by Janie Marie
David stopped thinking about the hounds and looked back at Arthur, mentally asking if the enemy had picked up on their scents at all. Another single blink. That was good. The size of the united armies was likely the reason they hadn’t been discovered. Too many scents mixed with theirs. As long as the werewolves didn’t shift while they had their break, they had a good chance of not being found.
It was too bad there was hardly any daylight. If the immortals had the sun hindering them, they could easily destroy this massive army. But there was a reason Odin chose this place for his fortress; Baffin Island had less sunlight than his home. There was nothing for vampires to fear here, except for the cold. At least Lance’s wolves were on a cycle not swayed so easily by them traveling. In time, they would adapt, but it hadn’t happened yet. Lance must not have been here for too long.
“They fled as soon as we started in on them,” Hermes said, walking out of a tent with Lancelot beside him; they had been in the tent for most of the break.
“They are most likely inside Valhalla’s walls now,” Ares said, yawning. “We will have to wait for the others to arrive. I will not charge the fortress until we have the ability to destroy them within. I am not eager to fight David, either—not after finding Lycaon in the state he was in.”
Lancelot grunted, walking toward a woman who was tied up on the ground. David felt his rage explode at the sight of the poor girl’s battered face. She screamed, but Lance yanked her to him before sitting back down with the others. “David didn’t kill the Wolf King. It was his woman. I could smell her all over his corpse. The bitch is growing more capable with her powers.” Lancelot grabbed the jacket the woman was wearing and ripped it off.
David felt Jane tense and he squeezed her closer. He knew what was about to happen, and it was the last thing Jane needed to witness.
Lancelot laughed in the woman’s face before roughly kissing her and then he laughed again.
“Why are you laughing?” Ares asked.
Lancelot pointed a finger at the girl. “Stay right there.” He stood and removed his clothes.
Jane was shaking now, and David was terrified of her breaking out of his hold.
“Because Lycaon was going to die soon anyway,” Lancelot said. “I am only surprised it was the bitch who killed him, especially the savage way she did—I thought she would last longer. I can’t wait to take her on.”
David glanced at Jane and tried his best to comfort her with his touch.
“You know she is not to be harmed,” Hermes said, looking away from the crying woman as Lancelot began groping her and stroking himself.
“I can have fun with her until we hand her over,” Lancelot said, squeezing the girl’s breast as she cried. “Their rules are for them, not us. Arthur and David will die by my hand, and that whore is the key to their downfall.”
David almost growled, but Jane covered his hand still holding her cheek and nuzzled it. He released his breath, calming down.
“He will be pissed if you touch her,” said Hermes. “You know he wants her for himself.” Hermes took his own female from the group of beaten girls. The woman came over willingly and sat on his lap. Luckily, Hermes seemed only interested in her blood. He waited for the woman to undo her jacket and then began feeding.
“He’s become distracted by her,” Lancelot said, grabbing the woman by her neck. “You saw the way he looked at her. I’m not sure I trust him anymore. Even he is being careful with what information is passed to Lucifer. Why do you think they sent those others to intercept her?” He paused and forced the girl still. “All I care about is destroying Arthur and his knights. If I have the chance to break David’s woman, I am taking it. I don’t care what Lucifer says. I’m protected from him.”
“Her angel can touch you,” Ares said. “Plus, if she was the one to kill Lycaon, you should fear her. Her barbarity rivals yours, but she clearly has power we do not.”
Lancelot grinned over at Ares. “She is a savage. I let her go for Lucifer before, but I will not hold back when I meet her again. Let her try me—I know how to defeat her. She’s weak. And Death has abandoned her.”
David glanced down at Jane and saw confusion and hurt.
“There’s no proof he has,” said Hermes. “They say that, but I do not trust the Fallen.”
“Why?” Ares asked.
Hermes tossed the barely alive girl to the dirt. “They can be redeemed and return to Heaven. I would consider betraying him if that meant forgiveness and redemption.”
“Then you’re a pussy.” Lancelot licked his fingers and then pushed his hand between the bound girl’s legs. “And they haven’t been wrong yet. From what I hear, Death hasn’t aided Jane once.”
“The fact that his horse came to her rescue suggests he has,” Hermes said.
Lancelot chuckled at the woman crying. “The Pale Horse can act on its own. I have seen another of their beasts acting without its Horseman. I promise you, Death has not come for her.”
Jane slumped forward. If David hadn’t been holding her, she would have fallen to the ground. He didn’t have time to ponder this information about Death for long. Both he and Jane stood straighter at the sound of a woman screaming.
Lance slapped the girl across the face, making her sob instead of scream.
“How are you so certain her angel isn’t around?” Ares asked.
“I have my sources.” Lancelot leaned over the woman and licked her face. “They said he left this realm, but there were sightings of him north of Texas a few days ago.” Lancelot nodded toward the enormous camp. “Now, let me fuck this bitch so I can prepare to lead my wolves. They will be changing any minute now. I need to concentrate if you want your armies to live.”
What?
David glanced up at the sky then looked toward Arthur. Two blinks. Yes. He snapped his eyes back to the trio. He had lost track of time. They were about to be surrounded by thousands of werewolves, vampires, and at least a hundred Keres.
The girl screamed again, sobbing as Lancelot forcefully thrust himself into her. David covered Jane’s mouth to keep her from screaming, but he knew she wasn’t going to stand for this. They were going to have to fight.
David turned Jane away from the rape taking place and watched as her eyes shifted between hazel and black. She was either losing to her demon or asking it to come forward. He didn’t want either of those outcomes, but he knew Jane was too volatile to think rationally.
The woman’s screams bounced off the mountains as David mentally told Arthur to be ready.
As David noticed his brothers arming themselves from their hiding spots, he focused back on Jane. Her demon was near the surface, but his Jane was still hanging on. Please don’t fall.
David lifted her mask to expose her mouth, and she quietly sobbed as she lifted his.
“I love you,” he whispered, pressing his lips to hers.
She whimpered when the girl begged to die, and Lancelot’s grunts quickened.
When men started to cry out in agony and bones began snapping, David ended their kiss. He glanced around at the largest gathering of werewolves he’d ever seen before looking back at Jane. He caressed her cold cheek and kissed her once more. She was holding on long enough for him to see what she felt for him, and he smiled, kissing her again. “I know, baby.”
She touched his cheek and lips as he pulled her mask back in place.
He sighed, kissing her fingers. “Come back to me.”
Jane nodded and pulled his mask down for him.
He heard Lance finishing with the girl, and he sighed as he unsheathed his sword. He placed Jane’s hand on the hilt of her own and smiled as she pulled it free.
They both looked over when the woman’s cries intensified again. David knew what was happening; Lancelot did it to many of his victims.
“You haven’t branded one in a while,” Ares said, standing up.
“I have not had one interest me,” Lance said, inspecting the letters he carved into her stomach.
/> David looked over at him and saw the blood seeping between her legs and down her torso.
“And this one does?” Ares asked.
Lancelot pushed the woman’s dark hair out of her face and turned her in Ares’ direction, which was also in David’s line of sight.
David felt something snap inside of him as he stared into the woman’s eyes.
“She looks like her,” Lance said, kissing her cheek. “Almost the same eyes, too.”
Hazel.
Ares chuckled. “You are sicker than I thought.”
“I can see why they are drawn to her,” Lancelot added and leaned down to kiss the woman’s busted lips. “I bet she’s a good fuck. I wonder if David has had her yet. They say he has been celibate since his change, which I still find hard to believe.”
The wolves began gathering close to Lancelot, and David figured he was mentally calling them over.
“We are all drawn to her,” Hermes said, tossing his bone to a nearby werewolf.
“It’s her darker half. It comes and goes,” Ares said.
“Maybe the girl has learned how to suppress the pull she emits.” Hermes looked up at the moon. “Or the evil one does not wish to be discovered.”
“The angels have shielded her as well.” Ares stretched. “I am sick of this place.”
“She reminds me of the moon.” Lance caressed the girl’s hair as though she were a dog. “Perhaps she cycles by pushing and pulling us to her.”
Hermes stared at Lancelot in the same way David imagined he was.
“Do you think she is tied to the moon? Like a celestial being?” Hermes asked.
Lance sniffed the girl’s hair and moaned. “Fuck if I know . . . Which one do you think David cherishes more? Gwen or his bitch?”
David glanced down at Jane. She was completely focused on Lancelot, no one else.
“Mm.” Lancelot sniffed the girl’s hair. “She almost smells like her, too: flowers and berries.”
“You will have more than David to deal with if you touch her,” said Hermes as he also began to stand.
Lancelot grinned and yanked the girl’s hair, forcing her to look at him. “Watching those hazel eyes stare up at me as I break her will be worth an eternity in Hell. I can only hope to catch a glimpse of David’s face when he realizes I took and destroyed the person he loves most.”
Ares shook his head. “Lucifer will punish you if she is harmed. He wants her intact.”
Lancelot shrugged and squeezed the girl’s breasts one final time before tossing her with the other bound women. “Like I said, she’ll be worth it. My dick twitches at the fucking thought of her.”
The fire in David’s veins was becoming unbearable. He couldn’t charge, though. He couldn’t leave her again. A branch snapped to David’s left, and he glanced over, realizing one of Thor’s men had stepped on it.
David quickly returned his attention to Lancelot, who was already staring into the bush where Thor’s soldier was hidden.
Lancelot smiled and slowly scanned the surrounding trees and bushes. “I’m sure David thinks she’s worth it.” He finally met David’s glare. “Isn’t that right, David?”
Lancelot laughed and hundreds of growls rumbled around them. The Keres’ screeching filled the trees as their wings kicked up dust and wind.
David walked forward at the same time his brothers, Hades, Apollo, and the hounds joined him and Jane. “She is worth everything.” He ignored Lancelot’s laughter along with Ares and Hermes preparing their armies to attack and caressed Jane’s cheek. “Be brave, my love.” When a tear slipped from her eye, he smiled. “You are stronger than her.”
“I’m not.” She turned to look at Lancelot and spoke to him. “But very soon he will wish that I was.”
Lancelot shook his head. “I want you when my dick slides in your sweet cunt. How is she, David?” A cruel smile spread over Lancelot’s face as he looked between them. “You haven’t fucked her?”
David stayed quiet.
“You really should have fucked her when you had the chance, my prince.” Lancelot chuckled and glanced down at his dick. “Do you get hard by the smell of her as I do?”
“Shut your fucking mouth!” David yelled, only staying in place because Jane touched his arm.
Lancelot grinned as he stared at Jane. “Has he looked at you with disgust yet? Either from your demon, the rumors I have heard of you scarred from head to toe—or what’s been done to you? You realize there is more to your past than you ever believed, don’t you?” His smile stretched wider. “Does he know how ruined you are? How dirty you are?”
“Stop talking to her!” David tightened his hand around his sword.
“Did she tell you about their game yet?” Lancelot asked, staring at him again, smiling when David didn’t answer. “She did. Brave girl, I’ll give her that. After all, it is not every day that Lucifer allows his blood to enter another.” He looked at Jane. “Do you remember how Master tasted? This means you are his. There’s no going back now. You are doomed.”
“Fuck you,” Jane yelled, roughly wiping her tears.
“Don’t cry, foolish girl,” Lancelot said, laughing. “And I will fuck you soon enough. I think some sick part of you wants me to. It is amusing to watch how abused victims cope. I think you liked what those boys did to you. I bet if I were to stick my hands between your legs right now, you would be wet from what you watched me do to that girl. I bet you would moan and arch that perfect ass into my hand as you begged me for more.”
“STOP TALKING TO HER!” David shouted, his breathing heavy as he fought the urge to charge and leave Jane by herself. He knew that was what Lance was waiting for.
“Do you know what I heard?” Lancelot asked Jane, ignoring David’s rage. “I heard Lucifer enjoys tormenting you almost as much as he enjoys stimulating your lust.”
David glanced at Jane and watched confusion flicker within her eyes.
Lancelot chuckled and rubbed himself as he stared at her. “I wonder how often he touches you without you knowing . . . I wonder if he’s tasted more than just your pouty lips.” He looked at David. “Please tell me you have at least had her wrap that sweet mouth of hers around your cock. I can tell when a woman knows how to suck a man properly, and she has that look about her.”
David pointed his sword at Lance. “If you hide behind your mutts tonight, I will hunt you down and make you beg me to let you die.”
“So, that’s a yes on fucking her mouth, at least. Good boy. I knew she was satisfying you in some way.” Lancelot rubbed his hands together as his pack growled. “It’s still a shame you haven’t been inside her. I suppose there is always the chance she escapes, but I promise she will not be the same after I am done with her. And when my master finishes with her, only darkness will remain. Those pretty eyes of hers will be gone forever.” Lancelot glanced at Jane and smirked. “You swallowed, didn’t you? The David I remember only took seconds from the whores who did.”
David charged.
White.
That was all Jane could see before she pushed herself onto all fours. She stared at the bloody patch on the snow where she’d been thrown and coughed. Her lungs burned with each breath she took as she tugged off her mask. The cold air instantly made it harder to breathe, but she couldn’t keep the wet, blood-soaked mask on.
She kept gasping as the sounds of battle and cries of death roared around her. Jane reached for her sword, her hand shaking uncontrollably as her fingers curled around the hilt.
“Jane,” Hades said, helping her stand. “Come on, beauty. Don’t give up yet.”
Blurry images of the knights fighting around her became clearer as she leaned on Hades. He supported her as she glanced down at her last attacker and found him ripped to pieces.
“You’re welcome,” Hades said, chuckling despite the fact they were probably all about to die.
She heard David’s roar, and her heart pounded as she scanned the madness to find him. Hades pointed over her shoulder, and she
quickly turned to see him still battling Lancelot as well as ten other werewolves and vampires.
Her hand tightened around her hilt when Lancelot landed a cheap shot on David’s side. She took a step in his direction, but Hades held her still.
“No, Jane.”
“I need to help him!” she said, letting her anger out in a desperate plea.
David’s roars continued and she looked over again. He was surrounded, completely cut off from the others.
Tears threatened to fall from her eyes when she saw the numerous bound human prisoners lying in puddles of blood. The wolves had gone crazy once Lancelot released his hold and so had the Keres.
Hades touched her side. “You’re hurt.”
Just like a movie, she looked down at her side and saw red seeping through her clothing. Then she felt it. She clutched it with her hands, instantly feeling lightheaded. “Hades.”
“I’ve got you.” Hades quickly supported her weight and started dragging her off to the side. He kept glancing around, but so far, the others were keeping her protected.
David had charged Lancelot, knocking him several hundred feet into the large army, but he’d left her vulnerable. The knights and wolves had chosen her over David.
Jane wasn’t going to let him fight alone, and she had led the others as close as possible to him. She had been managing her powers well. She either held off attackers to keep the knights and herself safe or launched them into trees and jagged cliffs. It was working, and she felt they would actually make it out of this, but everything changed when Keres had finally decided to join the battle.
They were too fast. David had managed to kill five, and Hades had taken some down too, but no one else could get a single hit. The Keres, however, rarely missed. They swooped up their prey like raptors. Whoever they grabbed were gone, completely out of sight in a matter of seconds. It didn’t matter to them who they killed. Sometimes they took injured vampires from their own ranks, but then they turned their attention on Thor’s men and the human captives. That was when Jane lost all sense of self-preservation.