The words didn’t seem to be directed at him, so he didn’t reply. He let her continue to rant, hopefully getting it out of her system.
“Isss ssshe pretty? I bet ssshe’sss pretty.”
Again, Aeron remained silent. Legion, he knew, was protective of him and liked to be the center of his world. As was not uncommon among children of single fathers, she didn’t like him turning his attentions elsewhere.
“You like her,” she accused.
Finally he spoke up. “No. I don’t.” But even he could detect the uncertainty in his voice. He’d liked holding Olivia in his arms the last few nights. Liked it way too much. He’d liked her sitting in his lap at breakfast. He’d liked having her wild-sky scent in his nose. He’d liked the softness of her skin and the purity of her eyes. He’d liked her gentleness and her determination.
He’d liked the way she’d looked at him, as if he were part savior, part temptation.
“You like her,” Legion repeated, and this time there was so much fury in her words, they nearly scorched his skin.
“Legion,” he said. “Even if I like another woman, that doesn’t mean I’ll love you any less. You are my baby, and that will never change.”
Poison dripped from her too-sharp teeth—teeth she bared in a snarl. “I’m not a baby! And you can’t like her. You jussst can’t. I’ll kill her. I’ll kill her right now!” With that, Legion disappeared.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK?”
Olivia twirled clumsily in front of the full-length mirror, taking in the knee-high black boots, the so-short-it-barely-covered-her-bottom skirt and the cerulean-blue tank top she wore. The matching blue thong she had shimmied into even came up over the waist of the skirt. Talk about naugh-ty. She’d never revealed this much skin before. Not even to herself. There’d never been a need.
She’d asked for this, however. “Make me beautiful,” she’d said to Kaia the moment Aeron had stomped from the fortress.
“Oh, goodie! A slut-it-up makeover,” the Harpy had responded.
The other two warriors, William and Paris, had groaned. Paris had even sung, “Boor-ring,” under his breath before leaving. William had tried to stick around to “help,” but Kaia had threatened to use his balls as earrings.
After that the Harpy had eyed Olivia with amusement. “You want Aeron to realize his mistake, huh?”
“Yes, please.” More than that, she’d wanted to shed her angelic image completely. Once and for all. She’d thought, by removing her robe, she could remove her fear and uncertainty, too. She’d thought, by donning the “slut-gear,” she could also cloak herself in confidence and aggression.
And as she spun a second time for a look at her backside, she realized she’d been right. Well, she realized she was right after her dizziness faded. Thankfully she was getting used to her legs—kind of—and managed to remain upright.
“I love it,” she said, grinning. She looked like a new person. She even looked human. But most of all, she looked radiant, and seeing that radiance was like swimming in a pool of power.
I’m strong. I’m beautiful.
What would Aeron think? In all the time she’d watched him, she’d never seen him pay any specific female attention—besides herself, the past few nights and this morning. So she wasn’t sure what kind of woman attracted him.
And it was better that way, she supposed. She couldn’t pretend to be something she wasn’t. Otherwise she’d still be in the heavens. So he would have to like her for herself. Which was what she wanted most. If he couldn’t do so, well, he wasn’t worth her time anyway.
He’ll like you. How could he not?
Confidence was nice.
“Those are make-a-man-beg clothes for sure,” Kaia replied. The redhead had spent the last hour rifling through her closet to dress Olivia exactly right. “I stole them from a little place in town.”
Wait. “These garments haven’t been paid for?”
“That’s right.”
“Really?” Why did she suddenly feel sexier? Olivia wondered. Was she becoming as bad as the demons? Maybe she’d send the shop a little money. You don’t have any money. Maybe she’d send the shop some of Aeron’s money.
“Now sit,” Kaia commanded, motioning to the chair in front of the vanity mirror with a tilt of her chin.
Cameo moaned. “You’re not done yet?” She sat upon the bed, waiting (im)patiently for the slut-it-up session to end. “I have so many questions.”
Kaia shrugged. “Ask her while I do her makeup.”
Olivia perched on the plush cushion as commanded and Kaia crouched in front of her. The Harpy had already palmed an eye-shadow brush and a case of azure powder. Never having worn makeup before, she wasn’t sure how she felt about that much color, but she didn’t complain. This was one of the reasons she was here, after all. To experience everything the world had to offer.
“Close your eyes,” Kaia said. When she complied, the brush began to dance gently over her lids. “You’re up, Cameo.”
No other prompting was needed. “You said you know where some of the demon-possessed immortals are staying,” Cameo said, getting down to business.
“Yes.” Again, no lightning struck and no angelic army swooped in.
“Aeron met a girl the night he saved you. She was surrounded by screaming shadows, whatever that means. Do you know her?”
Olivia was nodding before she could stop herself.
“Be still,” Kaia told her. “Now I have to fix your eye. It looks like I hit you. While I like that look, I don’t think Aeron will.”
“Sorry.” She straightened her spine, keeping her chin immobile. “That was Scarlet, daughter of Rhea. Oh, and if you don’t know, Rhea is the self-proclaimed mother to all the earth and embittered wife of Cronus.”
“What?” Cameo gasped out. “Shadow Girl’s a daughter of the gods? And not just any gods, but the king and queen of the Titans?”
“Well, one god. Cronus isn’t her father. Rhea spent forbidden time with a Myrmidon warrior when she and Cronus first began warring with each other.”
“Why were they warring?” Kaia asked. “I feel like I should know the answer, but I never kept up with heavenly politics.”
Easy enough to explain. “Cronus planned to lock their children, the Greeks, in Tartarus because his old All-Seeing Eye had predicted they would usurp his power. Rhea merely wanted them banished to earth. But he locked them away, anyway.”
Cameo muttered a quick “hmm” before saying, “So this Scarlet was conceived…when?”
Such a sad voice…Olivia’s heart actually bled, hurting more intently with every word the female spoke. “Rhea had her affair as she deliberated ways to help the Greeks escape Tartarus and overthrow Cronus. Her lover even helped her enact that plan, and died for his efforts. However, the Greeks were ultimately freed. Rhea expected to continue ruling, but Zeus feared she would later aid Cronus and locked her away right alongside his father. Scarlet was born and raised inside the prison.”
As she’d spoken, brush, sponge and stick had been used on her face, one after the other. Nervousness bloomed, burning her stomach. She prayed she wouldn’t resemble a clown when Kaia finished.
“So this Scarlet is possessed by…Shadows?” Cameo asked. “Darkness? If so, I’m not sure how either one can be considered evil. They seem like gifts rather than curses. To always be able to hide…to strike your enemy without being seen…”
“You’re thinking in terms of absolutes,” Olivia explained. “Your demon, Misery, isn’t necessarily a curse, either, for without pain there couldn’t be pleasure. Think about it. Everyone must experience the dark emotions on some level to appreciate what they have. Your demon is simply the extreme of the emotion. As is the case with the other Lords. And with Scarlet. But the demon she carries is neither darkness nor shadows. What she has inside her is Nightmares.”
“Okay, wow,” Kaia said. “And I thought the guys here were lucky. That has to be, like, the coolest demon ever.”
Ni
ghtmares? Cool? Hardly. “The darkness Scarlet summons is a complete absence of light. It’s an abyss within her, a never-ending pit of gloom. And inside that gloom lie the very things humans fear most.”
There was a rustle of clothing and she pictured Cameo shifting on the bed, leaning closer to her. “How do you know so much about this?”
“I’ve encountered many demons over the centuries. As a former bringer of joy, I saw how and why demonic influence ruined human lives.”
“Ohhh, cool. So what did you do with those demons?” Kaia asked. “Start with how you kicked ass and end with mopping up the blood.”
Adorable Harpy, to view her as so strong. “I didn’t fight them myself. If my presence alone failed to send them fleeing, I would have to summon a warrior angel to dispatch them.”
“Let’s backtrack a minute,” Cameo said. “That kind of experience wouldn’t tell you where Scarlet was and what she could do.”
Busted. Olivia’s cheeks heated. “I’ve been watching Aeron for a while and knew he wished to meet the others of his kind. I made sure to study those nearby—the closest of whom just happened to be Scarlet. There are a few others also scattered about, but most are hiding around the world.”
“Interesting. Are they—”
“Nope. My turn to ask a question,” Kaia interjected. “So is this Scarlet a good guy or a bad guy?”
Olivia pondered her answer. “I suppose that depends on your definition of good and bad. She was raised in a prison, surrounded by criminals. That’s all she knew before being paired with her demon and later cast to Earth. Everything she’s done, she’s done to survive.”
“As have we,” Cameo muttered.
Which wasn’t true for Olivia. Everything she’d recently done, she’d done to suit her own needs. She should feel guilty about that, she thought, but…she didn’t. In discovering the path to her happiness, she just might discover Aeron’s, as well.
No “just might” about it, her newfound confidence piped up.
Finally Kaia finished applying the makeup, the brush strokes ceasing. The Harpy clapped her hands and whistled. “All done, and damn, I’m good.”
Slowly, Olivia cracked open her eyelids. The moment she found the mirror, she gasped. And she’d thought herself radiant before… The blue shadow complemented the color of her eyes, making them appear electric. The black mascara added so much length to her lashes, they nearly reached her brows, offering the perfect frame. The rosy blush on her cheeks gave her a just-roused-from-bed glow, and the bloodred lipstick gave her lips a kiss-me glaze.
“No need to offer your firstborn in thanks,” Kaia said. “I only accept cash. Now, if you’d like, we can go into town, find Anya, ’cause I think she’s still there, grab a beer and a man and continue your miseducation.”
Still entranced, Olivia reached up and grazed a fingertip over the half ring of black under her eyes. They were smoky, sultry. Perfect.
Try to resist me now, Aeron, she thought. I dare you.
Confidence was more than nice. Confidence was soul-changing.
“You can’t leave,” Cameo protested. “I’m not done with my questions.”
Kaia rolled her eyes. “So ask them in town while we’re drinking ourselves into a stupor. I’m thirsty, and Anya will decapitate us if we fail to include her.”
“You have an answer for everything,” the female Lord grumbled.
“I know, right? Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Hardly.”
As the two bantered back and forth, Olivia next traced her lips. Soon she would know the feel of Aeron’s. Again, no “might” about it. He wouldn’t be able to resist her. She could barely resist herself. Would his lips be hard or soft? Would they plunder or be gentle? Didn’t matter, really. She would finally taste him, and that’s what she craved most.
“Isss thisss her? Isss thisss the one? Well, guesss what? You will die, angel,” a new voice suddenly proclaimed, and there was enough hate in that voice to slay an army.
Olivia jolted up and spun, barely managing to remain upright. A tiny demon stood across the bedroom, its eyes bright red with malice. Its claws were elongated and ready for attack, its teeth sharp and bared. Even its green scales seemed sharpened, standing on end like pieces of broken glass—ready to cut.
This time, she hadn’t fallen into hell. Hell had come to her.
No! A scream formed in her throat, but just before it could unfurl, it lodged in the knot growing there, so all that emerged was a choking sound.
Calm, steady. She’d caught a glimpse of this creature a few times while following Aeron and knew who it was. Legion. You don’t have to be afraid.
Squaring her shoulders, she tried to unfold her wings for balance—only to be reminded that she no longer had them. She gulped. “Hello, Legion. My name is Olivia. I—I mean you no harm.”
“Sssorry, but I can’t sssay the sssame.”
“Now, now.” Cameo jumped in front of Olivia, acting as a shield. “There’ll be none of that. We’re all friends here.”
“I’ll kill you, too, if you get in my way,” Legion snarled. “Move! That angel isss mine.”
Kaia pressed into Cameo’s side, the two more than a shield. They were a wall. “Well, I guess you’ll have to kill me, too, then.”
They were…protecting her? Guarding her? Despite her fear, Olivia’s chest swelled with pleasure. They didn’t know her, yet they were treating her as one of their own. As if she already belonged.
“So?” Kaia demanded. “What’s it gonna be, demon girl?”
“I accept your offer. I’ll kill you, too.” Then Legion…disappeared.
O-kay. After her words, that disappearance was a relief. But why would—
She reappeared between the two warrior women. Before either had time to deflect or prepare, she’d bitten them both on the neck. Both women collapsed on the ground, writhing and moaning in pain.
Olivia barely had time to process what she’d witnessed. “How could you do such a thing! I thought they were your friends. They hadn’t hurt you, only wanted to save me.”
Those red eyes locked on her, the hate intensifying. “Aeron isss mine. You don’t get to have him.”
“Well, I’m afraid I can’t agree with you.” Though Olivia trembled—she was alone, weaponless, defenseless and unstable—she stood her ground. “Aeron will be mine.” One way or another. She wouldn’t lie about that, even to save herself.
A forked tongue swiped over those pointed teeth. “You gonna pay for that, angel. With your life.”
Legion leapt at her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
SEVEN DAYS. Seven damn days, and not a single result. Strider, keeper of Defeat, wiped his sweaty face with a towel. He propped himself against the boulder at his back and surveyed his surroundings. The sun was shining brightly, hotter here than it had ever been in Buda. Pristine water gently washed toward this island near Rome, the soft hum of it a balm for his ears.
All that remained of the Temple of the Unspoken Ones were battered pillars identical to the one at his back—some fallen, some standing—and an altar still stained and splattered with crimson. There was a vibration of energy in the air. Energy that caused his hair to stand on end. And yet, despite the altar and the energy, Strider felt an odd sort of kinship with the place. After all, a lot of people considered him an unspoken one. Evil and unnecessary.
Not that he agreed. He was paired with Defeat and couldn’t lose a single challenge without suffering for it. Where was the evil in that? Wasn’t like he killed indiscriminately just to win an Xbox game or anything.
Anyway. Last time he’d been here, archaeologists had been studying every nook and cranny. Hunters had been among their numbers, hoping to find one of Cronus’s powerful artifacts or even Pandora’s box itself. They weren’t here anymore. Why?
Though the temple had risen from the sea only a few months ago, trees had already grown, tall and lush and green. They circled the area where the temple had once stood proud, but they did
n’t quite touch that temple. They actually arched away from it, as if afraid of getting too close.
What was here that hadn’t been the last time he’d visited was bones. Human bones. The archaeologists’, most likely. What had killed them, he could only guess. There was no trace of flesh or blood. Yeah, an animal could have devoured so many people in the handful of months since he’d last been here, but wouldn’t there have been some trace of the feasting? Well, besides the bones. A bloodstain here, a piece of rotten meat there. Claw marks where the humans had fought for freedom. Footprints where they had tried to run away.
There weren’t.
So. What could consume so cleanly? A godly creature, that’s what.
Anya, (minor) goddess of Anarchy and Lucien’s girlfriend-slash-soon-to-be-wife—horror of horrors, the naughty little vixen had decided to plan a wedding for herself—didn’t know much about these Unspoken Ones, so wouldn’t verify his idea that they had turned the humans into meals-on-heels. The gods had never, well, spoken of them, she’d said, so she wasn’t sure what they could do. The gods had feared them, however.
Still, Strider wasn’t leaving. He had to find those artifacts. He had to find Pandora’s box. He had to destroy the Hunters. Finally. His life depended on it. Hell, his peace of mind depended on it. Every day Defeat spoke a little louder inside his head, so every day he was reminded more and more of the first days of his possession. Days he wanted to forget.
His demon had been a roar, a constant scream, the consuming need to challenge everyone he encountered driving him. No matter the consequences. Kill a friend? So be it. As long as he won.
He’d hated himself back then. His friends had probably hated him, too. Well, not true. They’d been as wild from their demons as he’d been from his. It had taken centuries to learn how to control themselves. But while they now had control of their darker halves, he was edging closer to its loss.
“Looks like someone decided to take his break before the rest of us,” a raspy voice teased from behind him.
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