Wicked Abyss

by Kresley Cole

  Rune dropped the arrow into his thigh quiver. His ever-present bow was strapped over his back. "So she's truly a fey? Pointed ears and everything? Don't know whether to congratulate or console you."

  Sian scowled. "I wouldn't have her any other way."

  Rune held up his palms. "To each his own. So how's she settling in?"

  "Very well. Though getting used to life in a castle like this has its challenges." Three days after their wedding, he'd heard her screech from the bedroom.

  He traced and found her staring up at the Lotan trophy--which had just reappeared above the mantel.

  She raised a brow at Sian. "Yet another prank, demon?"

  "The castle did this. I have no idea why. I'll take it away again, but if the head continues to return, we must accept Graven's will. . . ."

  Rune said, "I can't imagine a Sylvan female appreciating the wildness of hell."

  "In fact, she enjoys exploring the realm." She loved everything new he showed her, but especially the animals.

  One day when they'd been hiking through the steamy Stygian Marsh, he'd sensed a litter of hellkittens nearby.

  As their wary mother looked on, Calliope had cuddled the cannonball-size runt, stroking its red and silver pelt. The kitten had purred loudly, and a drop of drool had clung to one saber tooth. . . .

  "I don't suppose I could have this little guy?" Calliope asked.

  She could have anything in this world she wanted. Still, he said, "You shouldn't separate him from his litter."

  "Oh, of course." She'd put the kitten back with the others, giving it a scratch and a look of longing.

  "We will take all of them, mother and kittens alike--it's not as if we can't spare the room."

  Calliope had leapt up and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly. He'd needed ever more of her, deepening the contact. Against his lips, she'd murmured, "Not in front of the kittens. But definitely somewhere, demon!"

  As he'd gazed down at her bewitching face, he'd thought, I am so fucked if this ends.

  Josephine said, "I see that look in your eyes. You're done for. It's the look this one"--she hiked her thumb at Rune--"sports twenty-four/seven. It's getting embarrassing."

  The archer nodded. "Too true."

  Sometimes Sian had the urge to throw a wall up between himself and Calliope--anything to keep their bond from solidifying more. If his new existence with her was going to end, he needed the divide to happen now--not in a century or so, when his appearance had changed so drastically that she finally hit her limit.

  Rune said, "I know you haven't claimed your female yet, or you would've been bursting--pun intended--to talk about the experience. You'll need to talk to someone. Trust me."

  "Trust him." Josephine tossed her legs over the throne's armrest, the first to sit there.

  Sian had had no choice but to separate Calliope from his demon subjects. He didn't anticipate any danger, but she wouldn't be fully protected until she wore his mark. "I'm in no rush."

  "Liar." Rune filched a flask of demon brew from a jacket pocket and raised it in offer to Josephine.

  Her expression said, You've gotta be kidding.

  Rune took a pull, then tossed it to Sian.

  He caught it and swigged. "Do I imagine what it would be like to claim my mate? Constantly." Despite the devastating pleasure they'd been sharing.

  She was open to anything. Earlier today, they'd relaxed on a blanket at the beach, lounging naked in the sun. His mind had wandered, wicked fantasies arising.

  He'd realized there was nothing to stop him from taking a taste of his mate.

  Without a word, he'd lifted her to straddle his face. After a hesitation, she'd gotten caught up. Her fists had moved on his horns, jacking him as she'd shamelessly ground against his mouth. She'd screamed, climaxing right upon his lips.

  And his mate was all too happy to reciprocate, using her life-altering little tongue to render him mindless.

  Just when he swore their bedsport couldn't possibly get hotter--quite a thing for the king of hell to think--they would reach new heights. Yet at no time had she said those four words: Will you claim me? "But I also imagine a future with her." Sian coveted what Rune and Josephine had. "I won't push Calliope before she's ready."

  Rune plucked his bowstring. "Gods, man, you really do like her."

  When Sian nodded, Rune and Josephine both raised their brows, waiting for more.

  He exhaled. "Can't stop looking at her. Or touching her." If he could take relationship advice from a dragon, he could be forthcoming about his feelings. "I watch her when she sleeps and dreams. The sound of her laughter makes my wings unfurl, like I'm godsdamned flying." He scrubbed his palm over his face. "When we talk into the night, I get to see inside her dazzling mind, and I can never get enough."

  Tough-talking Josephine sighed. "How did your girl react when you told her about the hell-change?"

  Sian took a drink. "Haven't told her." Not only was he selfishly keeping the curse a secret, he'd been taking out his frustration on her.

  Yesterday, he'd asked what kind of tattoo she'd make him get once he marked her.

  "No tattoos for you." She kissed one of his glyphs. "I would never change a single inch of this skin."

  Body gone tense, he drew back, cursing his future.

  She blinked at him. "Did I say something wrong?" When he didn't answer, she muttered, "Moodiest male . . ."

  "I wanted Calliope to feel more for me before I revealed that." Sian believed her attachment grew, but he also suspected something was holding her back.

  "No offense, demon, but she's going to know soon." Josephine tilted her head. "I can already see a difference from the last time we stopped by."

  Truly? Their previous visit had been only a couple of months before Calliope's arrival here! "I will tell her soon."

  "I wouldn't sweat it. She married you, so obviously looks"--the halfling gestured to him with a careless wave--"aren't that important to her."

  Sian scowled. "She likes my looks." Whenever Calliope gazed up at him from under her lashes, he could feel her attraction to him--and her growing possessiveness. The proprietary light in her eyes made him stand taller. Made his cock harder than stone.

  To his surprise, she couldn't keep her hands off him. The more she explored his body--and she adored exploring it--the more aroused she grew by his form. "But not for long."

  How much time do I have before she doesn't even recognize me? Would he recognize himself? Even now the low hum along his spine, that engine inside him, roiled on.

  "It doesn't matter what you look like," Rune said. "You're still my brother. Win her over, and she'll be just as loyal."

  "Easier said . . ."

  "Has she told you anything about her life on Gaia?" Rune asked. "Her family?"

  Sian capped the flask, then tossed it back. "She doesn't like to talk about it. Probably because I forced her to abandon her fiance."

  Rune and Josephine winced.

  "Exactly." Did that male still stand between them? Sian had finally brought up the subject.

  "I know I took you from your intended. Abruptly. Tell me what I can do to help you put him in the past."

  "I might pine for the family I thought I'd have. But not him in particular."

  Sian had thought, I could give her a family. But they'd be dark fey. Considered abominations by most.

  Then why did he feel like they would have young between them? "My spies found out nothing about her in Gaia. Next I will dispatch them to Sylvan."

  "Josie and I can dig into Calliope's background there. My female's interrogation techniques are improving every day." She gave a queenly wave. "And my connections are still in place."

  "Even though Rune the Insatiable isn't trading sex for secrets anymore," Josephine said in a pointed tone. "Funny how that worked out, huh?"

  Rune nodded easily. "I trade exclusively with phanpires now." He turned to Sian. "We'll begin at once. In any case, I'd be less worried about a fiance and
more worried about her reaction when the Morior conquer Sylvan."

  As good a time as any. "About Sylvan . . . I vowed to her that as long as she is my wife, none in that kingdom will fall by a Morior's hand."

  The color of Rune's irises shot from magenta to black. "The fuck?" He traced to his feet. "With zero warning--or discussion--you made vows for me?"

  Josephine swung around and sat on the edge of the throne. "Demon, you're in troubllllle."

  Striving for calm, Sian said, "Calliope kept attempting to escape me, endangering her life. So I bargained with her, giving her incentive to stay."

  "Your bargain includes the royals in Sylvan!" Rune traced in front of him, fists clenched like he was about to take a swing. Sian would welcome it. "You undermined my entire life's goal. Everything I've worked for. I've craved revenge against that bloodline for millennia!"

  Sian squared his shoulders. "This is what I had to do to secure my mate," he said simply.

  "And I want you to experience matehood, brother. I do. But you have to know Nix set you up like a bloody line of dominoes." Sian nodded. "How do you know Calliope isn't working with her? Was Saetth involved? He benefits most from your . . . arrangement."

  "Calliope had a job in Gaia for years, living as a human. She wasn't immersed in the Lore whatsoever. But I do wager Saetth is in league with the Valkyrie."

  Rune's lips parted, revealing his fangs. "And you still went ahead with this?"

  When Sian recalled the night Calliope had escaped him, how frantic that chase had been, his calm deserted him. "I would have done anything not to lose my mate."

  Rune stabbed his fingers through his hair. "You don't have the right to make vows for me."

  "You of all people should comprehend my motivations. Put yourself in my place." Sian grabbed his friend's forearms, needing him to understand. "Would you have hesitated to protect Josephine--until you could discuss your actions with me? Could you live with her death not once, but twice?"

  Rune turned to Josephine. They shared a look that was fraught with emotion, communicating so much, though not a word was spoken.

  Will Calliope and I grow that close?

  Rune faced him again. "You know I couldn't."

  "Then back me in this." Sian released him.

  "Godsdamn it, demon." Rune exhaled. "I will make . . . sacrifices for you to keep your mate safe. But if you'd found your female before I found mine--and I didn't know what this bond felt like--we would not be having this conversation."

  "I believe that."

  "What about the demons enslaved in Sylvan? I know you have zero intention of leaving them to that fate."

  "I will come up with something." Put it on my list. "But first I need to complete an undertaking in my own kingdom." He'd announced his ideas to Uthyr:

  "I'm going to engage my legions in something other than war."

  --Begone, chimera! Do not return without the real Abyssian Infernas.--

  Rune sat once more. "What bloody undertaking?"

  "I've ended the legions' battles forever."

  "What will you do with such bloodthirsty subjects?"

  They'd been created to war. "They will mine ore." Gold abounded in Slaughter Gorge.

  Sian had considered telling Calliope about his work, knowing she would be pleased, but he'd decided to keep it a surprise. He'd prefer to garner some success with his first societal transformation before he revealed all to her.

  Though the legions had liked his vision for them very well, converting the battle-happy demon warriors into workers was taking some effort.

  He made daily trips to oversee progress, reluctantly leaving Calliope. She would relax in the library with hellcats, spiders, and books piled up all around her. She read as fast as she did everything else, the pages flying. . . .

  Rune said, "Your mate's had some effect on you."

  "I want to rid her new home of conflict." Her censure of his royal record still affected him. "But it's not just her. My brother once dreamed of peace."

  "Any other changes on the horizon?" Josephine said. "Maybe like . . . kids?"

  "Unlikely." How could Sian ask that of Calliope? "Aside from obvious concerns, what if they look like I do now?"

  Rune shook his head. "The hell-change curse would remain dormant, no? As long as you live, your pups wouldn't be affected."

  Josephine rolled her eyes. "So what if they look all demonic? You said your chick digs your appearance."

  "And about those other concerns," Rune said, "don't let my millennia of bitterness influence your decision. All I needed was a mate who worships me as I am."

  "Worships?" Josephine made a hand-job gesture.

  "Will you two have children?" Sian asked.

  Rune nodded. "I warned her they'd likely be banebloods."

  Josephine said, "So I told him our kids would just have to find wicked-cool mates like their father did."

  "Mates? Though dark fey are so few?" Before Josephine, Rune had searched the worlds over for a female of his kind. If Sian and Calliope had children, would they be setting up their offspring for misery and loneliness?

  Rune chuckled. "Hell, Sian, maybe your baneblood spawn will date ours."

  He'd never considered that.

  Rune traced forward to slap his shoulder. "My sons could mate your daughters."

  Knowing his friend's past with females, and already protective of any future daughters, Sian grated, "If your sons wish to die. . . ."

  FORTY-SIX

  Abyssian could sense whenever someone crossed the barrier into Pandemonia.

  Weirdly, Lila had gotten that sense not long ago, glancing up from her book. Though her ears had twitched like crazy, the hellcats all around her had snoozed without so much as a whisker twitch.

  Either Lila was developing the Force, or her queenly gifts were expanding. Maybe she could do even more than reading Abyssian's stray thoughts and seeing hallucinatory deer.

  Tempted to go investigate, she closed her book--one of millions.

  In their first week of marriage, Abyssian had told her he had a surprise for her. . . .

  He traced her to a different part of the castle, squiring her through an arched double doorway. "This is the Tower of Learning."

  Her jaw dropped at what must be one of the largest book collections in the Lore.

  Balconied landings were spaced every twenty feet or so, ringing the inside walls of the tower, with the center open. She could see straight up to a painted ceiling, soaring above them.

  "You like your new library?"

  "It's unbelievable!"

  "The tower holds nothing but books," he said. "Most of them were in Demonish, so I implemented a spell for you. Whenever you enter, all the text will change to your tongue of choice."

  Guilt had dampened her excitement, her lies and secrets weighing on her. She'd nearly blurted, I know Demonish.

  Damn it, she'd never expected to develop lasting feelings for Abyssian Infernas.

  The temptation to confess everything continued to grow. Yet always, she would recall the tension at court on the heels of one of Rune's assassinations.

  Had she learned nothing from the past? Secrecy meant survival.

  Take it from my parents. . . .

  Part of her longed to grab Abyssian's brutal demon face and say, "I want you. I want a future with you. I need to be honest with you."

  Another part of her would look in the mirror and say, "I want to live. I want a future. I need to protect myself."

  Would she feel differently once he claimed her? Would that bond them so much she could relax her guard and confess all?

  One way to find out. She'd decided tonight was the night. She remained nervous about the actual deed, but she trusted him, and she didn't want him to have to wait any longer. . . .

  Stretching her arms over her head, she asked her heavy-lidded pets, "Should I investigate any new arrivals?" The hellcats were snuggled up with her on the comfy couch in the library's reading den.

  Purrrrrrr
, they answered.

  She'd released them into this tower. The little spazzes had gone nuts, treating the place like their personal jungle gym. But as long as they continued to go outside to do their business and didn't shred any more books, all was well.

  She'd even coaxed Chip and Dale to visit. After a tense introductory period with the cats, they'd gotten more comfortable. Presently they were napping in front of the den's fire.

  After peeling cats off herself, she made her way from the library to the candlelit corridor. Fluttering drafts made the flames dance. Shadows leapt.

  Sometimes this mystical castle could be spooky as fuck. Earlier today, the Lotan head had come back--for the third time--which meant it'd be staying. Great. She'd glared at the creepy head. "Are you happy now?"

  Though her life in hell was turning out to be both provocative and dreamlike, part of her still longed for Sylvan--

  Clickety-clack sounded from behind her. She pivoted around to find the fawn standing in the hall.

  It blinked its lustrous eyes.

  She often saw Bambi. Sometimes it followed her around the library, going still whenever she peeked over her shoulder, like a supernatural version of the red-light/green-light game.

  Was Graven supplying this illusion? And if so, why?

  She hadn't told Abyssian about the fawn. It always disappeared right before he appeared, so she'd stayed mum, figuring what would one more secret hurt?

  She still saw Bambi in dreams as well. Each time, it would bound toward the edge of that desolate cliff as some light blazed from below. No matter how much she urged the fawn to come to her, it headed right off the cliff.

  Lila had no idea what the dream meant, but it made her hesitate to trust the creature now.

  The fawn turned in the opposite direction, glancing back at her. Lila vacillated. . . .

  Screw it. When Bambi started down the dim corridor, she trailed behind. She passed dozens of doors, each leading to one of Graven's treasure-trove rooms. She and Abyssian had explored many of them, investigating chests of jewels, wardrobes, art, antiques, and more.

  A couple of days ago, she'd modeled old-fashioned dresses for him, and they'd waged mock battles with weapons they'd found. "En garde, relic," she'd cried as she launched a sword offensive with her speed.

  He'd teleported behind her, lightly swatting her on the ass. "You still haven't said no tracing."

  Later when he'd closed the door to the room behind them, he'd gruffly admitted, "I haven't had this much fun since I was a boy. . . ."