“Good, because I’ve got someone I want you to meet.” She picked at the clothes and sighed in disgust. “Don’t you have anything better to wear? Something that isn’t so...drab?”
I ignored the jab at my sense of style and focused on what she’d just promised. Was that supposed to be a veiled threat? Who would she want to talk to? She had my life. What else could she want?
“Ahh...now this is better.”
She snatched a crimson tank from behind my clothes. It was silky with a plunging neckline. Raquel had given it to me last year. It’d gone straight to the back of my closet, and there it had remained until now.
“Honestly, I’m not sure why you hide under all those yards of fabric,” Mona continued, pulling the tank over her head. “We’ve got a nice body. Gabe certainly enjoys it.”
I shuddered as she checked herself out in the full-length mirror. Luckily, the duties of battle had kept Gabe busy all last night. He hadn’t tried to kiss me again. I hated to think of anything more happening while I was trapped in here. I didn’t think I could ever forgive Gabe for being physical with Mona, even if it was my body and he didn’t know it wasn’t me in control. As irrational as that sounded, I couldn’t help it.
Can you at least put a bra on? I hissed. The soft curves of my body were clearly visible to anyone with eyes. I wanted to throw my arms around my chest and hide them from view.
“Nah, this is good.” She swept her hair over her shoulders and gave the image one last approving glance. “Perfect for our date.”
What date? Who are we meeting?
She wouldn’t respond to any of my probing questions, so I took a backseat and watched through our eyes as she left my room. When we got to the staircase, I was surprised to see her ascend to the next level. The dining hall was down two floors. The fourth floor was reserved for the library, various conference rooms, and classrooms. There wouldn’t be anyone up there right now. The Nephilim had declared a state of emergency, pausing all non-essential daily activities like school and training.
What are you doing? I asked.
She ignored me and finished ascending the stairs. Down the hall we went, past empty doorways and lifeless paintings on the wall. The plush red carpet below our feet hid any sound of her footsteps. The only light came through the windows, leaving most of the hall blanketed in shadows. A statue at the end came into view. It was a life-sized marble bust of a man with a heavy brow and disapproving eyes. His cheeks drooped and a scar marred his left temple.
“Here we are.”
Mona stopped short of the statue and glanced over her shoulder. No one in sight. Inching around the square base to the back, she crouched and ran her fingers over the gray marble. It was cold to the touch and smooth. The base had been slightly hollowed out, just enough to leave room for a wooden box which sat innocently in the crevice. I recoiled at the sight of it, recalling the last time I’d seen that cursed thing.
Psyche’s Urn had put me here. I wished it had been burned.
“Like taking candy from a baby,” Mona whispered, grabbing the box and shoving it into a black bag she’d brought along.
No one stopped her on the way out of the manor. No one gave a second thought as to why I might be dressed so strangely and headed away from my home. No—the Nephilim stayed busy and Mona walked across the border into the quiet forests of my childhood.
I wished I could say that their familiar presence felt calming on my nerves, but I couldn’t lie. Mona’s secret mission had me quaking inside my own head. I had been under the impression that all she wanted was to take over my body, but maybe I was wrong. She had control, but her mission wasn’t over. With head held high, she strode deeper into the forest and far out of range of Westward Manor.
Finally, we reached a small entangled copse of trees and she paused, jutting out her hip. Her eyes searched the shadows beneath the trees, but could spot nothing unusual. Mona took a deep breath of air and whistled low.
“I knew you’d come.” That familiar husky voice sent shivers down my back. I wasn’t sure if that was because of my fear or Mona’s feverish excitement. Her chest began to heave and the tank top clung to her frame. “I hope you liked my gift.”
Seth stepped out from behind the copse. He wore the same black wool suit with an infuriatingly cool pose. The face which I’d first regarded as handsome had grown into a fiercely attractive facade, so beautiful it almost hurt to look at him. Full lips, a sensual smile, strong jawline, the perfect brow line, and shiny black hair combed back from his forehead. He was everything a woman, young or old, could desire. At the same time, there was a charge in the air. The kind of sensation that I had when staring down a bear or mountain lion in the woods. He reeked of danger.
“It was delightful.” Mona sighed and twirled, the box held aloft in her hands. “See? All me. She’s trapped inside, poor thing. Doesn’t want to share.”
“That really is too bad.” Seth’s eyes wrinkled when he smiled. “Sounds like someone needed a time out.”
I realized they were talking about me and growled. Mona swatted at the air as if a fly had been buzzing next to her ear.
He gently took Psyche’s Urn out of her hands and tucked it under his elbow. “Thank you, my dear.”
As Mona stared up at him, starry eyed, my mind whirled. What could he want with that thing? Hadn’t it served its purpose? I was trapped in here.
“And now,” he continued with a flourish of his hand, “if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to our guest.”
“She’s right here.” She tapped on her temple. “All the time. She can hear you.”
He laughed and patted her arm. “No, no, no. I need to talk to Ms. Redding face-to-face. You can do that for me.”
I leaned forward, hardly believing my ears. Was he asking her to give control back to me? She could do that?
Mona’s lower lip pushed out. “But...”
“Now.” His bottomless black eyes flashed with something malicious and impatient.
Mona flinched and brought her chin to her chest, trembling in fear. “Of course, my Prince.”
“Thank you for understanding.” The dangerous look had vanished and in its place was a serene smile. It was as if it had never happened.
Mona closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was like a hot gush of air ran over us. One moment, I was locked inside my prison cell, and the next I was opening my own eyes. Everything felt as it should.
I flexed my fingers in front of my eyes, marveling at the way the muscles stretched at my bidding. I’d never take that for granted again. Not after the last two days.
A slight stirring in the back of my mind reminded me of my recent warden. Mona shrunk in the background, sulking like an angry teen. She lashed out when she felt my prodding interest, but couldn’t cause any pain. I ignored her for the time being.
I had more important things to worry about—like a Prince of Hell standing only feet away from me. I was the only thing standing between him and his armies. There was no telling what kind of torture he was going to put me through.
“Lizzy Redding, I have to thank you for agreeing to meet with me today.” Seth grabbed his suit coat in both hands and leaned back against a tree. His lips formed a friendly smile, although I could see right through him.
“I didn’t agree to meet with you,” I said in a low voice.
“Oh, but you arrived just as I had planned.” He chuckled and tore a small branch off a nearby tree, biting it between his dazzling white teeth. “Do you really think I sent those ferals in to retrieve Psyche’s Box? They were a distraction, a ruse. I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist opening the box once you believed I wanted it.”
My mouth went dry. He’d taken a big gamble, but we’d played right into his hands. Even Gabe had been fooled. I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice.
“Silly little girl.” He chewed on the end of the stick, studying me. “You walked right into my trap.”
“You won’t get anything out of me,” I sput
tered, helplessly. “I’d die before I’d open up the Hell Gate for you. Your armies can stay in Hell. You can kill me if you want, but you’ll never win.”
Despite the cool sweat forming on the palms of my hands, I felt a rush of bravado. This man might tower over me and hold the very keys to my freedom in his hands, but he truly had no power over me. I’d never give up my family. Not for him, not for anyone. He couldn’t make me.
My chin trembled as I stared up into his flashing black eyes. He smiled, as if amused, and twirled the box in his hands.
“Oh, no, my dear, I don’t want to kill you.” He smoothed his hair with the palm of his hand and chuckled to himself. “I want to offer you your freedom.”
I frowned at him. “Freedom?”
“Yes, your freedom.” He moved closer, so quickly that I didn’t have time to retreat. Reaching up with his slender pointer finger, he tapped my temple. “Haven’t you ever wondered what it would be like to be the only person living inside that head of yours?”
His fingers trailed the side of my face, caressing my cheek. I stared at him, open-mouthed. Could he really have the power to do that? Separate Mona and me? From the excited stirring in the back of my mind, I could tell she wanted it just as much as me. Her own body. No one lurking in the shadows.
“Funny little thing, isn’t it?” He held up Psyche’s Urn. My mind was too scrambled from his offer to do anything more than stare blankly at him. “This box. So plain. So unassuming. The Greeks believed it was a gift from the gods, but they were wrong. It’s just one of the many gifts my brothers and I have given to mankind over the centuries. A tool to bring forth what is hidden deep inside.”
A bird whistled in a tree nearby. Seth gazed up into the treetops, his face serene.
“You see, mankind has needed help from us all this time. They’re a fragile species. One bent on destruction and chaos. They’d shoot down their own brother in cold blood. Wasn’t it your grandmother who tried to sacrifice you to a ruthless god?”
The glare I gave him was all the answer he needed.
“You see? Having a soul doesn’t make a human infallible. They are as broken as the rest of us. They need someone to guide them. To mold them. And I would like your help to save mankind.”
“And what do you get out of this deal?” I crossed my arms and leaned away from his touch. “You don’t seem like the kind of guy who’d offer anything for free.”
“Simply, your friendship.” A grin tugged at the left side of his mouth. For a moment, he resembled a teenage boy, boyish excitement making his face turn pink. “And your pledge to come the moment I have need of your service.”
“My service?”
It was exactly as I’d feared. He was going to force me to open the Hell Gates and unleash Hell. I wouldn’t do it.
Shaking my head, I lifted my gaze up to his face. “I won’t let you unleash Hell on Earth.”
He laughed and fixed me with a fond gaze. “I don’t want to bring my armies here, silly little girl.”
My eyebrows knit together in confusion. If he didn’t need me to release his armies, then what did he need me for?
“You see, Earth isn’t the only realm in need of my help.” He stroked the smooth lines of his jaw with his fingertips. “Over the years, my brothers and I have failed to see eye-to-eye. As a result, Hell has been thrown into a civil war. After I assist this world, I will return to Hell, stronger than ever. My brothers will tremble before me. And only then will the pain end.”
His face changed into a sorrowful expression that tugged on my heartstrings, despite my head telling me to guard my feelings. This guy was good. He didn’t need force or torture. He could manipulate with words alone.
Pushing out his lips into the most masculine pout I’d ever seen, he gazed deeply into my eyes. “So, you see, Lizzy Redding. I will need you when the time comes. Without you, I cannot return home to claim my birthright. You’d be doing everyone a favor. Sending my armies and me back to Hell. That’s all I desire. And you shall have your freedom.”
Teetering on the balls of me feet, I stared wide-eyed at him. My brain was whirling, trying to make sense of all that he had just said. It sounded great to my ears. Sending the Prince of Hell and his armies back to where they belonged: in Hell. But something didn’t feel right. I was being manipulated. Somewhere within his smooth promises, there were lies and half-truths. Luke had warned me of this. Never trust a demon. They were evil. And Seth was the worst of them all.
Finally, I came to my senses. Shaking my head, I bared my teeth and practically spat at him. “Never. You won’t control me.”
Mona raged in the back of my head, causing a slight headache to form between my eyes. I squinted through the pain at Seth as his skin changed from light pink, to red, to purple. And then, he leaned back against the tree and became the picture perfect example of calm.
“Good thing for you,” he said with a flourish of his hand, “is that you have time to consider my offer. I still have several phases of my plan to complete until you become of use. Until then, you can think about your response.”
I flinched as he held up Psyche’s Box, his fingers on the latch.
“I suggest you think good and hard,” he added, his black eyes hardening. “Or, your friends and family might just pay the cost of defying me.”
In that brief moment, all his charms and good looks faded into something menacing and horrifying to look at. It was like staring death directly in the face. A shudder went through me, although I refused to look away.
“Until then, I require my servant returned to her post,” he said in a monotone voice. “My eyes on the ground. Think about my offer, Lizzy Redding. Don’t underestimate me or my destiny. I will prevail, one way or another.”
With a twist of his slender fingers, the box popped open and once again, I found myself diving into the black.
Chapter Sixteen
It didn’t take me as long to recover this time. By the time I came to and found myself once again locked in the recesses of my mind, Mona had just exited the forest and approached the manor. Right away, I could tell something was wrong. People were running around. Warriors carried multiple weapons across their backs as they lined up on the lawn. Laramie had saddled the horses and tied them up outside the corral.
What’s going on? I demanded from Mona.
As far as I could tell, there were no ferals on the property. The board had managed to properly secure the land once again. But for how long, no one knew.
“It’s Seth’s plan, set in motion,” she said with a cocky sneer. “Just you wait. You’re going to love this one.”
I didn’t like the venom in Mona’s voice. Still, there was nothing I could do to make her talk. My time was better spent thinking of a way out of here. A plan B. Some way to alert my friends of my captivity. Surely, I hadn’t run out of options yet.
“Lizzy!” Laramie waved from the barn.
With a sigh, Mona put on her best smile and jogged toward her. “What’s going on? What’s happening?”
Laramie huffed, her cheeks rosy as she dropped a saddle on the last remaining horse. “The demons are attacking your hometown. The warriors have been called in to assist.”
“They are?”
The mock shock in Mona’s voice made me cringe. Surely, Laramie could see right through her.
“I’ve saddled Reba for you.” She waved her small hand at my horse, prancing just feet away.
“Oh, thanks...”
Mona grimaced as she surveyed the animal. Her gaze trailed up its long legs, to the hard leather saddle, and finally settled on Reba’s fiery eyes. She inched her way over to the horse and reached out a hand. I could’ve shouted for joy when Reba snorted and tossed her head violently, her nostrils flaring in anger. At least the horse knew something was off.
“What’s wrong with her?” Mona demanded, whipping around to face Laramie.
A strange calmness settled on her face. Her dark eyes studied us for a long moment. I could tell
the gears in her head were working hard. Maybe, just maybe, she’d figure it out.
Finally, with a toss of her shoulders, she turned back to tighten the saddle of the nearest roan. “I had to put a new saddle on her this morning,” she said over her shoulder. “She doesn’t like it and now she’s throwing a tantrum. I swear, that horse thinks she’s the queen of England.”
A little piece of me died inside. I was so sure there had been suspicion in Laramie’s eyes. But she’d brushed it off like a fly on a horse’s rump.
“That’s alright.” Mona backed away slowly from the jumpy horse. “It’s not that far of a run. I think I’ll keep my feet on the ground today.”
“Suit yourself.” Again, she shrugged, her back to us. “Be careful out there.”
Mona ran toward the manor. I could tell she was itching to get her hands on some of the weaponry she’d been eyeing for the last few days. Closets lined with bows, knives, swords, pistols, and an assortment of every kind of weapon were already thrown open in the lobby. Warriors dashed past us, grabbing their favorites. I spotted Raquel and Ashley testing the weight of a few of the daggers. They already had their favorite weapons strapped across their backs. Mona ignored them and went straight to the nearest rack.
“I always wondered what it would be like,” she mused softly to herself, “to slice a throat.”
I grimaced to myself. Certainly, she couldn’t be planning on fighting off her own kind. The only throats she would want to cut belonged to humans and Nephilim. The idea made me sick.
Holding up a sword with a long, thin blade, she watched the light blink off the wickedly sharp edge. Satisfied, she shoved it into a hilt and picked up a few other pieces.
“I thought you were done with fighting.” Gabe came up beside us, his shoulder touching mine.
I cried out in frustration at the brief contact. If only he could hear me.
“It’s where I grew up,” Mona said with a grim frown, looking up into his green eyes. “I still have friends there. Do you expect me to sit on the sidelines while they’re slaughtered?”
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