Pulling the door open, he stepped into the hall, immediately crushing something soft beneath his boot.
Instantly he stilled, listening for evidence someone had heard him, but the only sound was a clock several feet away and the soft thud of Sara’s heart behind him.
She was terrified.
He squeezed her hand in silent reassurance, which she returned. Good. She wasn’t so afraid her wits had left her.
Nonetheless, he wasn’t so naïve about battle that he thought what he’d stepped on was an accident. Hardly. But he wasn’t going to change his plan either. He fully intended to find the first exit and take it before Bartell and his crew could react. Once they were outside these walls, he could make sure Sara was safe, and then make sure Bartell never bothered her again.
If only it had been that simple.
The moment Elliott rounded the doorway to the kitchen, he knew they were screwed. Two of the largest dogs he’d ever seen faced him. They’d been waiting, just as he’d known they would. No plan, it seemed, ever went according to plan.
He stopped abruptly, tugging Sara close to his back.
The dogs didn’t move, didn’t make a sound, but a second later, Sara pulled away.
And then he was falling. The back of his head burned from the impact and he couldn’t focus his thoughts enough to piece together what had happened. All he really knew was that Sara was gone and he couldn’t move his legs.
Chapter Seven
Why did they stop? Sara was about to peek around Elliott when the earthy scent of wood and smoke surrounded her. Oh, shit.
Out of nowhere, someone ripped her away from Elliot’s grasp and slammed her back against a body so large and hard, she couldn’t breathe. His hand covered her mouth before she could scream. And she probably would have.
Bryan.
He dragged her backward several feet before pushing her up against the wall. Even in the dark, she could see his green-gold eyes glittered dangerously. Dressed in black leather pants, and a dark gray T-shirt, with a large golden dagger tucked into his belt, he was ready to fight. And win.
As he leaned close, she watched the thick muscle in his arms coil ominously. A lethal weapon in his own right, he could move at light speed when necessary. She’d seen it herself. The man was almost inhumanly strong and fast.
“Stay quiet,” he said. “No matter what happens, don’t say a word to anyone, not until I tell you. Do you understand?”
She nodded.
Bryan removed his hand. “Remember who you belong to, Sara,” he said softly, a hint of menace in his voice.
She nodded again.
Bryan yanked the dagger from his belt and dropped to a crouch. Grasping one of her shackles, he jammed the dagger into the last link in the chain and twisted enough to bend the metal, then removed the chain. A second later, she was free.
“Let’s go,” he said, clamping onto her wrist. He flattened himself against the wall, and inched forward, scanning both ahead and behind.
Outside, all hell broke loose.
Sara froze. She couldn’t see outside, but it sounded as if packs of animals were fighting. To the death. Vicious growls, howls and odd scraping noises pierced the night.
Bryan’s gaze shot back to the sound. He listened only for a second, then tugged her forward. “We’re going this way.” Away from the battle.
They ran past the kitchen, where only moments ago Elliott had lain. Now she could’ve sworn she saw blood on the floor. She fought the urge to stop and look for him, fully aware Bryan would never allow it.
Elliott was only the hired help. Replaceable. Expendable.
“Keep up with me, Sara,” Bryan urged.
The house seemed empty now. They raced through the dining room, then the great room without incident and a second later, they were through the front door. Thank heavens!
Bryan’s limousine waited several hundred yards away, in the shadows. The house was on a lake, as far as she could tell, out in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by trees and water, the only way back to civilization was a narrow dirt road.
The clatter of claw against concrete made Sara looked behind her.
Two dogs poured across the porch and gave chase. They were large, thick with muscle, long legged. And fast.
Bryan flew across the sparse lawn toward the car with Sara right behind him. Halfway there, she knew they weren’t going to make it.
One of the dogs caught her by the ankle and held on. She tripped over it, rolled twice, and landed flat on her back. Before she could move again, the dog was stretched over her body, its snout poised at her throat. If she moved, it would kill her.
Behind her, Bryan was fighting the other dog. She couldn’t see what was happening, only a grunt from him, the sweep of his blade through the air, and the sound of bodies rolling in the dirt.
Another dog ran by to assist the first. And then another. And another.
Sara couldn’t breathe. Four dogs against one man.
They’d kill him. Then they’d kill her.
Two dogs screamed in pain. Sara slammed her eyes shut, at once hopeful they still had a chance. Please, God, please…
Then Bryan screamed.
Sara didn’t hear anything else.
Her heart sank. First Elliott, and now Bryan. Maybe they were still alive. She prayed it was so, but she had to assume now it was just her and the dogs.
They weren’t going to get her.
Fury boiled inside her, singed her veins She didn’t give a flying fig what they wanted her for, they weren’t getting her. Not now, not ever.
She felt it then.
Welcomed it. Knew that her life wouldn’t be the same, but it was fine. She was fine.
Sara felt the threads of her reality snap, one by one. Deeper she sank into a place she’d never been before. Her eyes closed. If that dog still had her by the throat, she didn’t feel it anymore.
In fact, she didn’t feel anything but the certainty that this had been a long time coming.
And someone was going to pay.
Chapter Eight
Elliott knew before he’d even opened his eyes that he was back in the mid-world. Somehow, he could feel the lifelessness, the gray-ness, of his surroundings. If he was here, he supposed that meant the dogs had won, and his mortal body had died.
He rolled to his side.
Sure, he should wake up, look around, make sure he wasn’t just imagining things…
Aw, Christ… why bother?
He knew.
Sara was gone. Forever.
“You planned it this way, didn’t you?” he asked no one in particular. The pain curled through his body, made him shudder. Made…tears…
“Why,” he asked, his voice a whisper. “What do you think I’ve done that was so bad, you had to take away the one thing that meant more to me than life itself?” He took in a deep, shuddering breath, and wished to all the gods it could be his last.
What makes you think this is about you?
Elliott sat up, for the clarity of the voice inside his head meant a great many things. Only One spoke to him in this manner. The only One who ever, really, could help him. The only One who ever would.
He rubbed his forehead with the pads of both hands. Did he dare believe, after so very long, that justice would finally, indeed, be done.
Was he that stupid? Or that trusting?
“I am many things,” he began. “The king of thieves. A deceiver. A magician. A guide for those who are lost.
“Mostly, I’m a believer. In the unity of family. In love. If you ask it of me, I’ll shed my mortal life that she may live. Tell me you want my immortality and it is yours. I give it freely. Anything, father, that she might know the love of a man, even if it isn’t me. She deserves to have love, a family, everything her heart desires. I ask for her, father. Only for her.”
* * *
“You betrayed me.”
Elliott rolled onto his back. He was certain days had passed and yet he still refused to
open his eyes. Why should he? There was nothing to see but that which was no longer his. He wouldn’t do it.
He laughed softly. “Did I? What makes you say that? Other than your wicked, vitriolic nature, of course.”
He could almost see the pout on Aphrodite’s face. Much as he tried, he couldn’t muster the energy to feel bad for her. No, she’d dug her own grave. She would sleep in it now.
“He seems to think I am responsible for unleashing the Sons of Sirius, Brother. Can you imagine such a thing?”
“Easily, my sweet. You did unleash them.” Elliott smiled. “And then you condemned me to hell for it, with less concern for my welfare than you gave your attendants. I was stupid enough to cover for you because I loved you, and I thought, foolishly, you’d only made a mistake. But it was me who made the mistake, wasn’t it? You would’ve left me here forever, provided it had amused you enough.”
Aphrodite gasped in astonishment. “How dare you accuse me of such callousness?”
“Effortlessly, dear Sister. You are the goddess of love, and yet you are devoid of it. Pity. And a waste. Perhaps, while you are here, you will come to see that.”
Her blue eyes grew wide. “You mean to leave me in this place, don’t you?”
Elliott finally let himself look at her. She was truly beautiful with her coppery hair and fiery blue eyes, but there was darkness in her heart. Always had been. He just hadn’t bothered to really see it. Not until Sara did he become truly aware of what made real beauty. “Yes, I do. And while nothing would please me more than to never lay eyes upon you again, some day, I will. But it’ll be a long time from now.”
Elliott stood up. For the first time in what seemed like several millennia, his feet were clad in the soft leather sandals bejeweled with the golden wings of Zeus. His wings.
He was free.
Chapter Nine
Sara was lost.
She was hungry, too. More than she’d ever been in her life. Nothing looked familiar. She didn’t know how she’d gotten here. What had happened?
The smell of death surrounded her. Not that she particularly cared. Food was food. It would give her what she needed to live another day and that was enough.
The full moon cast blue shadows over her surroundings. She stood at the edge of a small group of animals. Dogs. Xylan Dogs. Descendants of Sirius. Yes, she knew who they were and who she was.
Two humans lay prostrate on the ground, inside a circle made of blood. She knew it was blood. The sweet fragrance drew her forward, into the circle itself.
One of the humans smelled closer to death than the other. The blood had once belonged to him.
From the group of Xylan Dogs, a human emerged. He was tall, and his head, having no fur at all, gleamed in the soft blue light of the moon. Entering the circle, he stood between the men, spread his arms out wide, and lowered his gaze to hers.
“Sara, daughter of Xenon the destroyer,” he said. “The Dogs of Xyla bid you welcome to our family.”
Sara took a step back. She had no idea what to do. What did they expect of her? The human’s words were important and her presence here meant something as well. This was a ritual of some kind, and she was the guest of honor.
If she hadn’t been so hungry, she might’ve thought about it more. But all she wanted was to fill the deep void in her middle. After that, well, she’d worry about it then.
Sara looked behind her. Shoulder to shoulder, several dogs–more like black wolves–not Xylan, watched her with gleaming blue eyes. Intelligent eyes.
Their scent wafted to her, carried on a light breeze. She knew them. Long ago, she’d named them smelly beasts. In another life. They weren’t smelly, though. Their natural pheromones were strong, appealing. Their males would sire hardy pups.
“My name is Bartell, Sara. You don’t remember me, yet, but you will. Soon. We know how much you hunger and we know what you need. It is our pleasure to gift you with the bodies of these two humans. They are both still alive. Take what you need from them, that you may live and grow strong.”
Bartell smiled, bowed, and backed away from the humans.
Famished, she let the blood flowing from both humans speak to her. Without knowing for certain, she thought its taste would be sweet, compelling, and would sate her in ways she’d not known before. Who could resist? They were, after all, only human. Food.
She took a step forward, only to stumble.
Hungry.
Wounded food awaited her. Easy kill.
Feed.
Live.
* * *
Elliott was on his feet before he was even awake. Eyes wide, breath fast and shallow, he was ready for a fight. The pain in his body was inconsequential.
Bryan lay unmoving at his feet. Elliott gave some thought to checking for a pulse, but a quick glance at his surrounding changed his mind.
This was an arena.
He was the gladiator.
An animal growled. Elliott’s head snapped forward. From his back pocket, he drew his switchblade.
Several feet away, a large wolf approached. A she-wolf, he sensed. Her long black coat was glossy and gorgeous. Well-muscled legs spoke of speed and strength. Stunning blue eyes met his own. She was incredible.
Sara.
Licking her lips, she circled him slowly, as if calculating how best to attack. Starved, no doubt. Bartell had said the pup would need to feed and soon. To his dismay, he was the most likely candidate for dinner.
His wrists had been cut. His blood was calling to her.
She was willing to answer.
“Take the human, Sara,” Bartell said. “Feed, and live.”
She lunged. Powerful legs launched her body at his.
“Sara, no!” Elliott cried. He could see nothing human within the huge wolf. Even the blue eyes were decidedly inhuman. Much as he wanted to believe her still the woman he loved, she wasn’t there. Just wasn’t there.
He fell backward with her jaw just a breath away from his throat. He rolled, tucking his legs beneath her belly as his shoulders hit the ground.
He pitched the wolf backward and was on his feet again before she tumbled into a trio of slow-moving dogs.
Elliott showed her the stiletto. “Come on, baby. Just try to make dinner out of me.”
The wolf scrambled to her feet. Teeth bared, she approached slowly, calculating every move. Watching for a mistake.
He wouldn’t make one. Not again.
“Come on, bitch. Let’s end this. I would’ve given you anything, done anything for you. But you don’t want that, do you? All you see is blood and food.” His stomach turned inside out at the thought. This was the woman he’d loved, the woman he’d given everything to have, to hold. Forever.
And she had no idea who he was.
No. Fucking. Idea.
“Come and get it, then,” he snarled. One way or another, this was going to end. Already one life had been lost to this debacle. There would be one more.
Hers.
The wolf charged.
Chapter Ten
Sara was certain she was dreaming. Elliott couldn’t hear a thing she was saying. She felt so far away, and knew that a part of her had done something terrible. Something so vicious, she just couldn’t bear to watch.
She couldn’t.
But now, she thought it might be over, all that ruckus. Her ears were ringing, a low hum that sounded like an electric current and made her head hurt. Maybe she was safe now.
She opened her eyes, or at least, it seemed like she opened them. If you opened your eyes in a dream, did that mean you weren’t dreaming anymore? What if it still felt like you were?
Somehow, in this dream, she was on her back. A human…Elliott…was crouched over her body, and something sharp had penetrated her throat.
What did you do?
She tried to fight him, but her position was awkward and she couldn’t quite right herself. She knew she had to get away from him. He wasn’t himself–those green eyes blazed with so much fury, her
heart nearly burst with terror. He was so large and strong. It was difficult to push him off, much as she tried. She kicked with her back legs, and scratched with her forepaws, but he wasn’t affected by it. Not at all.
And then, he was gone.
Sara tried to regain her feet. Dazed with hunger, she felt herself slipping under the spell of the blood. She wanted–no–needed the taste of it on her tongue. Needed it. Knew it meant she would live and without it…well, that explained in part why she was weak. The other reason she felt weak and aching all over was far, far worse.
Elliott had done something to her. Made her like this. Like she wanted to sleep.
Opening her eyes, she became aware Bryan was at her side and she was on her back again. He picked her up and cradled her head, as a father might do to his child. His touch, so gentle and tender, smoothed the fur along her cheek. Unbidden tears swam in his gorgeous green-gold eyes. “You have to decide, Sara.”
Decide what?
“You’re bleeding,” he told her. “You won’t make it like this.”
I don’t understand, she thought. Like what?
“I don’t want you to die,” he whispered. “Come back to me, honey, please. Tell me I can spend an eternity showing you how much you mean to me.”
Sara didn’t see why she had to decide anything right now. Couldn’t she just sleep for a bit, and then get something to eat? Maybe go home and sleep in her own bed. Do normal things like fix her hair, work out, or chat with Eryn until they were both so tired, they couldn’t remember what they were talking about.
“Sara? Wake up, baby.”
Had she been sleeping?
She opened her eyes to discover Bryan hovering above her, both hands cupping her head.
“I love you,” he said softly. “I never got a chance to show you how much. I thought we had more time.”
Why was there so much pain in his eyes? He looked as if his heart were breaking, or his world had ended. His hand trembled as he stroked her fur and the lightness of it, the reverence made her want to reach up and soothe his hurt, tell him it was all right, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak.
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