His gaze rested upon Ana’s small form. The serum he’d gotten from Samael would never last that long.
“What now?” Ana asked, her eyes trained ahead, taking everything in.
They stepped out of the way, letting the two guards who’d been behind them by.
“Follow me and remember what I said, no—”
“Talking,” she interrupted sarcastically. “I get it, you Tarzan, me Jane.”
In the midst of all the chaos that surrounded him, he fought a smile. “That would be right,” he murmured, and added, “Keep your eyes low, do not encourage contact with anyone.”
They’d given up their weapons at the last checkpoint. No one was allowed any sort of weaponry in this part of district three. Lilith preferred her subjects dummied down to their basest natures—which, considering they were in fact demons, meant that a lot of physical pain was doled out hourly. Disagreements were settled the old-fashioned way. If you didn’t like someone, you kicked the crap out of them and moved on.
The two of them slid through the crowd, avoiding spilled beer, the occasional mess of spilled guts, and an abundance of crude jokes and come-ons. A band was onstage, loud guitars wailing and hypnotic vocals falling from the singer.
He ignored all of it and stayed the course, following a direct path to the doors on the opposite end of the club. They led to the square, the central gathering place here in Lilith’s corner of District Three. From there they’d make their way to the bitch’s palatial estate.
He shouldered his way outside, grunting from the effort it took. He knew Lilith would never stash something as valuable as those children anywhere but close to her.
He gritted his teeth. He knew exactly where they’d be, or at least hoped he did.
The square was empty, which wasn’t surprising considering the party was full tilt inside Succubus Blues.
“Unreal,” Ana whispered as they walked along the silent street. Shops lined either side, facades that said Gucci, Tiffany and Harrods.
“Lilith loves Hollywood. Everything about it. Her favorite movie is Pretty Woman.” Hell, she quoted the lines verbatim, played the role of Vivian with ease, whore that she was, except she didn’t have the required heart of gold.
“I’m not surprised,” she murmured. “This has got to be the craziest, most screwed-up place on earth.”
Declan snorted. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
They continued along the street until they reached the end where a wall of black hid anything beyond a few inches. It was as if the world, or this world, ended.
“This way,” he said, a little impatiently as she hesitated.
“But there’s nothing here.”
“Not that you can see.”
Declan glanced around and when he was sure there was no one about, drew a spell in the air. His fingers sizzled with the powerful energy inside him, and he smiled harshly as the translucent weave of magick shimmered and then disappeared.
He’d have to thank Lilith if he got the opportunity. She’d fed him steadily for six months.
He let his hands rest as the blanket of dark peeled away like the rind of an orange.
“Jesus.” Ana moved a few paces away. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Declan paused as he gazed across the vast expanse of manicured lawns and gardens. He saw two black swans in the distance, slowly circling the large pond that was dead center. Behind them, sitting upon a hill, was her home.
“It looks like—”
“Buckingham Palace, I know.”
“Is this Alice in Wonderland? ’Cause it sure as hell feels like it.”
Declan grabbed Ana’s hand. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
He pushed her through and followed as he waved his hand in the air. Instantly the darkness slid into place behind them.
The soft strains of a harp drifted on the breeze. A garden party. How she loved her garden parties. The notes were sad, melancholy, and some were off key, the pitch all wrong. The music was laced with a dark undertone. Such was the way of it here, nothing was as it seemed.
Declan nodded toward the trees. “The serum will block our signatures but we need to proceed with caution. I want as little contact as possible.”
Once they gained the cool interior of the pine forest that lined the estate, he came to a full stop, his eyes falling to Ana’s pale face. She looked up at him, her expression earnest, fierce, and the wave of longing, the intense love he felt for her tightened his chest. He found it difficult to breathe and rasped loudly as he bent over, his hands resting upon his upper thighs.
If something happened to his vampire . . .
Her hand was at his back and slowly traveled up until she sank her fingers into the thickness of his hair.
“Declan.”
He straightened and pulled her close, his chin resting upon the top of her head as he took a few moments to savor the feel of her in his arms. He groaned as a vision of her atop him rolled before his eyes, her small breasts full and round, jiggling slightly as she rode him hard.
He looked into her eyes. The deep blue depths held such secrets, such desire and promise. He cupped her chin, held her jaw steady.
Such love.
She inhaled. Her heart beat rapidly against his and he bent low. His lips scraped the softness of hers and with a groan he opened wide, taking her mouth with an aggression that signaled how close to the edge he was riding. She answered in kind and he knew they both were there. Near the precipice.
He hoped like hell they didn’t fall in.
She pulled away and he felt the sharp prick of her teeth upon his neck, and his mouth watered with anticipation as she broke skin. It was over quickly and she offered her neck to him.
“Drink, Declan,” she said hoarsely. “You need it.”
He didn’t hesitate, his fangs were ready, and when he was done, when he licked the last of her precious blood from his lips, he cradled her head once more and kissed her mouth. It was a gentle pass, filled with much emotion.
“I love you, Ana DeLacrux. Remember that.”
Ana pulled away from him, her brow furrowed. “That sounded like good-bye, not a declaration of love. Remember that. What’s that supposed to mean? The last time you said that corny line you knocked me out with a goddamn sleeping charm.” She was angry now. He could see it.
His gut told him the truth. Things might not end well but it wasn’t for the reasons she was thinking. Declan was confident he’d get the children out. He would do whatever it took to get them and Ana back to the platform in time.
“I’m not saying good-bye Ana, I just . . .” his voice trailed off as he looked into the distance. The house was barely visible through the trees, but he didn’t need to see it to remember. To know that the evil she’d tainted him with lived inside his soul, no matter that he’d hidden it. He could feel the sickness of it rushing through his veins.
He’d been weak and would pay the price forever.
But would Ana be willing to stay with him? When she found out the truth?
“What are you afraid of, Declan?”
She whirled around. The wind lifted long tendrils of hair that had escaped the tether at her nape, and they snaked into the wind. Her skin was rosy, flush from a feed, and her eyes were jeweled blue.
No good could come from this conversation. He would not confess his sins to her. He wasn’t ready.
“We need to go,” he said roughly as he tapped his timepiece. “Not sit here, hold hands, and sing ‘Kumbaya.’ Time’s running out.”
She was before him in less than a second, her body a blur, her heat upon him as her eyes flashed. She was more than pissed. Declan would hazard a guess the vampire was livid.
“Whatever the hell baggage you’re carrying must go.” She swallowed and his gaze rested upon the delicate lines of her throat. He saw the twin marks that were there, near the crook. His marks.
Her hands slipped up and she caressed the stubble that now shadowed his cheeks. “I d
on’t care about any of it.” She shook her head. “I don’t, Declan. Every moment of our lives has shaped us into what we are. Every decision, every act . . . all of it.”
He tried to jerk his head away but she held firm. “Listen to me, sorcerer. I love you. All of you. What you were and what you are now.” She rose on her toes and kissed him gently, before turning to whisper into his ear. “So don’t you dare say good-bye to me.”
Declan pulled away. “I think you’d change your mind if you knew the juicy details of my stay here in Club Lilith.”
“No.”
There was no time to argue the point. He’d let fate come into play, there was no other choice.
“Let’s go.” They crept through the forest, the off-key lilt of the harp calling them like the Pied Piper.
Chapter 28
Shouts of joy, mingled with screams of pain, echoed into the sky as they approached the main house. Declan winced as a particularly loud moan of anguish went on and on.
“What are they doing?” Ana’s brow was furled; concern lined her features.
“You don’t want to know.”
“But—”
He put his hand on her forearm. “Trust me on this and leave it alone.” He nodded toward the palace. “We’re damn lucky Lilith is having one of her parties, it will make it easier to get inside.”
They’d just passed the pond, and the black swans paid them no mind as they crept closer to a large garden. It was picture-perfect. A slice of English summer with a border of rosebushes and a lush green maze set out before them. Overhead, the robin egg sky warmed his face.
He ignored it all. He knew it was nothing more than an illusion, a fake skin to cover the truest of evils.
“This way.” Declan pointed toward the maze. “We’ll go through the maze. It’s the only way to remain unseen from those attending Lilith’s garden party.”
They slipped inside and immediately there was a drop in temperature. The lush boxwood was nearly eight feet in height and afforded the best cover possible. But it was dangerous. This he knew from personal experience.
“Stay close and don’t—”
“I know, touch anything. For fuck sakes, O’Hara, you sound like a broken record.”
He blew a hot breath but didn’t bother replying. Instead he concentrated, drawing upon the well of power that sat in his gut. The energy was hot, licked at his insides with hunger.
He held his fingers loose. He was ready.
Swiftly they maneuvered down the narrow path, his feet sure, his gait steady. He’d run through them before, wet, cold, out of his head in pain, and it felt like yesterday.
Sweat broke out along his brow and he wiped it away impatiently. They came upon a break in the path, a fork that led to two possibilities. Without hesitation Declan turned to the right and came to an abrupt halt.
A large animal sat on its haunches, sides heaving, mouth frothing. It was a hellhound and its eyes burned crimson as it flashed an impressive set of canines and growled.
“Shit,” Ana said. “That does not look like a friendly. Can’t we go the other way?”
He rolled his shoulders and shook out his arms. “Nope.”
“That’s what I thought you were going to say.”
She cracked a smile, and in spite of the gravity of the situation, there was a hint of laughter in her voice. For a second, his here-and-now faded to nothing but her eyes. They were like liquid cobalt and reflected the deepest parts of her soul. Her fierce loyalty, her passion . . . her love.
He knew he’d never find another woman like her, no matter what realm his ass happened to be parked in. He reached for her and claimed her lips, eating her surprise as he opened wide. Declan kissed hard and fast and when he wrenched his mouth from hers, he whispered, “I’ll do whatever it takes to get us out of here, to make a life with you.” He stared into her eyes, aware the hellhound was now on its feet, panting heavily twenty feet from them.
“Okay,” she whispered, “you might want to start with the fire-breathing fur ball.”
The hellhound snarled and took off, its long legs gathering speed as it gunned straight toward them. Declan whirled around, his arms going wide as the power inside erupted. He pushed Ana back and sank to one knee, smiling into the dead eyes coming at him.
The power inside spiked hard, like an electric shock of energy. He grunted, relishing the feel of it as it rushed through his body. He cocked his head to the side, felt it burn through his mind, and kept his eyes trained on the animal. When it jumped up at him, his hand shot out and clamped around the hellhound’s neck. He held the beast firm and bared his teeth as he forced the animal to the ground.
He could have killed it. Easily.
Slowly he stood and let go. The hellhound was trembling and fell to the ground. It rolled onto its back, tail between its legs, and began to cry.
“What a pussy,” Ana murmured. “How’d you do that?”
“I TiVo The Dog Whisperer every week.”
He pulled her past the hellhound, smiled as she snorted. “You’re full of crap.”
“Yeah, I am.”
Silently they cut through the maze without incident and in no time stood near the exit. Ten feet away was a terrace and beyond that garden doors.
The haunting sounds of the harp still echoed around them, the notes wrapped around laughter and pain.
He stepped forward, took a cautious glance around, and turned to Ana. “We need to be quick here. From this point until we reach those doors our asses are on the line, totally exposed. Understand? Invisibility charms don’t work down here.”
She nodded, her face grim. “Like the wind,” she said, and before he could react she was gone.
Her preternatural speed carried her forward so quickly, the only evidence left behind was the gentle rustle of the large potted plants that lined the stone steps.
“Son of a bitch,” he muttered as he took off after her, pleasantly surprised when he was able to navigate just as fast. No doubt due to his vamped-up blood.
Declan closed the door behind him and stilled. He was assaulted by the scents of lavender, licorice, and fear. A god-awful combination.
The sound of flies buzzing about rang in his ears, and he shook his head in an effort to clear it. Nothing had changed.
“You okay?”
They were in the dining room. Sunlight streamed through the windows, the beams falling upon a table in disarray. Food that had been left out was rotting, meat already infested with maggots. Glasses were overturned, wine spilled along the floor, and as he approached the table, the scent of blood was added to the mix.
And sex. The unmistakable musk was everywhere.
Ana was talking to him but the words were just sounds. His mind was spinning and images flashed before him, memories from his time here. In this room.
He backed away from the table and swallowed though his throat was dry, his tongue like sandpaper.
“Declan!” Her whisper was harsh, but it was the clawlike ends of her nails that finally snapped him out of it. She dug into his flesh and drew blood.
“We need to go.”
Declan gave himself a mental smack down and felt instant relief when the sounds, smells, and images disappeared.
“This way.” His tone was urgent as he headed for the exit.
They immediately headed upstairs. There was not a soul around—no sound to be heard except faint noises coming from the party at the back of the grounds.
“Are you sure she’s outside?”
They’d reached the landing and Declan crossed to an impressive window. Its treatment was heavy damask; the crimson folds ran floor to ceiling as if encasing the glass in blood. He stood to the side and gazed down at the orgy below.
Lilith was in the middle of it all. She was hard to miss. Her long blond hair hung in silken waves to her ass and her lithe form was covered by the thinnest of silk that did nothing but enhance her figure.
She reclined on a settee of satin, drinking wine and watc
hing her subjects engage in all sorts of nasty business. Her left hand clutched a whip. His mouth tightened. How he’d love to wrap the fucking thing around her neck and pull until her eyes popped.
“Never mind, I see her,” Ana whispered as she stepped close to him. “She’s beautiful.”
“She’s an evil bitch and I hope to never lay eyes on her again.” He turned. “Down here.”
The hall narrowed into a thin line as he gazed toward the opposite end. Her private quarters were there, the double doors nondescript. How fucking ironic.
He made his way there quickly, his footfalls silent on the luxuriously thick carpet.
“Why are there no guards here? It seems careless.” Ana frowned and shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense.”
Declan snorted. “Sheer arrogance on her part, but be prepared. Once we gain access it will be a different story.” He nodded. “Stand back.”
He waited until Ana was a safe distance away and then closed his eyes, concentrating, willing the magick inside him to triple in strength. It stirred. He felt it like a fist in his gut, pushing forward, reaching for him.
Declan’s hands were inches from the door and he began to weave a spell into the air. Her wards were powerful and he concentrated as his charm shone in luminescent splendor. They were long, spidery fingers that bled into the door, infiltrating her protection ward with tenacious intent, like a parasite on the rampage.
When he heard a slight click, Declan’s eyes flew open and he paused. His heart was beating steadily, his nerves cracking wide open.
Declan squared his shoulders and reached for the handle. It was time to face his demons.
Ana reached for him, her fingers inches from his back, but Declan turned the latch and the door swept away. He stepped through and she followed suit.
And her mouth fell open. Literally.
Lilith’s private quarters were the most opulent, gaudy, shiny, and disturbing rooms she’d ever seen. In the middle of it, on a raised dais, was a massive bed. It was round and draped in layers of velvet and satin. Red and black seemed to be Lilith’s colors of choice, and the gauze that fell from the ceiling to embrace one half of the bed was shot through with both.
Wicked Road to Hell Page 25