”

  “You, Mordecai. I want you.”

  Mordecai had come out to the garden to contemplate his next move. He liked it out here, mostly because it had been created by Jessica. Her touch, her stamp was everywhere. He felt closer to her here even when he was alone.

  How utterly pathetic.

  He’d know the moment she’d stepped into the yard. Her presence filled the space like the sunrise drove back the night. Now she was sitting right next to him and it was all he could do not to grab her and take her away somewhere no one would ever find them.