"How should I know?" she retorted back at him, her voice a full octave higher than it had been before.
"Stay here," Lucas commanded her. "I'll go get him and then after you talk, you can go." He stared her down with those wonderful eyes before turning to stalk away from her.
Ryver watched as his wings swayed with each step the man took. She sighed heavily to herself. Oh, but to watch him go, she thought. Too bad he needs a lesson in manners. You just can't make people do what you want. It just didn’t work like that. She didn’t want to be there and in no way did she agree to go to Hell to talk to Ash. She said she would talk to him. That was all. That wolf, as nice as he was to look at, wasn't going to get away with acting like a caveman with her. As soon as he was out of sight, Ryver flashed herself out of Hell and back to her castle.
***
Lucas and Ash flashed into the cavern where Ryver was supposed to be waiting for them. "Well?" Ash asked him. "Where is she?"
"She was right here," Lucas told him. "I literally just left her one minute ago. I can smell her."
Ash looked around the empty cavern skeptically. "And where do you think she has gone off to?" he asked with a raised brow? "Because she isn't here now."
Lucas sniffed the air. Her scent was all over him and he had to tamper down the wave of satisfaction he felt because of it. It was one flash, not a claiming ceremony. It took him a minute before he was able to distinguish the scent on his clothing from what was lingering in the air, but finally he got it. He moved around the cavern in an attempt to see which way Ryver had gone, but wasn't having any luck.
"You're not going to be able to track her like that," Ash told Lucas with a half smile.
"I don’t understand," Lucas admitted. "Where could she have gone?"
A short chuckle escaped Ash's throat before he was able to squash it. "I have this ability to just know things. I don't know why or how, but I know. This woman, this daughter of evil, is not evil herself. I can sense it. I can sense that she is already more than an assignment to you. I can sense many things. Just like I know that she can flash, and she flashed out of Hell. She isn't here anymore."
"Son of a bitch," Lucas snarled. "Why would she leave?"
"Beats me," Ash said with a shrug of his massive shoulders. "But you better get to finding her. You know those things I can sense? Well one of those things is that we need her. I don’t know how, yet, but she is important."
Lucas nodded in agreement. "Yes, she is," he muttered.
"I trust that you can keep your personal feelings out of this while you are getting her to cooperate with us?" Ash asked Lucas.
His wolf growled. Ryver wasn't just important, she was everything. There was no way he could keep his personal feelings out of it. "I can't promise that," he answered his new leader. "But I can try."
Ash watched his newest recruit with a speculative eye. Wolves were loyal to a fault and this one was no different. If Ash wanted Ryver brought back to Hell, Lucas would get her there. But would she stay? He wondered if he was going to lose a guard when this was over with. "Might I make a suggestion?" Ash asked him. "Appeal to her as a woman and not as an assignment. Women are cagey creatures and I have discovered that if you treat her right, you might just have more luck."
"Oh, don't you worry," Lucas growled. "She's coming back. I'll make damned sure of it."
Ash couldn’t help but grin as he watched the wolf stalk off before finally flashing to the main caverns. There was an important meeting going on and Ash was the guest of honor. At least, he thought, they couldn’t start without him.
***
Ash stayed off to the side and watched with satisfaction as his employees, demon and human souls alike, gathered in the main caverns. Ash had a love/hate relationship with the way he felt about being the head hauncho sometimes. On the one hand, he loved that he was powerful and that the whole of Hell bowed to his will. On the other hand, he hated the same thing. Power was something that required a huge amount of self-control and responsibility. He could easily see how the powerful could give in to temptation and fall on the side of evil. He tried not to use the power he had been gifted for anything personal, except to protect Elizabeth.
She was the one who kept Ash grounded. Elizabeth was more than Ash's mate. She was his saving grace, his soul mate, his everything. He suspected that was what Ryver was going to be to Lucas, even if the wolf didn’t know it yet.
"I would say a penny for your thoughts, but let's be realistic, I ain't paying nobody," Antonio's familiar voice said from behind Ash.
He turned to face the angel. "I was just lost in my own damned head," Ash told him. When Antonio smiled his signature grin at him, Ash returned the gesture. When they first met, Ash had considered killing Antonio more than once. He was the most irritating, sarcastic, self-absorbed, asshole Ash had ever met. After some time, Ash realized that Antonio was also loyal, kind, and a fine warrior. "I guess we better get this over with."
Antonio clapped Ash on the back and walked with him to the podium that had been set up. As Ash took his place, Antonio slipped off to the side where Lacy and Jake were already waiting. "Thank you all for coming," Ash said loud enough so that everyone would hear him. "As you all know, we have had a bit of a situation." The crowd of demons settled into silence while he talked. "First, I want to thank all of you who did not make a move to escape. Balthazar is dangerous. Not just to the human world, but to ours as well. Those who escaped with him will be punished. I have asked you all to come today to ask for your help. I have done my best to be a fair leader and I want a show of your loyalty now."
The demons began to bow and Ash rolled his eyes. He fucking hated it when they did that. "That wasn't what I meant," he grumbled. Then he held his head up high and raised his voice. "I want to assemble three teams to go to Earth and bring those who have betrayed us back. Each team will be made up of one Guard and four demons. I want all who are interested to see McKayla at the desk. She has a questionnaire for you to fill out. When it is done, I will chose the applicants to go." He paused for a moment and then continued, "I hate that I must say this, but, any demon who is chosen and attempts to cause harm to any human, to my guard, or who tries to escape, will be punished and the penalty will be severe." He heard whispers and murmurs ripple throughout the crowd. Ash knew just as well as everyone else what kind of punishment he could dole out. They had all witnessed it for themselves when two demons had hurt his Elizabeth. It hadn't been pretty. In fact, it had been the kind of show one does not easily forget. Hell, Ash had nightmares about it himself for quite some time until he accepted what kind of power he had been given. "Thank you, that is all," he finally said, turning and stalking away.
"Nicely done, boss," Jake said as he fell in line behind Ash. "Do you think Lucas is ready for a team?"
Ash glared over his shoulder at Jake. "I wasn't planning on giving him a team just yet," Ash answered. "But if I did, I have no doubt that he could handle it. He was a Marine. I think he would be just fine."
"Yeah, but leading Marines and leading demons are two different animals," Jake continued. "Marines in your own platoon are not likely to shoot you in the back."
Ash nodded in agreement. "True, but Lucas is special. Not only is he military trained, he's a wolf. His senses are much more sensitive than ours. He would smell the deception before the demon in question ever got close. It's a moot point anyhow, because right now all I want is for him to get that woman and get her back here."
Jake knew that woman was Ryver. Even though Ash hadn't said anything about it, he got the feeling that Lucas had more than a professional interest in her. He saw it in the wolf's eyes back in Ash's office. He all but had his tongue hanging out of his mouth. She was pretty, even Jake could see that, but in his opinion she didn’t come close to comparing with his demon. Jake couldn't wait until Shelly could be free from her cage. The damned witch wasn't talking and Balthazar was still on the loose. Not for long, Jake vowed to himself. He would do his job and round up the e
scaped demons, one way or another. But if he caught sight or smell of that fucker father of hers, he was going to kill him. Jake would do anything to get his mate back in his bed, where she belonged.
Chapter Nine
Lucas had a feeling that Ash was right. He had decided to check Hell thoroughly before going back to Earth to look for Ryver. Now he was doubting his decision. It had absolutely nothing to do with the whisper of tiny minion feet scampering all around him in the shadows. It had nothing to do with the pull he felt from Murder. Really. Okay, maybe it did a little bit. But it was more that he couldn't sense her. Lucas couldn’t feel her. It was strange, really. Even though he had barely interacted with the woman, Lucas could feel her life force deep inside him. He had known the second she split for greener pastures, too, even if he wasn't ready to admit it.
He stomped along the dark corridor, noticing the way the soles of his boots stuck to the floor. Lucas got the impression that if he stood still for too long, his shoes would melt. That thought wasn't as bad as the sound of gnashing teeth and the skittering of the minions he knew without a doubt would feast on his flesh if given the opportunity. There was no false sense of security. Lucas knew without a doubt that if he was eaten, there was nothing anyone could do to save him. Not even Ash. His best bet was to keep moving.
Lucas walked with a purpose, as if he had a destination in mind. Truth be told, he had no idea where he was and that scared the hell out of him. His heart hammered away in his chest, harder with every step he took. It was then that he remembered that he could flash. Lucas barely resisted the urge to slap himself on the forehead. He even swallowed the sarcastic duh that threatened to leave his lips. With a deep breath to steady himself, Lucas concentrated on Ryver. Wherever she was, that was where he wanted to go. He ignored the sounds of approaching minions and focused. The magic inside him gathered and Lucas flashed himself out of Hell.
***
When Lucas opened his eyes, he was surrounded by lush, green hills and trees. He had expected to land in the podunk little town where he had found Ryver before, but this was completely different. The air smelled different, cleaner. He listened for the sounds of passing traffic, but heard none. All he heard was the sounds of small animals scurrying in the brush and the breeze as it rustled the leaves on the trees. Even without those glaringly obvious conditions, Lucas' sixth sense told him he was very far from the small town. He wasn't even in the United States. Where, exactly, he had landed was a mystery, though.
He didn’t want anyone to see him just yet, so Lucas concentrated on making himself invisible and began to trudge forward through the unfamiliar territory. He walked at a brisk pace, taking in all the scents in this new place. He had never been here before; he would have recognized something. He knew he could take flight, but he was loathe to do so just in case he missed Ryver's trail. The air was crisp and clean and Lucas sniffed it often. His brain was high on all the clean air, but he kept his mind on task. He could feel that Ryver was close and there was a strange pull in his chest, telling him which way to go.
After only a few minutes of walking, Lucas crested the top of a hill and saw what he was looking for. About a mile ahead, there was a huge castle. Its stone walls were a worn gray, but it seemed to be in good condition. Four towers marked the corners of the structure and a wide terrace on the front side beckoned him to come closer. This was where he would find her. His mate was in that castle.
Lucas approached slowly, knowing there was no way he could get close enough without alerting her. Ryver was stronger than she let on, he knew, and probably had powers he could only dream about. It would serve no purpose for him to try and sneak in. But what was he supposed to do? Walk right up and ring the bell? Did castles even have bells?
His train of thought completely derailed when he got close enough to see the balcony clearly. Ryver was standing there, leaning on the stone, her hair moving in the breeze freely around her. She was wearing something that looked like a kimono wrap around her slim body. It, too, moved with the breeze. She was the most beautiful sight he had ever had the privilege of beholding. Lucas couldn't see the expression on her face, but he knew she was worrying over something. He didn’t wonder what, though. Hell, pick a subject, he thought. It didn’t matter to him what was causing her worry, just that something was making her unhappy. The urge to go to her and wrap her in his arms was damn near overwhelming and Lucas flashed to her side without thinking.
He was standing next to her, studying the lines around her frown. That expression did nothing to diminish her incredible beauty, but Lucas didn’t want to see it there nonetheless. Her eyes moved over the landscape without really seeing any of it. He wondered what was on her mind and how could he ease it? But of course, he already knew, didn’t he. She was worrying about what was going on in Hell. She said she didn't want to help, and he believed her. What Lucas didn’t believe was that she would not do it. If he found the right way to ask her, he was sure she would help. Ryver did not seem like the sort to punish the innocent for the sins of a few. Her father had been an asshole. Everyone knew that. Lucas knew that if he could convince her to give Ash a chance, she would come back to Hell. If he could convince her to give him a chance. As he reached out to touch her face, that was when it occurred to him. She had not seen him yet. He could not pass up the opportunity to observe her without worrying about whether or not she was going to bolt on him. He slowly pulled his hand back and pushed it into his back pocket.
What secrets did this woman hold? he wondered. What is it that she is hiding? Lucas knew he was going to find out all of her secrets. It was only a matter of time. The pull he felt toward her was unmistakable. She was his. If only his mother could see him now! How many times had she asked him when he was going to find a nice she-wolf and settle down and give her grandbabies? Ryver wasn’t a she-wolf, but Lucas was certain she had fangs and claws. Maybe not the kind you could see, but they were there. There was a strength about her that even she could not hide. Not a supernatural strength, although that was there as well, but an inner strength. The kind that made her a survivor. The wind picked up slightly and blew her scent across his face. Lucas inhaled deeply, allowing her essence to settle over him, inside of him.
Ryver picked her head up and looked around suspiciously. Her brow furrowed over those incredible eyes as she inspected the space where Lucas was standing. He held his breath, but he knew he had been caught.
Ryver pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know how you’re doing it, but I know you’re there, wolf.” She turned fully to face him and put her hands on her hips. “I currently do not have an opening for a professional stalker right now and you suck at it anyway. Show yourself.”
Lucas couldn’t have stopped the shit eating grin that split across his face even if he had tried. His woman was sharp, that was for sure. He willed himself to be visible in front of her and took great pleasure in the way her eyes widened slightly and her heart skipped a beat. She covered her response to him immediately, but it was too late. Lucas had picked up on it. She was feeling it, too, the mating call, even if she didn’t know what it was.
Ryver hated that man. Not only was he determined, irritating, and smug, but he was too damned pretty to look at. Although she would never admit to anyone, even herself, she had secretly hoped that he would follow her when she left Hell. She had no idea if he would be able to find her in Scotland, but apparently, he could. She had even called on her muted magic to hide herself. Damn her father and his punishments. If she had been at full power, there was no way the stray wolf would have been able to track her. “What do you want?” she demanded.
“I told you, I want you to talk to Ash,” Lucas reminded her. “Why did you leave?”
Ryver shook her head. “I don’t belong there,” she replied. “That is no longer my home.”
“Darlin’,” Lucas said, reaching out and taking her hand in his own. “I have a feeling that you belong any damned where you want to be.”
; Ryver pressed her lips into a fine line to avoid smiling at his charming antics. Why did he have to be so fucking charming? “I said I would talk to Ash,” Ryver reminded him. “I never agreed to going to hell to do it. Ash can come here.” She yanked her hand away from him. She didn’t want to feel the warmth radiating off the man. “And I never agreed to your tactics on getting me there, either. You can’t just go around kidnapping people. Stop following me around like a stray dog!”
A laugh bubbled up from Lucas’ chest before he could stop it. “Okay,” he conceded. “I was wrong. Let me try again. Ryver, it would be most considerate of you to come back to Hell with me in order to speak to my leader. He is quite busy right now, as you probably know, and requests your presence in his office. Would you please allow me to escort you there?”
He placed his hand over his heart and turned those eyes on her. Pleading, puppy dog eyes. Really? Ryver groaned. “I will give your boss one day,” she agreed. “No more.”
The smile he gave her was enough to make her weak in the knees, but Ryver held her head high. “Great!” he damn near shouted. “Let’s go.” He made a move to take her hand again, but she was ready for him this time. “Well? I have to touch you to take you with me,” he gently reminded her.
Ryver shook her head. “I can get myself there,” she replied. “I know the way.”
With his next breath, Ryver was gone. Lucas couldn’t help but detect the note of sadness in her voice and his wolf snarled inside of him. What had her father done? If the bastard wasn’t already dead, Lucas thought he would kill him just for sport. He hated that his mate was hurting and there was no one for him to exact revenge on for it. He didn’t have a clue about females and their emotions, but he decided right then that he was going to learn. He was going to heal that hole in her heart, whether she liked it or not.
The Keepers of Hell Box Set Page 50