The Rise of the Underworld

by Meg Xuemei X

  My heart skipped a beat. Octavia was supposed to go to the surface with us.

  “We’ll stay behind,” Amber said, “for our queen.”

  The women shouted, “We’ll stay. When you call, we’ll battle and die for our queen!”

  They’d all be slaughtered if they chose to fight the demon army while my mates and I weren’t there to protect them.

  “I’m sorry, I’ll have to leave you behind,” I said to the crowd. “But I forbid any of you from acting foolishly and serving as any distraction. Promise me that you’ll do anything to survive, including faking surrender if you have to. Blame everything on me if a demon catches you. Hide, run, and shield yourself to your best ability when you spot a Sváva. And I promise you, I won’t linger in the Upper Realm when I reach my kingdom. No silk and honey can deter me and keep me from coming back for you with an army. If you perish before I return, you’ll break my heart and make all my efforts to free you from slavery in vain.”

  The women dropped to their knees. “We’ll wait and survive. Long live Queen Calamity!”

  “What did I say about kneeling?” I asked softly. “You aren’t slaves anymore.”

  “Let’s go,” Ash urged again.

  I nodded at Octavia, and we said a few blessings and encouraging words to each other.

  Sebastian swallowed hard, a torn look twisting his blue face. This was where my brother had to say goodbye to Octavia, and she’d lead the women to the secret underground city.

  She held back her tears and laid her hand on his shoulder with a brave smile. “Go, Bas, and come back for us, for me. The passcode to access the city of Nightingale is ‘Thorn Rose.’ I’ll be waiting for all of you in Nightingale, and I’ll pray for your safety every day.”

  Bas didn’t say anything. He didn’t embrace her either. Octavia stepped back.

  I gave Octavia one last hug.

  “We gotta go now, doll,” Max said, putting his large hand on the small of my back. “If Cain realizes who you really are, he’ll move Heaven and Hell to get his claws on you, and we’re in enemy territory.”

  I nodded and followed Ash and Max in the opposite direction to where the women would go, my heart hurting so much.

  “I’m not going with you, Calamity,” Sebastian said behind me. “I’ll escort them to Nightingale. You’re the heir to Atlantis. You don’t need me to persuade an army to come down here to aid our cause, but Octavia and the women will need me.”

  I felt a lump in my throat at parting with my brother, but Bas had made his decision. I stepped toward him and pressed my palm against his warm face. “Take care of them for me.”

  He pulled me into a bear hug, kissed the top of my crown, and released me.

  “Come back for us, sister,” Bas whispered.

  I smiled at him and nodded, hot tears stinging my eyes.

  CHAPTER 2

  __________________

  We left our companions and the blazing castle behind and sped through the desert.

  Octavia, our former guide, had pointed out the direction for us. If we kept heading south, we’d be good. Once we passed through Fiery, the land of fire, there would be only Tartarus, the land of torture, between us and the leyline.

  “We’ll get there in one and a half days at this speed,” Max said as he looked at the hills on the horizon.

  “Are you tired, Blossom?” Ash asked. “We can take a break.”

  “I’m fine,” I said, trying to keep exhaustion out of my voice.

  We hadn’t rested for over twenty-four hours, but I was used to hardship. Still, I couldn’t fool my mates and hide my fatigue.

  “We’ll take a break after we run three more miles,” Max decided.

  My tiger raced ahead, his paws barely touching the ground, showing off his prowess. He ran back to check on me a couple of times, or to nag Ash to shift to a wolf and run with him. When the fae prince ignored him, as usual, Killian growled, and Ash bared his teeth in return.

  Ash was one of the hardest males I’d met, and he didn’t comprise much.

  Although I’d mated with all three mates who had come to the Underworld for me, the fae prince remained competitive, especially against Max. He stayed in his fae form for this reason, just in case I needed to cuddle during a short break. He wouldn’t let Max have me all to himself.

  Ever since my mates formed the mating bond with me, I could read their intentions.

  I understood Ash’s territorial traits and behavior. My mates weren’t keen on showing their vulnerabilities, but they didn’t hide things from me. Ash had admitted his bastard upbringing during the night we’d mated for hours in the cave.

  Ash was the older half-brother of the fae queen in the Twilight Realm of Mysth on Earth. His father, Emperor Oberon, didn’t want the evidence of his affair to be exposed and sent assassins to eliminate his own son.

  To survive, Ash had to stay in his wolf form for centuries to avoid being discovered and hunted, even though he was a powerful elemental fae, until Rose, his half-sister, found out about him and put a stop to the bounty hunting ordered by their father. Rose had also overthrown Oberon and taken the throne for herself after the former emperor sold her to the sadistic Sváva king on Earth.

  In the end, Rose won the war with High Prince Seth—the only other archangel who had golden wings, like Elijah.

  However, although the immortal fae were powerful and mostly kept to themselves, Earth’s species structures had shifted. Humans had grown in numbers and occupied every corner of the Earth. They went to war with other races, except the fae, to dominate the mortal realm.

  As elemental magic was fading from the Twilight Realm, Rose, her archangel consort, and most of their people had emigrated to another galaxy.

  Ash, Max, and Elijah were about to board the last spaceship with the last remaining fae and Sváva angels to join their kin, but then Merlin had intercepted them and shown them the existence of their true mate—me—in his vision.

  So my three mates abandoned their future to come to Hell, with the slim hope of finding me and the possibility of never getting out of the Underworld.

  While Ash’s past was full of tragedy, Elijah’s was full of glory. Elijah was born from the ancient, privileged Sváva bloodline that led the angelic race to conquer one universe after another. I wasn’t keen on his family’s glory, though, as I hated all conquerors.

  Max was Elijah’s half-brother, and he wasn’t treated with the same respect as Elijah because of his impure vampire blood. He didn’t like to talk about his history much, and I didn’t press him. Max also helped Rose and her consort to defeat Dark Lord Atlas’s army.

  And Dark Lord Atlas, the most powerful evil being, was my great-grandfather.

  Whenever we had time, I’d ask my mates to tell me more about Atlantis and Earth.

  We ran in silent companionship while I pondered my mates’ history and our future. Killian returned to us again to chuff at the fae, wanting him to be a wolf and run with him.

  “Go away, tiger,” Ash said. “You’re annoying. I’ll stay as a fae. We’re going to have a break soon, and I must take care of our mistress’s needs.”

  His heated gaze roved over my body, his lust massaging me through our bond, fueling mine to a new fever pitch.

  Now that Octavia and Sebastian weren’t with us, we could easily mate anywhere. But I was hesitant to fuck in the open like beasts in heat.

  Max’s eyes turned to molten gold at the mating call.

  “Let me carry you, doll,” he offered eagerly. “You must be tired.”

  I’d slowed down, and my steps staggered.

  “No, thanks,” I said, biting my lower lip as I pushed through my fatigue to keep up with them. “I can carry myself with my own two feet.”

  No matter how powerful my mates were, I wanted to keep my independence, though part of me wanted to be scooped up, so I could press my breasts against Max’s hard chest, enjoy him a little, and soothe the mating heat in me, but I doubted that we could cool off the
flame.

  I thought we had sated our hunger for each other after we fucked half of the night in the cave, but it only grew more intense. The mating fire sparked between us even as we sprang through the desert sand, constantly nagging us to mate.

  I even considered lying down on the sand, pulling down my pants, and letting my mates mount me and quickly fuck me to get it over with. Judging from the scorching lust in Ash’s and Max’s eyes, I knew they’d go along with it. In fact, I believed they were thinking along the same lines.

  Their lust crashed into me like bricks. But I wasn’t a total fool. One thing would lead to another.

  Once we started, we wouldn’t be able to stop, and then we’d miss the only chance to go home. The leyline wouldn’t stay open forever.

  Max had said that Merlin had assigned us a narrow time window. As soon as he sensed the activation of our mating bond, the druid had worked on tearing open the leyline with all the magic he had.

  “How would he know that our mating bond is active?” I’d asked.

  “Through us, he’ll know,” Max had said. “Ash, Elijah, and I share a blood bond with him, and there’s a mating bond between you and me and between you and Ash. On your wrist, one of your mating icons is reserved for Merlin, though it hasn’t been activated yet. The mating bond between true mates is one of the most powerful, enigmatic magics in the universe.”

  I stared at the four icons, each shaped like half-circles embracing each other, lined up on my inner arm and strung together by a glyph. The one at the far edge bore the color of rose gold—my supposed tie to Merlin.

  A dark golden icon in the middle was my bond to Elijah. It had flared like starlight when the archangel and I mated, and now the glow had dimmed.

  My heart ached at the thought of Elijah. But I had to be selfish now and stop worrying about him. I had tried to talk Max and Ash into going back for him, but they both objected vehemently and laid out the hard facts for me.

  Their priority was to get me out. If I went back to Elijah, I’d fall into Emperor Cain’s trap and all our effort would be in vain.

  “Elijah knows how to take care of himself,” Max had tried to convince me more than once.

  In the end, I went with their decision.

  I’d left my brother and the women behind too. I would come back for them all, with a great army at our command. Dad and Mom would lend me an army, and they would probably come with me to the Underworld to battle their old enemies.

  If they hadn’t left Earth and gone to a far galaxy to look for me already. A sense of urgency kicked in, and I quickened my pace.

  Finally, we reached the range of the hills, and my feet could no longer carry me. Ash picked me up, parked himself on a rock, and sat me on his lap.

  “Bring our mate water and food,” he ordered Max.

  Max rolled his eyes, but he was already fumbling for our food inside the backpack. He brought me a dried beef roll and a canteen of water we had taken from the demons’ fort. My vampire mate refused to give Ash anything, despite the fae glaring at him, and went to feed Killian. Then he sat near me and got himself a dried beef roll as well.

  This would be a short break, so Max didn’t spread the blanket on the ground.

  “What about my roll, vampire?” Ash demanded.

  “You want to eat? Help yourself, dick,” Max said, tearing off a big chunk of roll and putting it into his mouth and chewing.

  “Very mature,” Ash said.

  “Right,” Max said. “You can just move your ass. Ayanna can sit on my lap.”

  He had intentionally kept the backpack out of Ash’s reach, his foot on the strap to prevent Ash’s magic wind from moving the bag.

  I didn’t want to get between them when they bickered and fought, but I didn’t want my fae mate to go hungry either. I held my beef roll and tried to divide it into two, so I could give the other half to Ash.

  “No, doll,” Max said. “Don’t do that. He won’t take food from your mouth.”

  “The vampire bastard is right on that,” Ash said. “It’s our privilege to provide for you, Blossom, and we’ll never take food from you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? It’s just a roll. We’re mates. We share everything.”

  Ash rose to his feet and deposited me on Max’s lap before he went to fetch his meal. We were all famished.

  Ash ate his beef roll in two bites while he stood and basically swallowed it all. He returned and lifted me off Max’s lap while my vampire mate flirted and laughed with me as we ate.

  “What the fuck, fae?” Max growled.

  “I need to massage our mate’s feet before we cross the hills,” Ash said. “Could you do that while you’re eating?”

  Having many mates and listening to their domestic disputes was all new to me. And no matter how much they fought, they all worked to protect and provide for me. Well, every family has issues.

  I handed Ash the canteen, and he took a big swig from it.

  “Max,” I said. “You should get blood from me while we’re taking a break. Whenever you need blood, you can just tell me and take mine. I’m your mate.”

  A mixture of gratitude and hunger flashed in his dark golden eyes.

  My vampire mate was always thirsty for me, even when he didn’t need blood. He once said that my blood called to him like the siren’s song.

  “I can hold out until we reach the surface,” Max said with a dimpled smile.

  “Just don’t lose your shit before that,” Ash grunted as he removed my boots and started massaging my foot. I nearly moaned at how good it felt.

  Not even my brother, who loved me more than the world, would massage my feet.

  For a second, I wondered who else’s feet my fae prince had massaged. And then I kept spoiling the intimate, fine moment by wondering about all of my mates’ previous sexual encounters and their possibly countless lovers.

  I might be the least experienced partner they’d ever had, yet I didn’t feel lacking. Everyone had to start somewhere.

  “No one,” Ash said, as if he’d read my thoughts. “I’ve touched no one’s feet except my mate’s.”

  I took another bite of the beef roll, smiled up at him, and again almost moaned. I’d been keeping my action and reaction in check so I wouldn’t trigger my mates. We were like fuel—one lit match and we’d all explode.

  And I, self-appointed as the responsible one, wouldn’t let us all erupt before we reached safety.

  It’d only be one more day before we arrived at the portal anyway. As soon as we got to the surface, we’d go to Atlantis, talk to Mom and Dad, then find a private place where I could have some alone time with my mates.

  We’d indulge ourselves and fuck all night long while my parents arranged the logistics of getting their army to the Underworld.

  I’d dreamed about freedom when I was a slave, and now, with my mates around me, I wanted to dream about the impossible. With them, soon the impossible would be possible.

  “You’re going to spoil me, Ash,” I said, my toes curling as Ash ran his thumbs in a circle over the middle part of my foot and used the right pressure.

  “We want to spoil you every way we can, doll,” Max said, his eyelids heavy and hooded. He’d swallowed his meal, too, so now he was all about ogling me. “When we settle down a little, I’ll give you a full-body massage and relish your every inch.”

  My lips parted, and my eyes glinted. I knew what would come after a full-body massage—all the naughty things and more.

  Killian came to rub my thigh, begging for a second serving.

  “Why the fuck are you always hungry?” Max grunted as he pulled open a backpack that contained meat for Killian. “When we get to the surface, you’ll hunt for your own food.”

  “Killian can eat all he wants and however he wants. He doesn’t need to hunt,” I said. I was very protective of my tiger. He’d had a very rough life as a slave beast before he met me in the arena.

  Killian sent me a grateful look before he swaggered ove
r to eat his second serving.

  “I was just suggesting he should hone his skills, doll,” Max said. “You don’t want a fat, useless tiger by your side.”

  Killian paused his chewing, pricked his ears, and growled. After staying with us for so long, he understood part of what my mates were saying. I think the demeaning words “fat” and “useless” got his attention.

  “My tiger won’t be fat and useless,” I said firmly.

  A tiger doesn’t have the same stamina as a horse. Killian would need to take a short nap after he ate. And then he’d come to demand a scratch before we got on the road again.

  At some point, I dozed off while my fae mate pampered me.

  ~

  The women prowled through the desert sand under the sky of endless gray in organized lines. The stronger ones helped the weak and dragged carts of supplies behind them.

  I gazed down at them from the sky, taking pride in their discipline.

  Then wings, red and gray, appeared out of nowhere, blotting the sky.

  Sebastian looked up and shouted. “The demons are coming!”

  “Take cover!” Octavia cried in dismay.

  There was nowhere for the women to hide or run.

  “We fight!” said the petite woman.

  “Stand your ground,” Amber bellowed.

  The women formed a loose battle formation, with the weaker and wounded huddling in the center.

  Every one of them held an angelblade, despite the fact that many of them could barely stand straight. Yet they tried to stand upright and wield their blades.

  “Give us Calamity and you’ll all be spared,” barked a demon captain as he touched down on the sand in front of the women, cutting off their path. His eyes glowed red, his horns bent backward, and his red wings shuffled aggressively.

  The women remained silent.

  I shot from the sky and dropped in front of the women, my Dreamkiss—the angelblade gifted to me by Merlin—tight in my hand.

  Crimson runes flashed across my blade.

  “I’m here, demon assholes,” I said with a sneer. Without turning my head, I ordered, “Bas, get them to safety. I’ll hold the demons back.”