by Lizzy Ford
She inadvertently glanced towards Trayern, who watched from a distance. Everything the demon and guardian angel had been teaching her about weaknesses gave her an idea.
What if she made it real enough her brothers didn’t know what was going to happen? No one would – except for her. She’d take Kris’ suggestions and go one step further.
“I need to talk to someone,” she said. “Can you let Kiki know I’m sticking him with petitioner duty again?”
“Of course.”
Stephanie smiled at her oldest brother and started past him.
“Stephanie,” he said quietly. “Don’t act without talking to me. These are dangerous waters.”
She nodded without stopping.
Stephanie returned to her room, where Mithra waited. She sat beside him on the couch.
“I need to know what exactly it is you do, aside from block my presence from demons,” she said to the ancient angel addicted to reality TV.
“I thought you’d never ask,” Mithra said with a smile. “I have the knowledge of all the angels in my head, and I can protect you from more than demons. I can accompany your soul into the Underworld, if you choose, and advocate for you to be brought back. I can identify threats you don’t know exist and alert you to them.”
“Is Trayern a threat?” she asked
“He is not as of this moment. That can change. He is a demon.”
“You can leave me here with him then, right, without violating your duty as assigned by Raphael?”
Mithra frowned. “No.”
“Could you protect my soul, wherever it is, and leave me here?” she rephrased. “This is new territory for everyone. Do you have any rule against this?”
Mithra appeared to debate internally. “We do not.”
“Then you can do it, by deity and Immortal logic.” She glanced towards Trayern, who had assumed his spot by the door. “If I told you where my soul is, can you go there now?”
“I believe so.”
“Will you take a message to the person who has it?” she asked. “Can you tell her I’ll replace Wynn soon, and I’ll see her a few minutes after he steps down?”
Mithra nodded. “Where is your soul?”
“Hell,” she replied. “It’s safe right now, but I want to make sure Darkyn can’t do anything to it.”
“Hell,” Mithra repeated with a snort. “Just like old times.”
“I’m not going to ask. I just want it protected,” she said. She didn’t know if Mithra guarding her soul would protect her from Darkyn, post-death, but she didn’t have any other option. “You can’t be two places at once, so I’d rather you go there, since that’s more important.”
“Wise, if you’re concerned about resurrection,” he said. “I can prevent Darkyn from destroying or trading or selling it. I cannot force him to resurrect you or release you from Hell.”
“Good enough.”
Mithra rose, with the aid of his cane. “I will see you soon.”
She nodded.
The ancient guardian angel summoned a portal and left.
Stephanie remained seated, aware of how dangerous her plan would be. Andre was correct; there was no guarantee anything would go according to how she envisioned it.
I need my mate. She rubbed her face. Fear trickled into her as she considered all the warnings she’d been given about not dealing with Darkyn directly.
At this point, if she didn’t commit to her plan more than Wynn did to his, she’d never save him and their people.
It was all or nothing.
Rather, all or Hell.
Twenty-Six
Trailed by her demon, Stephanie went to the lake around midnight. She silently recited the deal she’d been crafting throughout the day. As when she dealt with Wynn, she would have to be truthful if she wanted Darkyn to believe her and flawless in her negotiation. Darkyn needed to want what she had to offer as well.
She checked her watch. At precisely one minute past midnight, when she was officially in charge of the Council, she sucked in a deep breath.
“Darkyn,” she breathed his name.
The demon never made his potential clients wait, and this night was no exception.
Trayern lingered behind her, ever alert.
Darkyn emerged from the place-between-places. The moment his gaze fell to her, he smiled.
Fuck. After the warnings Fate had given her, she was a nervous wreck before confronting the lean demon who had single-handedly taken over Hell. Darkyn was as brilliant as Wynn and Fate.
“I thought we could talk,” she started.
“Demons don’t talk,” Darkyn replied. “We deal. What do you want?”
“I need to make a deal. It’s a weird one,” she started.
“I’m listening.”
“Wynn was a deity at one point, the god of Wisdom. He was stripped of his power, but he’s going to try to regain it soon by cashing in favors from every deity in existence,” she explained. “I want to stop him, but I can’t do it alone.”
“If you think I’ll ally with you for the greater good, you need to tell your mate to teach you better,” Darkyn replied. “I can handle him as Wisdom.”
“I don’t think that at all. I have … a hostage. Someone who might influence him to postpone or change his mind completely. I thought, if you take this person to Hell, Wynn would stop what he’s doing and try to save this person. Then you could extort him for whatever it is you want.”
Darkyn tilted his head to the side. “What person could influence him to stop?”
“Me,” she said. Her voice broke and she cleared her throat. Her hands were trembling. “I want you to kill me and take me to Hell.”
“You value yourself that much?”
“There’s a bigger picture,” she said, flushing. “Wynn resigned from the Council and appointed me in his place. It’s not only me, but the fate of his society, which has been on the edge of a civil war for a millennium. I’m hedging my bets that he won’t want his only daughter, and the person responsible for safeguarding his Immortals and humanity, to wind up in Hell. I locked four of my brothers in the dungeon to prevent them from taking over. You can take them to Hell, too. Wynn will have no choice, if he doesn’t want the Immortals to fall into chaos.”
Darkyn ceased pacing. “Now, I’m interested,” he said, shrewd focus on her. “You want to outmaneuver him by sacrificing yourself.”
“I can only potentially win if I’m willing to go farther than he is.”
“Demons are always willing to kill, except when the person wants to die. In which case, you’ll have to pay me,” he responded. “Which you knew.”
She nodded. “I also want you to resurrect me two days later.”
“Because your soul is already there.”
“You knew.”
“My queen keeps no secrets,” he replied.
“I’ll be a hostage. It won’t be just my body. It’ll be my soul, too. That should give you some leverage,” she said.
“He’s spent two lifetimes on this goal.”
“I don’t need to stop him. I need to slow him down,” she said. “I’m counting on his mate influencing him the rest of the way.”
Darkyn was quiet, studying her. “You intend to use me as well.”
“For a deal, yes.”
“Not that.” He stalked closer, his dark eyes searing through her. “The only favor you have that I want is from Chaos, whose power I can use to open the breach. You want to threaten more than the daughter and mate of Wynn. You want me to open the breach and what? Invade?”
Trayern. The shrewd demon had figured out her apocalyptic plan.
Alarm trickled through her. She’d rehearsed the deal and what she expected Darkyn’s answer to be. She hadn’t planned on him ending up pissed about it.
“Did you think to play me, Immortal?” Darkyn asked in a soft, lethal voice.
She took a step back from his intensity. “I want to stop Wynn, and I’m willing to put my life on the table, if
that’s what it takes,” she said. “You will do whatever you will. But … I have no real choice.”
“Desperation. My weak spot,” Darkyn said. The demon looked past her. “What does she have?”
“One from Death, one from Chaos, one from Fate, one from Karma,” Trayern answered.
“Here’s the deal I’ll make you,” Darkyn addressed her. “Your death. Your body and soul in Hell in exchange for all the favors you possess.”
Stephanie’s mouth dropped open. Even she knew the deal was ridiculously one-sided.
“Or I can give an order for no demon anywhere to kill you, in which case, you’ll never see Hell.”
“Shit.” Stephanie never dreamt she’d have to negotiate her way into Hell.
“How much do you want to stop daddy?” the demon taunted. “I never make a deal that breaks bad for me. He will pay, assuming he wants you bad enough to deal with me.”
When she’d wanted to throw in the kitchen sink, she didn’t think she could give anything else than what she had determined to offer. Darkyn wanted everything – with no guarantee whatsoever she woke up after it was done.
“What about resurrection?” she managed to ask.
“Not on the table.”
“My brothers?”
“Hell is always open to hostages.”
“The breach?” she asked.
“What I do with my favors is none of your concern.”
She’d claimed to be ready to do whatever it took. Faced with the reality of what that meant, and that she might be dragging her brothers down with her, Stephanie swallowed hard. The question in her mind was not if this was the end of the line for her but … did she believe in Wynn enough to put all their lives on the line? To know she and her brothers would spend eternity in Hell, if their father failed to become the person she thought he could be?
“The deal has to be off the records,” Darkyn added, further alarming her. “My deal with your mate precludes me from dealing with you directly or harming you. But it doesn’t stipulate you can’t commit suicide by demon. You can volunteer to come to Hell in a dead-dead state, and I can facilitate.”
“Private deal means no one knows but us,” she said slowly.
“Do you doubt I’d kill you?”
“No.”
“Do you doubt I’d take your brothers to Hell?”
“I see your point,” she replied.
“I can’t harm you directly but he can.” Darkyn glanced towards Trayern.
Stephanie didn’t have to look at her fanged babysitter to know killing her would make this one of the best days of Trayern’s life.
“The offer expires when I walk through the portal.” Darkyn stepped away, towards the portal yawning open near them.
“Wait!” she cried. “Is there room for negotiation?”
“You want to use me, Immortal. You are fortunate I’m being lenient.” He stepped into the place-between-places.
“What about the second question you wanted to ask me? You said there were two before dragging Fate to Hell.”
“You’re stalling, Immortal. I’ll ask my question when it suits me.” He walked one foot into the portal.
“I’ll do it!” Stephanie shouted after him. Her heart somersaulted in her chest, and she began to breathe too quickly. “I’ll do it.”
Darkyn paused and faced her.
“No unwritten terms or conditions,” she added. “Kill me and take me to Hell, and imprison my brothers, in exchange for all the favors I currently possess.”
“Done. I’ll collect the favors from you mate.”
Holy fuck. What am I doing? Stephanie found herself eyeing his teeth.
Darkyn glanced towards Trayern and stepped away.
“Fuck,” Stephanie muttered, already aware of what was going to happen next.
Trayern gripped the back of her neck and wrenched her head back. “Who’s the bitch now?” he challenged softly. His teeth lengthened.
“Any chance this won’t hurt?” she asked, starting to panic at the sight of his four inch incisors.
“I haven’t fucking fed in weeks.”
“So … no.” She braced herself against his chest. “One question. Is this the right move? Strategically?”
“It’s your only move, Immortal.”
Trayern’s assurance meant more than it should have.
Soon after she closed her eyes, the pain started.
Twenty-Seven
Wynn returned to the lake around one in the morning. Stephanie was officially the head of the Council, leaving him free to pursue his agenda.
He waited by the lake for dawn. Karma appeared in his chamber whenever she felt like it at night. He needed distance between them this night more than the one preceding for the sole reason that the next morning was when he’d chosen to act. He’d relied on her impulsiveness to help drive the wedge between them and her heartbreak to keep her away.
His resolution was as firm as ever, but his emotions were far more fragile than he had experienced at any point in his life.
A few more hours, he reminded himself, and he’d have everything he’d worked two lifetimes to obtain. His pain would fade when he became a god. From what other gods had told him, they weren’t capable of experiencing the same depth of emotion as humans and Immortals. Likewise, he’d have a new soul, and he had to believe that meant he’d no longer be connected to Karma to feel the pain of losing a mate.
The summons came shortly before two. A portal yawned open beside him, and he crossed into the place-between-places and to the yellow door beckoning him. He emerged into his chamber – and stopped.
Karma, her curly mermaid-hued hair spilling over her shoulders, was waiting for him. She appeared dressed for a club in a mini-dress and heels with a choker as black as her eyes.
Wynn couldn’t look away, and neither did she.
After a long pause, Karma shifted.
“I know what tomorrow is,” she said. Her hair rippled through several colors before settling on teal. “I want to make you a deal.”
“Shouldn’t you wait until I’m a god?” he responded.
“My deal is for Wynn, not Wisdom.”
Wynn waited, not trusting himself to speak.
“You’ve been asking me for a favor since the first meeting. I’m willing to grant it to you, without conditions or restrictions, if you’re willing to do something for me.”
“You want me not to go through with it.”
Her smile was sad. “That’s not it.”
She held no secrets this night, and only one fear, that she was about to lose someone she loved. Wynn forced himself to look away. He’d never met anyone truly honest.
“I want you to spend the night with me,” Karma said. “Our last.”
“You astound me, Karma.” Wynn walked to the hearth, displaying calm he didn’t feel. He reached for the carafe of wine and pulled his hand back when he saw it tremble. “You have the potential power to stop me, and you choose a single night?”
“I respect what you want. I have no right to stand in your way, even if I wanted to,” she replied. “According to all those Lifetime movies, that’s how it’s supposed to work, when you care for someone.”
“You know what tomorrow will do to you,” Wynn managed to say in a level tone.
“I do. It’s one of the reasons why I want tonight.”
Until this moment, Wynn had held out the hope, however tiny, he could keep Karma once he became a god. He’d purposely ignored the voice in his mind telling him it wasn’t possible, for he’d have a new soul, and it wouldn’t be connected to the same mate he was now. It would cost him nothing to change souls.
For Karma, she’d have her mate ripped away in the worst manner possible. He’d exist, but she’d spend eternity in pain, alone.
“I read your book,” she said in the tense silence, eyes on his face. “I’ve seen your soul, and now I know your mind as well.”
“You should be running away screaming,” he said.
&
nbsp; “You’ve never run from me.” She slid in front of him, close enough for her warmth to reach him.
Forced to look at her, Wynn couldn’t stop himself from touching her cheek. Warmth sizzled through him, taunting and torturing the desire that awoke the second he saw her.
“Everyone else avoids me,” he replied.
“You’re a fucking idiot, Wynn,” she said with a flash of fire that turned her eyes and hair rainbow colors and brought a flush of pink to her cheeks. “When will you understand I’m not like everyone else?”
Wynn smiled, loving her warmth and fire – and missing them already.
“I accept you for you,” Karma said. “Gods help me, I actually like who you are.”
“You’re sweet,” he murmured. “Mad but sweet. You deserve better.”
“You deserve better!” she returned. “Have you given any consideration to what will happen to you tomorrow? Aside from acquiring immense power?”
“Of course, I have. I’ll lose my soul, quite literally, but regain a different one.”
“You’ll lose something you’ll never regain,” she said firmly. “I spent weeks trying to understand what I saw in your soul, the imbalance that sometimes careened in one direction and other times in another. Andre said to evaluate at the context and circumstances, to consider there’s a gray area and not fully right or wrong. None of it worked. Nothing did, until I realized there was a part of you I didn’t factor into anything.”
Wynn stroked her cheek. It was everything he could do not to shift closer, to feel her feminine form pressed to his.
“Your heart, Wynn,” she continued. “It’s what has guided you these years. Not your soul, not your mind. You make decisions with your heart, and this was what I couldn’t understand, because it’s so well hidden. Tomorrow, you lose your heart. That matters more to me than your soul or mind.”
Wynn lifted his gaze to stare at the wall above her head.
“For the god of Wisdom, you don’t know shit about yourself,” she snapped. “That’s the second reason I want tonight with you. I want you always to remember who you were before you became a god. Tomorrow we both lose everything.”