That too sounded like a good idea.
Rhea’s head pounded, and when she tried to swallow, she discovered her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Damn, she needed some water. Forcing her eyes open one at a time, she discovered brown flashing past her at high speeds.
Her body flew into the air then landed hard against a metal surface. With her powers completely gone, she became acutely aware of the broken rib the hard landing had given her. Would she be able to heal? Or was that ability gone as well. She tried to scan for the baby, but that gift was nowhere to be found. Panic welled and coated the back of her throat, the taste bitter.
Adjusting her position, she noticed Mark Copper at the wheel of the jeep. They were traveling on a dirt road over an open landscape. To her left was a lake. Where the hell were they? Finally he slammed on the brakes, nearly sending her crashing into the back of his seat. She blinked against the setting sun.
“Where are we?” she said, her voice cracking.
He looked back at her then leapt from his seat. “Peru. The Gate of the Gods to be exact.”
The pit in her stomach grew. “Why?” And how had she not remembered the trip here? How long had she been out? Rhea had to pull her shit together and think of a way out of this mess. She glanced down, the damn stone still tucked between her breasts.
He came around the back and jerked her out of the jeep then reached in further to procure a small wooden box. “You know what this is?” He waived the box in front of her face.
“No. How could I? You took my power from me,” she spat. Her gut said she wasn’t going to like what was in the box.
“Lucifer, and you’re going to free him.”
Shock had her taking a step back. She looked around and he laughed.
“Go ahead, try to run. You won’t get far.” He licked his lips. “I’ve had enough of your tasty blood to make you weak. But not too much. We had to save some for the task at hand.” He grabbed her arm in a bruising grip and dragged her over rocks until they reached the gate. Mark set the box on a nearby rock then pulled her to the gate.
“By the time anyone discovers you––if they can even get near the place—it will be too late. If you should survive this, I’ll be back. I have big plans for you, so make sure you do survive.” He laughed and she wished for a blade to gut him.
She would survive and she would get free. She was a creation of the Almighty himself. That had to count for something. Right?
Mark pulled the cuffs from her wrists. She tried to plant her fist on his jaw, but was too weak, and he was indeed stronger than before. With a snap, he broke her arm but she refused to cry out and give him the satisfaction of knowing he hurt her. Instead, she spit in his face.
“Fuck you.” Was her soul now tainted from the hatred she felt?
“Oh, I intend to do that too. You just hold tight, sweetheart, and I’ll be back for you. Then I plan to have you every way possible.” He shoved her against a wooden pole sunk into the ground and jerked her arms behind it, securing them with the cuffs. Then he took a rope from a bag and began wrapping it around her, tying her to the pole.
Sweat trickled down her temple as the pain of her broken limb caused her vision to skew. Rhea refused to succumb. She drew on years of training and sheer determination and shook the fog free. She had to be strong for the child she carried inside her. Certainty that her son still lived was her driving force.
Mark ripped the front of the red gown she now wore, exposing her breasts. Producing a knife, he began to carve symbols on her chest. Biting her lip, she tried to draw strength from the pain. Words in ancient Latin spilled from his mouth and when she realized what he was saying… What the symbols were...
“No!” she cried out.
There was no stopping it. When he’d finished carving three symbols into her skin, and her blood welled to the surface, trickling down her belly, he stepped back. When the last word was uttered, a flash of white light filled the gate. A rumble shook the ground beneath her and suddenly the gate opened, filled with swirling blackness. The box Mark had set a few feet away exploded, and in its place stood the one man who had set this catastrophic event in motion.
Lucifer.
Rhea struggled to free herself, but it was useless. She was already weak and grew more so as her blood coated the fabric of her dress.
Lucifer raised his arms into the air and shouted. The words he spoke were a language so old she wasn’t sure she interpreted it correctly. One thing was certain, he now owned the Gate of the Gods, and she watched in sheer horror as demons stepped through. Not just any demons, but the dregs of Lulerain.
No, no, no!
Lucifer had opened his gate directly to the pits of Hell, and now the worst of the absolute worst of evil spilled from its doorway. When Rhea thought it could get no worse, the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on filled the gateway with his muscular form. His long raven hair lifted in the breeze, and his golden eyes surveyed the area with that of a predator before they landed on her. Her heart nearly stopped.
“Morbus,” she whispered. Latin for disease, he was aptly named.
Humanity was about to face its biggest test ever.
Tegan downed another pint of dark ale. A special brew in the demon world that gave even an angel a buzz. At least for a little while. A pretty blonde succubus sidled up next to him, pressing her breasts into his arm.
“Hey, handsome. Ever have a sex demon before? I promise to rock your world.” She nipped his earlobe.
“I have not. How about you show me what you’ve got.” He’d already drowned himself in ale, might as well fuck the visions of both Ana and Rhea out of his mind. He needed to be numb at least until he could figure out what to do next. Was the Maker behind this? While he despised the thought, it was possible. It was also just as likely that she had no knowledge of it, and her father was behind it. But why? What did they want from him? And Rhea. She had betrayed him as well and that stung the worst. He looked at the curvaceous female pressed against him. “Lead the way.”
She placed slender fingers on his biceps while he rose from his stool, and then led him to the back, taking him into a small room that held only a bed and a nightstand with a small lamp. It was adequate for what they were about to do.
“I’ve never fucked an angel before. Well, at least not one that’s not fallen.” She unzipped her black dress and let it fall to her waist, revealing a pair of firm, round breasts. “How is it you are here and are not fallen?” She pushed the dress past her hips and tossed it aside, standing before him totally naked and beautiful. Tegan now understood why they were referred to as sex demons.
“I carry Lucifer’s DNA, therefore I can come and go as I wish.”
She licked her red lips. “How interesting. What’s your name? I need to know what to scream when you shatter my world.” Her intoxicating aroma wafted through the air.
“Tegan.” He pulled his tee over his head, tossing it with her dress, and for a brief moment guilt assaulted him. She pressed closer, slipping her arms around his neck then kissed him. Her tongue, wet and hot, darted in and out of his mouth and his cock responded. He cupped her breasts, tweaking her nipples. She broke the kiss.
“Oh, you are going to be so much fun.” She went for his belt buckle and pulled it free then started on the button of his jeans. “I’m dying to wrap my lips around what I see pressing against your jeans,” she murmured.
So was he. When she had his button undone and zipper lowered, jeans going past his hips, white-hot pain shot through his arm. Burning, slicing agony covered his chest, causing him to step back. Sweat coated his skin.
“What the fuck?” he growled.
“Tegan. What’s wrong?”
Rhea. She’s in trouble. Fuck! He stared at the naked female in front of him and felt sick. Rhea had done this to him as well. Caused him so much pain that he was willing to fuck another.
“Mother fuck,“ he grumbled, jerking his jeans back into place. “I need to take a rain check.”
Part of him wanted to stay here, ignoring the fact Rhea was indeed his mate. But not even he was that much of a bastard to allow her to suffer. He would get to the bottom of this.
Chapter Fourteen
Tegan stormed from the back room, his boots slapping the wooden floor with a fury he had never known. There was so much to be pissed about.
Rhea was his and she had double-crossed him. Or had she? Someone wanted to make him think she was somehow connected to Ana. Or they plain wanted to fuck with his head. And now? Someone was hurting her and no matter how he felt about what she was hiding from him, he had an enemy to kill. No one hurt his woman.
“Dude,” Raze stood at the end of the hall. “Some really bad shit is going down.”
No kidding. “Like what?” It was then Tegan noticed the silence in the room. All eyes locked onto him, and they were filled with fear.
“The fucking Gate of the Gods has been opened, straight to Lulerain.”
Tegan blinked. “I must have misunderstood you. How is that possible?”
Raze swallowed. “No idea, but we are all headed to Zander’s.”
Tegan growled so loud the demons fled the bar. Even Raze took a step back.
“Dude, you’re fucking glowing.” Shaking his head. “That is not a good sign.”
He looked down and sure as shit, his skin held a nice luminescence to it. “I can’t go to Lulerain without a demon escort.” He headed for the door, a mass of rippling fury. Once outside, he summoned a portal. “I’ll wait outside while you go in and find out the details, but make it fast. I can’t wait for long.” Instinct told him this was related to Rhea, and he'd best find out all he could.
Raze nodded and they stepped into the portal.
Once outside Lulerain, Tegan ground a path into the soil as he waited for someone to come back and clue him in on what was going on. His gut rolled. Rhea was hurting and he was busy hanging out in Hell.
Dropping to a nearby rock, he lowered his head into his hands. How had things become so messed up? It was a simple mission of engaging with an emerging species, yet it had become more. The vampires totally forgotten, his mind was only on one thing. The female with sapphire blue eyes.
His head shot up. “How the fuck did I miss that?” She had Ana’s eyes. He dropped his head again. Not possible. Many people had eyes that color.
She can’t belong to me. I don’t want her!
He was kidding himself. Tegan wanted her with every fiber of his soul.
“Father?”
Ashley’s voice lifted him from his thoughts. He jumped to his feet. “Ash, what the hell is going on?” The lines of worry across her forehead spoke volumes. The news wasn’t good.
“Raze filled me in on what happened with you. It’s Rhea, isn’t it? She is your mate?”
He wanted to utter no, instead... “Yes, but they are fucking with me again.”
She stepped closer. “I don’t know what that means, but we have a crisis. Your mate was used by Lucifer to open the Gate of the Gods to Lulerain. Morbus is free.”
“Rhea?” He held his breath.
“She was––and still is––tied to the gate. It was her blood that was used to open it. No one can get to her from the mortal side, the power is too great. We think it might be worth a shot to try and get to her via Lulerain. This needs to be shut down.” She shook her head. “Morbus... Mortals will die by the millions.” She steeled herself. “I’ll send someone to get Rhea.”
His heart wrenched. He wanted to care about the humans, but at the moment only one thing was on his mind. No matter what she had done, Rhea was his mate and he would travel the depths of Hell to get to her. He was bound by duty and honor, but more important, he was bound by his feelings for her.
“No. I will take care of this.”
Sweat rolled off her. Rhea knew her fever was critical as she slipped into darkness. Visions of meeting Ambriel in the far past came to her. The two of them sitting on a bench in a park, and Rhea being shown visions of a death that would plague the mortal realm.
“But I did as you asked. I gave you my daughter. I died for you,” she whispered, forcing her eyes back open and watching as evil continued to spill into the mortal plane. How far had it advanced? She had lost concept of time, but surely Morbus had already started his deadly spread of disease. Against her will, her eyes closed again.
Her visions drifted…rubbing her swollen belly, singing lullabies to the baby that grew inside her. Her daughter. No, that wasn’t right, she was carrying a boy. Tegan’s son. The fever was causing her mind to have crazy thoughts. Again, she wandered in a dream. This time she was giving birth. Sharp pain racked her body, and her sister clutched her hand.
“Remember to breathe, Ana.”
No. Something was wrong. Rhea heard the soft cry of a baby. Her baby, and then she was pulled away. Sucked into a bright light and a soothing male voice.
Rhea?
Her body shook with fever and the burning pain on her chest, unbearable. Now she was hearing voices.
Rhea, snap out of it.
Father? Thank goodness. You’ve come to save me?
Remember who you are, Rhea.
Suddenly she was slammed with a lifetime of visions. So many came at her that her head throbbed.
I’m so confused. I’m sick, father. I think I’m dying.
It is time to remember who you are. Tell me.
I... I am Ana. She didn’t want to believe it, but the visions were her own. Hers in another life.
Yes, you are.
Father, help me.
I cannot. Only your hunter can save you.
Tears wet her cheeks. “What if he doesn’t make it? What if he never comes for me?” The pain of being left behind blasted into her with the force of a train wreck.
Then you die again, daughter.
“Tegan, where are you. Please, I don’t want to leave you again,” she whispered before slipping into the darkness once more.
Tegan marched into the Hall of Fate. “Ambriel?” he shouted, not remembering if he had ever used the Maker’s given name, but he was beyond caring about rules. Fuck rules. He’d honored them once and look where it had gotten him. He had lost Ana and now he would be damned if the rules would cause him to lose Rhea too. He didn’t understand fully what was happening, but he knew deep down Rhea had stolen his heart. He’d figure out what was going on later.
“Tegan. I guess you’ve heard what happened with the gate.” She wrung her hands. “This needs to be stopped. I need you to gather your best men and get with the other leaders to figure––”
He raised his hand to stop her. “I’ve come to do one thing. I renounce you and everything you stand for.”
Her eyes widened. “Tegan. No! You can’t do this.”
“It’s fucking done. I’m done being your puppet. No more string pulling for me.” He spread his wings. “Go to Hell.” Darkness swarmed him like mass of angry wasps and pulled him under. Tegan fell so fast he hadn’t even noticed if the Maker had turned her back on him or not. He didn’t care. This was his ticket straight into Lulerain.
He landed with a hard thud, his boots leaving a dent in the ground. He scanned the area then spread his wings to examine them. “What the fuck?” he snarled. Not black. Not black with crimson threads like the other fallen angels. His were still as gold as ever.
Except...
He squinted to look closer and noticed the edge of each feather was rimmed with black. Huh. Was this because he carried Lucifer’s DNA? Time to find out if he could enter Lulerain on his own. Opening the gate, he stepped inside. “Time to enter the pits of Hell.”
A vortex spun, tightening around him. Squeezing until he thought he might suffocate. Was this a good sign? Something was happening. Seconds later he was spit out, landing with a roll back to his feet, blade at the ready. Scanning his surroundings, the stench of rot had him nearly gagging. Sweat beaded on his skin, the heat the worst he’d ever experienced. Yep, he was definitely in Lulerain.
&
nbsp; A scream ripped through the thick air.
He spun to face a threat, but nothing was there. It was like the place was empty and that caused him to shudder. What had been unleashed on the world? Wasn’t his concern. The others would have to take care of the mortal realm and its humans. His quest was to get to his mate and then figure out what the hell was going on.
Stalking forward across a smooth, rock surface worn by time, he followed the narrow passage, his senses locked onto Rhea. A shadow passed overhead, and when he looked up, he discovered several dozen demons crawling along the rocky ceiling. Their black shadows scattered in the direction he was going. Perfect. He was heading the right way.
His trek had him climbing over rocks and scaling sheer drop-offs. He figured he had been at it maybe thirty minutes, and with each step, Rhea slipped further away from him. He tried connecting to her.
Rhea? Hang in there. I’m coming for you.
He was only greeted with hissing and the occasional screams that echoed in the pits of Lulerain.
Tegan?
Zander? Well now he knew with certainty he was a fallen. Otherwise, he couldn’t communicate with Lyzander. Still, he had to wonder why his wings didn’t look like the others.
Bastard! What the fuck are you doing falling?
Same thing you did when you fell, rescuing my mate.
You’re in Lulerain?
Yeah, and Zander... There is no one left here. The damn place is empty.
There were several moments of silence, then. Shit.
Tegan came upon a hoard of demons of several different species, but they all ignored him. Seemed getting free was a higher priority than fighting with him. Suited him just fine. He fell in behind them, continuing to make his way to the gate leading to Rhea.
An hour later, he spotted it. The blinding light in the distance and the power that rolled off it was immense. Tegan pulled his sword and began hacking his way through the crowd. “Out of my way,” he shouted. “Move or lose your fucking head.” He lopped off the head of a demon in front of him. The rest parted, obviously not wanting to die before they made it to freedom. Once at the opening, he was forced to shield his eyes from the glaring light as he stumbled out. Cooler air brushed his skin and he knew he had made it outside. Trying to focus, he blinked and then he spotted her. Rhea’s head lolled to the side.
Tempted By Darkness (Eternally Mated Book 6) Page 10