Embrace the Fire

by Spring Stevens

  “Little Destroyer, the more you fight, the better I like it,” Damon urged. “Come on; show me that power that lurks under your skin.”

  A cloaked figure appeared behind Damon, a large scythe in his hand. “For a small price, I will aid you, Angelica Dark.”

  Damon advanced, and she scurried across the bed, staying out his arm’s reach. The figure leaned against the dark wall and watched silently as she edged around the bed.

  “What price?”

  Damon let several of his serpents slither out of his fingertips. “What do you speak of? There is no price except your blood!”

  Apparently Damon either couldn’t hear the other guy or see him. What’s the odds of that? Who really cared? Now was not the time to kick a gift horse in the mouth.

  “I want your mother’s diary! Give it to me of your own free will, and I shall tell you how to pull out your powers.”

  “That’s it?” Angelica asked as she jumped back, avoiding the serpents. “And if I refuse?”

  Damon laughed. “You will not refuse!”

  “I will take my leave, and you can fend for yourself, hoping you figure out how to use those newfound powers. And we can hope that, for Varick’s sake, you’re still alive when he makes it here.”

  With a deep breath, she stood still. “Okay, it’s yours.” What other option did she have?

  Damon grinned, his tongue flickering out into the air. “Come to me.”

  “Close your eyes, listen to your soul. Let your blood flow through your veins and harness the energy inside. Once you harness it, let your blood carry it to your fingertips.”

  As Damon slithered closer, Angelica closed her eyes. Digging deep within herself, she found the energy and channeled it, and quietly thanked the mysterious robed being.

  Damon stood before her, his tongue slithering out of his mouth inches away from her throat. He watched her eyes flicker slowly open. He stared mutely, awed by what he saw.

  She knew what Damon was seeing. She could feel power swirling in her eyes as she stepped forward and grabbed his serpent tongue with a small grin on her face.

  “Let the blood carry the power to your fingertips and release it!”

  Blue-white lightning shot out of her hands and across Damon’s chest, sending him sprawling backwards. His roar of anger bounced around the room as Angelica raced toward what she hoped was a door. Her heart pounded in her ears as she pushed it open and came to a skidding halt. Outside the door, dozens of demonic creatures lay broken and crushed.

  Dozens more poured into the tunnel as she turned and ran down the path, which was littered with bodies. She heard Damon as she ran harder. His roar split through her skull as she rounded a corner and ran face first into a hairy creature.

  Stumbling backwards and falling hard onto her backside, she screamed as a werewolf reared back on its hind legs and howled. Without thought, she raised her hands and sent the blue lightning at the creature. It groaned, stumbled, and fell to the side as she scrambled back to her feet and peered over her shoulder. Damon’s eyes were glowing red as he raised his arms and dozens of serpents came out of his fingertips.

  • • •

  Zena crept along the walls as the fighting continued until she caught side of Varick. She watched him hack and dice his way through the hordes of minions hell-bent on finding Angelica. Her heart raced, and then suddenly it stopped. This was her grandchild.

  Looking back, she realized the girl was just a corner away facing Damon’s wrath. She turned back around, her heart lodged in her throat. Varick and Angelica loved each other. He had come to save her, and she was fighting to get back to him. How odd these feelings were.

  A ruby-red tear shimmered in her eye as Varick came completely in view. He was so much like his mother, so very much. And he loved Angelica. A pang of guilt ripped through her soul as she turned and misted down the corridor, taking the corner where she knew Angelica was.

  “Damon.” She growled the name as his serpents brought Angelica to him. “Let her go!”

  He laughed. “Go back to your caves, vampire queen, and wait your turn!”

  “Let her go!” Zena misted and reappeared behind him before he had time to calculate her move.

  Manifesting two daggers, she stabbed him in the back of the head. He fell to one knee, his serpents releasing Angelica and slithering back to their master’s fingertips.

  “Run!” she screamed at Angelica as she grabbed the handles again. “Varick is just around the corner!”

  Angelica jumped to her feet and spun around on her heel. Racing down the corridor, she pulled the pendant from her neck and rubbed the thing so hard she felt the skin pulling from her thumb. As she rounded the corner, Varick swung his blades, slicing through a vampire, and skidded to a halt in front of her.

  “Angelica.” He breathed her name, relief washing over his face.

  “Don’t stop now.” Angelica grabbed his arm and pulled. “Mr. Ugly-as-Sin is coming right behind me!”

  The pendant glowed and grew hot in her hand as a vortex of power appeared behind the Destroyers. Gripping their swords and knives, the Destroyers prepared themselves as Damon came barreling around the corner, a horde of minions on his heels. Pulling hard on Varick’s arm, Angelica turned to the vortex and prayed with everything she had.

  “Come on!” she screamed as the Destroyers faced the horde. “Go through the purple hole thing!”

  “Need a hand?” Terror Sky asked as he stepped from the vortex. “Or shall I leave you to your own devices?”

  Varick stepped back, shoved Angelica through the portal, and shouldered Kreach toward its opening. “Not today, Kreach. Not today.”

  With some disgruntled curses, the Destroyers entered the portal and reappeared in Tortured Souls. Terror Sky calmly took the pendant from Angelica’s hand and laughed.

  “A well-placed helping hand,” he muttered as he vanished.

  Chapter 35

  Gyth glared at Charon and Terror Sky from the throne in the Heavens. “As long as I sit on this throne, you will do as I command.”

  Grace and Amay sat to the left of the throne in cathedral chairs denoting their positions in the Heavens. They were Gyth’s advisors. Mostly, anyway.

  “It will be done as the Book of Creation commands it to be,” Charon stated with mild irritation. “The next time you or one of your council interferes, your precious throne will crumble at your feet. The laws are not to be broken.”

  Grace swallowed hard as Charon’s eyes sent a blaze of goose bumps along her spine. Turning her attention to Gyth, she hoped the god had a backbone and stood up to the creepy, black-robed male. Really, who did he think he was?

  It did not have anything to do with the fact she was afraid — very afraid — of the male standing before Gyth as if he could care less about pissing him off.

  “Interferes? With what, Charon? The words of a dead god? The laws of a dead legacy?” Gyth leaned forward. “You may be the hands of Isten but he no longer rules this universe.”

  Charon’s eyes glowed from under his hood. “The vampire god’s future has been realigned.”

  Gyth stood, his white hair streaking with red as he spoke. “Varick is mine. His future is what I make of it.”

  Charon laughed, dead leaves appearing and swirling around his robes. “His future is already set in stone, and try as you might, what will be, will be!”

  Terror Sky stepped forward, his eyes flashing. “Jaiden’s books, if they’re not returned to the Isle … ” He paused as he looked at Grace. “They will be the Heavens’ downfall.”

  “His books are missing and have been since he was slaughtered.” Gyth roared as he took a step down from the throne. “Go back to your Isle and protect the only remaining book, Charon. That is your duty.”

  Grace’s heart stopped in its tracks. N
o one was taking her books. She stood, her skin feeling tight around her bones. “My lord?”

  “What?” Gyth asked without taking his eyes from Charon.

  “You are our king. What right do these” — she wrinkled her nose as she looked at Charon and Terror Sky — “peasants have to demand anything?”

  Charon’s dead voice filtered around the throne room, the misery of death in its wake. “So many secrets in the Heavens. So many hands in the proverbial pot of gold.”

  Amay and Grace shifted, looking at each other hesitantly. If Gyth found out what they had conspired, they would be cast out of the Heavens for treason. Or worse. It could always be worse where Gyth was concerned.

  Grinning, Gyth replied. “They have no right. You, Charon, are from times long past, and your presence is no longer required in the Heavens.”

  Laughter rang out as Terror Sky spoke. “There sits upon the throne a father blinded by his heart. He who doesn’t see his enemy is forsaken. Doom shall befall the throne, and new gods will arise.” An eerie feeling slid up Grace’s spine as Terror Sky paused. “Past acquaintances will not be forgotten, and neither will the need for revenge.”

  Reaching upward, Gyth called the godbolts and flung them at Charon and Terror Sky. Grace watched intently as Charon vanished leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. Terror Sky jumped back, the bolts splintering the floor.

  “Make no mistakes from this moment on, Gyth. Charon and I may be from times past but you’ll do well to remember who your enemies are and who they aren’t.” Terror sky’s voice echoed around the room as he shimmered and vanished. “Don’t start another war that you won’t win because I won’t assist you again.”

  Terror Sky was not going to be a problem, but Charon was another matter. There was a presence that loomed around him like a dark shadow. Grace knew the presence. She recognized the gloom filled essence that weaved its way throughout time and space. It was the same presence that loomed around the books. Her books.

  A small grin formed on her lips as Gyth left the throne room. No matter. The Heavens were his to rule and would be until he saw fit to give the throne to another. Or lost it. And he most certainly had no intention of doing that, at least not that he was aware of. All Grace had to do was bide her time and with the help of Jaiden’s books, his downfall would come soon enough.

  • • •

  “I don’t give a hairy rat’s ass if he is busy! You open this damn door or I will break it down!”

  A moment went by, and the Destroyer standing outside the door stuck his head in and glanced at Varick. “She’s insisting that she see you right now.”

  Varick didn’t have a chance to answer as the door swung open and Angelica pushed the guard out of her way. The fierce look on her face was pointed straight at Varick’s head.

  “Don’t you dare leave me like that again! The next time I awake to find you gone, your head will roll!”

  Varick grinned. “Do you not wish to speak to your brother?”

  “Don’t you dare try to change the subject.” She turned to Eli and smiled. “I’ve missed you, but we can catch up later.”

  Eli chuckled as she grabbed Varick’s hand and pulled him to the door. He went obediently to the hallway pulling her into his arms as she turned to face him. A soft smile filled her face as he bent to kiss her.

  “Mine!”

  “I have questions and I want answers!”

  “I want you, and I mean to have you after we are finished with our meeting,” he whispered as he ran his fingers up her back.

  “Questions first, then answers, and then you can have me,” she answered as she slid her tongue across his lips. “And the meeting can wait. It’s not like you don’t have all the time in the world.”

  “Et ou ghin,” he returned.

  “What is that language? What did you say?”

  Varick sucked on her lip and bit down on her tongue before releasing her from his grasp. “It’s my mother’s language. And I said, ‘As you wish.’”

  “Get a room!” Apoc was standing in the doorway. He winked at Angelica, whistled, and batted his eyelashes at Varick. “We can reschedule the meeting, loverboy. Payne’s not here anyway.”

  Angelica smiled sweetly at Apoc. With her right foot, she shut the door in his face. She chuckled as Apoc’s muffled curse.

  “It’s the strangest thing but … ”

  “Something’s bothering you.”

  Varick tilted her head back. She could feel him searching her face.

  She ran her fingertips across his shoulders. “I keep getting this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don’t think Damon is going to leave well enough alone.”

  Varick grabbed her waist, and they shimmered. She held to him tightly shutting her eyes. Seconds later, they reappeared in his bedroom.

  “This isn’t over, is it?” she asked.

  “No.” Varick nuzzled her neck. “The fight with Damon is of Gyth’s making. Gyth condemned him to the Underworld two millenniums ago. Damon retaliates by using witches, vampires, and werewolves to kill members of the One Race and humans.”

  Angelica rubbed her temples. “Why did he condemn him?”

  “For breaking the laws of the Heavens.” Varick shrugged. “The past is the past. The reasons don’t really matter. The important thing is that we protect all the innocent lives that Damon threatens.”

  She nodded. “And I’m a Destroyer now? Like Eli?”

  Varick’s jaw flexed, his eyes growing dark. “Yes. But I won’t have you fighting.”

  Angelica smiled and pulled his lips to hers. She ran her tongue over his lips and reached for his pants. He growled as her hand slipped behind his zipper, grasping his erection.

  “Tell me you won’t fight. Promise me.”

  Angelica purred. “I want to taste you. I want to suck on your skin. I want to sink my teeth into you. I want to make slow, lasting love to the vampire inside you, and then I want the god in you to take me places my body has never been.”

  He stepped back, his eyes swirling with the golden fire she loved. “Promise me, Angelica. Swear you won’t put yourself in harm’s way.”

  She sighed. “Do you really expect me to sit around and do nothing knowing I can help people, knowing I have this power inside of me?”

  He stood there, silent for a minute. His shoulders relaxed and he brought her back into his arms. His head went to her neck, his lips hovering over her pulse. “Then promise me you’ll always be careful. Never let your guard down.”

  Smiling, she nodded. “Promise.”

  “If you do, I might never forgive you.” His fangs grazed her neck. “I’ll always protect you no matter what. I’m a god, whether I wanted it or not. I am what I am. Easy as that.”

  Angelica wrapped her arms around his neck. “I don’t care if you’re a god. I don’t care if you’re a vampire or a Destroyer. I wouldn’t care if you were human or an ogre. I love you, Varick.” She pointed to his heart. “I love what’s right here.”

  She gasped as he shimmered and they reappeared on his bed, her clothes vanishing. His blinding smile made her heart melt.

  When he spoke, his voice twisted, gravel turning into silk. “Gyth said my beast was a blessing but he isn’t. He is a part of me that I was unwilling to accept. You, Angelica Dark, you are the blessing and because of you, I welcome the part of me that is a beast.”

  Angelica listened to the voice that could make angels weep, demons fall to their knees, and diamonds fall from the clouds of heaven. She watched as her mate with his eyes glowing white, and fangs flashing, roared his love for her as he embraced the power of the gods and the fire within his soul.

  A Sneak Peek from Crimson Romance

  (From The Other Side of Heaven: Book 1 in the Italian Time Travel Series by Morgan O’Neill)

  A.D.
951, Castle Garda, Italy

  Willa of Tuscany trembled before the witch-basin awaiting the sign she feared would never come. “I beseech you,” she chanted, “I beseech you, I beseech you.”

  She clutched dirt in her hand, the bits of earth warm and elemental to her touch. Sprinkling it over the water in the basin, she took a breath and blew across the surface. A tongue of blue flame burst forth, showering the air with silver stars.

  “Send who is needed!” She lifted her gaze skyward. “Answer me!”

  A distant thunder rumbled beneath the night sky and the stars whispered, He is found.

  Clouds parted and the moon smiled, He is found, he is found.

  Willa stared down at the water, now quieted and mirror-smooth, and pondered the virile image of a man. Emerald light filled his eyes, his hair spun gold, glittering. And his face! Perfect as a statue of old, a chiseled wonder: the brow noble, the chin square, his smile wide and sensuous.

  Here was the one to father her child, the daughter who would carry on the family legacy, the otherworldly gifts.

  She shook herself free, to action, and cried out, “Come to me!”

  As she plunged her fingers in, breaking the water’s surface, the basin pitched and roiled. Willa staggered and fought to keep her balance, the ground quaking with dark purpose. She felt demon-cold ice arise and she screamed, battling pain and terror, reaching, grasping, and holding on. Green and gold whirled and exploded in a shower of crystals, yet she knew she had touched him, a bare instant of contact.

  It was enough.

  Breathing hard, Willa nursed a hand bleeding and numb, and then looked into the witch-basin once more. The vision had vanished; only shards of ice remained.

  Sharp and cold as her heart.

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  In the mood for more Crimson Romance?

  Check out Paradise Island

  by Charmaine Ross

  at CrimsonRomance.com.