by Rita Herron
“This is where your demon boyfriend grew up~’ Edmund said as he shoved her deeper into the abyss. The acrid stench of wet rock, a dead animal, urine, and blood swirled around her, nauseating her.
“He was raised by the demons who killed your family. And he was supposed to kill you that day.”
Marlena sucked in a sharp breath at his words, then stumbled over something slimy and almost fell, but Edmund yanked her back up and dragged her forward.
The sound of low, hideous voices, inhuman growls, screams, and sinister laughter echoed through the chambers. What kind of evil creatures were down here?
Aboveground, cars honked, thunder roared, and it sounded as if it had started raining again, a heavy, gushing downpour, as if the skies had opened, dumping a tidal wave of water.
Edmund’s fingers dug into her arm, his nails like spikes, his grip painful, almost superhuman as he pushed her through a doorway. Inside, the room was dark, except for two ancient-looking torches lit with fire.
“This is the Dungeon,” Edmund growled near her ear. “The bar where your boyfriend comes to find his fuck buddies.”
Shock and pain seared Marlena as she spotted the bartender. He had thick, glossy black hair and black eyes, yet his skin was the palest white she’d ever seen, his lips a blood red. As if he sensed their presence, he angled his head and fangs protruded in his mouth.
He was one of the vampires? Had he attacked them the night before?
To the left, she spotted a woman wearing a cat costume—no, Marlena realized in shock. She was part cat...
Her gaze skimmed the rest of the room. This was a gathering place for the demons, a place no one in town knew existed. A place where inhuman creatures met to party while above them people moved through their daily lives, oblivious.
Did they meet here to plan attacks on the humans?
Did Dante really frequent this place? Had he known about these demons and kept quiet? Had he posed as sheriff to protect the town—or to protect his demonic friends?
Another wave of nausea clawed at her stomach, and she staggered against the wall, her legs buckling.
Edmund slid an arm around her waist to hold her up. She tried to lift a hand to push him away, but it wouldn’t cooperate and fell limply to her side.
Denial rolled through Marlena. Dante couldn’t be evil like the monsters who’d killed her family. Not the man who’d saved her and made love to her. Not the father of her child.
“Enough of this place. Now let’s go have our own private party.” Edmund dragged her from the room back into the dark tunnel and shoved her down another pitch-black hallway. The air thickened with sweat and the odor of refuse, and odors that now registered as inhuman.
“Your baby will be evil,” Edmund said in a brittle tone. “That’s why Dante seduced you. His father is the leader of the underworld. Dante planned to give the child to his father as an offering.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she tried to scream again, but her voice died in her throat.
Dante had never explained why he’d been in the woods that day years ago. He’d refused to talk about his childhood or family.
And Edmund was right—Dante was a demon. She’d witnessed him use his powers.
God help her...
Did he plan to offer their child to the leader of the underworld?
Dante pressed the gas pedal as he punched Marlena’s number to warn her about Raysen. Prudence Puckett and the judge had been killed only hours apart, Daumer the night before. And Sneed had almost died as well.
Which meant that Edmund was closing in, finishing off his list.
And he was with Marlena.
Three, four rings, and no answer.
His pulse pounded, and rain fell in heavy sheets. The SUV slid on the wet pavement as he careened up ‘the mountain toward the lab. He shouldn’t have left Marlena for a moment.
Another ring and her voicemail picked up. “Marlena, it’s Dante, daminit, call me!”
He ground his teeth, steering around a truck puttering along the curve, his gears grinding as he maneuvered the sharp angle and tried to avoid clipping the guardrail. The weather had taken an odd turn, and the blizzard had stopped, the temperature warming. He heard the rush of water and realized the snow was melting quickly. Too quickly. Mixed with the torrential rain, it would cause massive flooding.
Damn. The elements were wreaking havoc again. The mountain runoff would cause heavy flooding from the river and creeks.
He punched Marlena’s number again and let the phone ring, his mind spinning. Fuck. What if Raysen had already killed her?
Snow and slush spewed behind his SUV as he spun into the lab. He slammed on the brakes, threw the SUV into Park and jumped out, then jogged up the steps. Yanking his gun from his holster, be held it at the ready as he entered the lab.
But before he could make it inside, his cell phone vibrated on his hip.
He checked the caller ID box, though, and saw it was Drake Mortimer. “Dante here.”
“It’s Mortimer. You said to call if I saw anything suspicious.,,
“What is it, Mortimer? I’m in a hurry. I think I know who the killer is, and he has Marlena.”
“Damn. That’s why I called. A man was in here a minute ago with her. And something definitely was wrong. ‘She looked scared shitless.”
“Raysen had Marlena in the Dungeon?”
“Yes. Then he shoved her out the back door into the tunnels.”
“Holy fuck.” Sweat trickled down his neck. “Thanks, Mortimer. I’m on my way to the tunnels now.”
Impatience gnawed at him as he ran back to his SUV, fought his way around traffic, and veered on the mountain road to the closest entrance to the tunnels.
Moving on blind instinct, he wove through the maze of corridors toward the Dungeon, then tried to think of a place underground where Raysen might take Marlena.
Footsteps sounded behind him, crunching on glass, and he spun around but the shadow slithered into an overhang. Damn demons.
To the north lay Father Gio’s lair, to the west a unit carved out for the undead, but to the east lay a series of caves more isolated and not yet inhabited. Ignoring the group of demons gathered having an orgy, he jogged toward the northern end, the scent of despair and fear thickening the air as he left the more populated nooks and crannies.
The footsteps sounded again, and he spun around and saw Jebb Bates trailing him. Shit. Then suddenly a pack of demons jumped him.
Bates screamed, his eyes widening in horror. Dante’s first instinct was to save the jerk, but the demon pack was too fast. Before he had time to toss a fireball, the demons mauled and mutilated the man and began slurping down his blood.
Son of a bitch. He’d deserved it, but Dante didn’t like that a local had fed the demons, even if it was the slimy reporter who would have exposed him if he’d had the chance. And now this demon pack would want more blood.
Up ahead, the scent of smoke drifted toward him. Fear that Raysen had killed Marlena knocked the air from his lungs.
No.. . he couldn’t lose Marlena and his child.
He stiffened and glanced around the dark interior as he approached the entrance to a side cave, his eyes adjusting to the dim light as he searched for the predator.
A vile spirit was here now, Dante could feel him.
The scent of smoke intensified, then a deep moan reverberated from inside, paralyzing him.
Marlena.
Dammit.
She was strapped to a chair in the center of a circle of flaming Satanic S’s drawn on the floor in an infinity pattern—the pattern that signified that the devil lived forever.
Rage and fury blackened his heart and heated his blood as she slowly lifted her head. Bruises marred her cheek and her green eyes were filled with pain, sadness, and horror.
And something else—anger, fear, accusations... betrayal.
“Hello, Dante.”
He gripped his hands into fists at the sound of Raysen’s maddening voic
e.
He’d met him before, but this time he looked different, almost wolfish, like an animal. His hair seemed to have thickened, a thick beard grazed his jaw, and claws protruded from his hands—now paws.
But it was the predatory gleam in his eyes, the cold harsh hunger that sent Dante’s blood flowing in a mad rush. He was going to kill Marlena and his child.
And he looked as if he would enjoy every minute.
Edmund smiled as the truth dawned on Zertlav’s face. His deal with Zion had been pure genius. Now Marlena would know he was superior.~
And Zion’s son would suffer.
Wielding a knife, he paced behind Marlena. Dante’s demonic scent still lingered on her skin. He’d once loved the woman and wanted her as his. They could have done such marvelous work together.
They could have had a brilliant child, one who would help the world as he’d tried to do with his work.
Before the bad blood had flooded his system.
But she had destroyed that love the moment she’d slept with Zion’s son.
Now he would rip that baby from her gut and then kill her and Zertlav. Then Zion would honor him and he would receive his redemption.
Marlena stared at Dante with a mixture of hope and despair. Were the things Edmund told her true? Had his people killed her sister? Had he seduced her to keep her from suspecting the truth? Had he impregnated her to offer their child to his father?
“Let her go,” Dante said in a harsh tone. “You’re problem is with me, not her.”
“She’s carrying your demon child,” Edmund said. “The child has to die.”
A sob welled in Marlena’s throat, She didn’t know if the child would be evil, but she didn’t want him to kill the baby...
“Don’t do this, Edmund,” Marlena pleaded. “I’ll find a way to save you and the others from the project.”
“No, it’s too late,” he said. “They were turning evil. I had to destroy them.” He jerked his hand toward Dante.
“You were playing god with people’s lives,” Dante muttered. “You killed Gerald Daumer and Sneed.”
“They were weak’ Edmund shouted. “Gerald wanted to tell Marlena everything. And Sneed. . . he discovered what I was doing and was going to turn me in.” His voice grew shrill, his eyes demented. “And how can you judge me?” Edmund growled. “You kill for fun, for sport. Just like your people did when they killed Marlena’s mother and sister.”
Marlena flinched and looked up at Dante, praying he would deny the accusation. But guilt pierced his dark eyes, and his jaw tightened.
Her heart shattered into pieces. It was true.
How could she have loved a man who was a demon, whose people had killed her family?
Pain knifed through Dante at the anguish in Marlena’s eyes.
“I’m sorry, Marlena,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “Please, let me explain.”
She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. He took a step toward her; he had to make her listen. Had to save her from Edmund.
“I told her everything,” Edmund said. “How you used her, seduced her to give Zion a grandchild. How you were sent to kill her that day. How you live with the demons and protect them in town. How your brothers are demons, too. They have already joined your father in worshipping Zion.”
“I don’t give a damn what they do. But Marlena ,is not evil, so let her go.”
“She has evil growing inside her,” Edmund snarled. “Your evil child.”
“Just let her go,” Dante said again. “I’ll join Zion, and do whatever he wants.”
“It’s too late for that. The child. . . cannot live.” Suddenly Edmund whipped a sharp knife upward, grabbed Marlena by the throat, and slid the blade to her neck.
“I said let her go,” Dante growled. “You have me. That’s all you need. My father will reward you greatly if you take me to him.”
“But he ordered the baby dead first,” Edmund said.
No.. .He hadn’t been able to save Marlena’s sister, but he had to save ‘her and his child.
The rage in his bleak soul rose to the surface, and he flung his hand, tossing a fireball behind Edmund to get his attention.
Edmund laughed bitterly, then suddenly thrust the knife downward into Marlena’s chest. Marlena screamed and slumped forward, blood spurting from her heart.
“No!” Dante lunged forward, but Edmund’s laughter seared the walls.
“She’ll die with the baby inside her,” Edmund said. “I have honored Zion.”
Fury drove Dante. He raised both hands and threw another fireball at Edmund. Edmund dodged and lunged through the flames at Dante, stabbing at, him with the knife. The blade caught his arm, but Dante ignored the sting and the blood seeping from the wound and focused his energy on’ his power, pulling it from deep within him.
He flung one hand and sent another sizzling fireball soaring toward Edmund. Edmund ducked, but the flames caught his hair and lit up the darkness. Edmund beat at his head, screaming in terror, but rage spurred Dante on, and he hurled another fireball and another and another.
Edmund howled in pain and jumped back to beat at the flames, but Dante was relentless. He continued his assault until fire totally engulfed Edmund’s body, and he collapsed onto the floor in a swirl of flames, screaming in agony as his body disintegrated into ashes.
“Marlena!” Dante’s heart was pounding as he raced over to her. She had to survive. He couldn’t lose her or his child.
He dropped to his knees and lifted her chin to look into her eyes. “Marlena?”
Her eyes were wide open, staring into space, glassy. Panic clenched his muscles, and he reached up and felt for a pulse, his breath stalling in his chest.
Emotions welled in his throat, the flames dancing higher and higher around them, clawing at his shoes, at the chair, at her feet. He frantically untied her, grabbed her from the chair, and carried away from the circle of flames.
He had to save her. Had to.
But the knife had punctured her heart, blood soaked her blouse and body, and she wasn’t breathing.
He eased her down onto the floor, leaned over, and started CPR, trying desperately to breathe life back into her. One, two, three—he did the chest compressions, praying, begging God to save her.
Over and over he performed the motions, blowing air into her lungs, but she lay limp, stiff, her body turning colder and colder by the second, her skin paler as the blood drained from her body.
Precious minutes passed, dragged by, rolling into half an hour, and slowly reality returned. Aboveground, the floods poured through the streets, but the silence in the cave was ominous and eerie.
He dragged Marlena into his lap and rocked her back and forth in his arms, emotions suffocating him—rage, grief, anguish.
He’d never loved anyone before, never had a connection or needed anyone in his life. But he loved Marlena and his son.
And now they were dead because of him.
Chapter Thirty-one
Shock immobilized Dante, a deep-seated rage choking him. There was no reason to kill his unborn child, not unless the child had some kind of power Zion feared.
“Marlena, I’m so sorry,” Dante whispered into her hair. “I’m so sorry.”
He clutched her to his chest, rocking her back and forth, unable to release her. Pain and sorrow wrenched his gut. He couldn’t believe his child was gone, that he would never be born. That he’d failed again.
That he’d lost any chance of having a family of his own, someone who might love him, demon and all.
Moisture trickled down his cheeks and dripped onto her limp body.
Even worse, Marlena had died hating him.
He howled out his pain, grief and emotions overwhelming him, then stroked her hair from her face and swallowed hard so he could speak. “I was sent to kill you, Marlena,” he whispered. “I was only thirteen, and it was the initiation for our pack of demons.” He rubbed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. Her skin was already cooling
, her body so still that he wanted to shake the life back into her.
“They wanted me to kill you. It was part of my initiation, but I couldn’t do it,” he mumbled. The vicious scene played before him like a camera on rewind. “You were so young, even younger than I was. I’d done bad things before, things they made me do when they tortured me. Things I thought I was supposed to do. It was our way of life. To hunt and to kill.”
He dropped his head forward and held her tightly, willing the time back but knowing it was impossible. If only he hadn’t been so stubborn, had called for help.
Maybe called his brothers.
Marlena might be alive and he might have stopped Edmund.
Grief overwhelmed ‘him, and he lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms. He’d never let her go.
“That day, I said no to the demons. I saved you and then I left them. I went undercover for months, hiding out. I lived in isolation for years.”
He touched her stomach, an intense pain ripping through his gut. Only now he bad killed his own child, because he hadn’t been able to protect him and his mother.
Rage erupted inside him, overpowering his grief.
He had to avenge their deaths.
Zion was responsible.
He tenderly stroked Marlena’s hair, his heart wrenching, then pressed a long, slow kiss to her lips. They lay there for what seemed like hours, him holding her, unwilling to let her go, drinking in her scent, memorizing every inch of her, every moment they’d shared together, every sweet and wonderful thing about her.
Choking back sorrow, he finally released her, then ‘stood. But his grief ebbed and flowed, an entity that would never end, fueling his thirst for vengeance.
He’d fought for his independence, had sworn he never needed anyone. Not the demons who’d raised him, the brothers who claimed they wanted a reconciliation, or Marlena.
The woman who might have loved him.
Until he’d crushed that love with the truth of what he was and what he’d been.
Vengeance was his only friend now. He would get it, then to hell with whatever happened to him.