by Brenda Trim
The door opened and a nurse walked in, replacing the bag of fluids. They all remained silent as she worked, not wanting to give away any sensitive realm information. Santiago hated being in the human hospital. The astringent smell of cleaner burned his nose and the noise gave him a headache. Not to mention the aura of death that surrounded the place. He didn’t know how humans dealt with so much sickness and loss. Humans were such fragile creatures he understood why the Goddess tasked the Dark Warriors with protecting them. After checking vitals, the nurse left.
The male lying in the bed was a threat to humans and supernaturals alike. Angel’s Kiss dealers often sold to humans, not caring the drug was fatal to them. As for supernaturals, their lives were over the instant they took the drug. Addiction was instantaneous and users would never regain normal functioning. Realm doctors had been able to help addicts end the cravings, but they lost their minds in the process. Santiago didn’t need to know if this male had sold directly to humans, but he had gotten what he deserved for dealing drugs in Santiago’s city.
“Have you tried the serum on him?” Orlando asked, referring to the concoction realm scientists had developed to counteract drug.
“I administered it right before you guys arrived and he hasn’t woken up, yet. If anything, his vitals continue to decline. I sent his blood to FINA for further testing,” Jace explained, referring to the realm lab. “There’s something different about this one. Initial testing of his blood showed higher than normal levels of the drug. Did you guys convince your Chief to assign you to the case?”
Orlando crossed his arms over his chest as he contemplated the vampire lying in the bed. “Yeah, we did, but it wasn’t easy. Vice was bitching that it was their case so we had to have Bhric go in and implant the suggestion in the Chief’s mind.”
Santi chuckled. “Serves those bastards right. They think they’re the shit around the precinct when truth is they don’t hold a candle to us.”
Both males looked sharply at him. He shrugged, not caring how it sounded because he was being honest. Humans couldn’t protect themselves. The door opened before either could deliver a scathing response. It was Charlotte from the Department. “Here’s the file you asked for,” she murmured, handing it to Orlando with a smile.
Orlando returned the smile and accepted the file. “Thank you, you’re the best, darlin’. I know this was out of your way.”
Charlotte blushed and glanced away shyly. “Oh, you know I don’t mind. You guys work so hard.” The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before she left.
Santiago was looking over Orlando’s shoulder when he opened the file. “Have any other witnesses come forward?” Jace asked as they read the information. Jace may have been a medical doctor, but he was a Dark Warrior through and through, and their first thought when dealing with humans was about exposure.
If humans learned about the existence of supernaturals there would be mass hysteria and mayhem would ensue. Santiago understood the reason behind the Goddess’ mandate that the realm be kept secret. Supernaturals may be stronger, but humans outnumbered them. Supernaturals had weaknesses and could be killed and Santi had no doubt that humans would exploit those weaknesses and eliminate what they perceived as a threat. Not to mention, scientists would want to study them like lab rats.
“No,” Orlando responded to Jace’s question, “there was only the male who called 911.”
They were getting nowhere standing in the hospital, Santiago thought impatiently. “Keep us posted on his progress. We need to get more information before his supplier is tipped off and covers his tracks,” Santi interjected.
“Will do,” Jace replied and headed out of the room.
“Why do you assume he’s a dealer? Dealers of Angel’s Kiss don’t typically use,” Orlando said, looking at him sideways.
Santiago waved an impatient hand and headed for the door. “It doesn’t take a genius given the amount of product found on him. Just look at him, this male couldn’t afford that much,” he replied, hoping to stall that line of questioning.
“Shit,” Orlando cursed. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Where do you propose we start? Realm police ransacked his place, and aside from more dope, found no new clues.”
“The sister. Maybe she knows about his activities. There has to be a reason they don’t live together,” Santiago suggested. Supernaturals didn’t do well living alone. They were social creatures and couldn’t survive without the companionship and support of family and friends. It was common, and expected, that several generations lived together.
Orlando followed Santi out of the room and down the hall. “Do you really think she got tired of his shit and kicked him out? According to this file, they are the only family members.”
“We’ll know soon enough,” Santiago replied, exiting the double doors of the hospital. He needed to know what the sister knew if he was going to find the sorcerer or witch behind a drug that was destroying lives.
*****
For the second time that night, a loud knock echoed through Tori’s living room. Cursing, she finished tying her boot and retracted her wings. Who the hell was at her door now? Realm police had been there an hour before and she doubted it was them again. At least she hoped it wasn’t them. The last thing she needed in her line of business was the cops sniffing around. She hadn’t been able to provide any insight into her brother’s connection to Angel’s Kiss.
“May I help you?” she asked as she turned the knob and opened the door to two supernatural males. They may not be in uniform, but she could smell a pig a mile away. Although these two were easy on the eyes. The bald one in particular, was rather delicious with his soulful, brown eyes and muscular physique. She had always been attracted to bald males and this one got her attention and then some. She prayed to the Goddess that her eyes weren’t turning silver and shouting to the world her interest.
The other male had spiky blonde hair and the greenest eyes she’d ever seen. He smiled warmly at her and held out his hand. “Are you Tori Castillo?”
She looked pointedly at his hand until he lowered it. She never shook a stranger’s hand. “Depends on who’s asking,” she replied shortly.
The bald male shouldered around his partner and got way too close for comfort. Instinctively, she reached for her waistband and the weapon that she kept there. “We’re the Dark Warriors that have been assigned to your brother’s case and we have some questions for you.”
Her heart skipped a beat at his words and it wasn’t because his baritone voice caressed her soul. The last thing she needed was the Vampire King’s warriors scrutinizing her life. The Dark Warriors had a reputation for being implacable and relentless.
“Why were you assigned? I spoke to the Realm Police only an hour ago. What happened to Perry and Mason?” she asked, hoping her voice was calmer than her sudden nerves.
The bald warrior narrowed his eyes at her, stepping even closer. He was standing so close to her that if she took a deep breath her breasts would brush against his hard chest. His proximity was disconcerting and if she wasn’t mistaken, anger and desire pulsed off his heated skin. What would it be like to be possessed by this male? She had no doubt it would be one of the most pleasurable experiences of her life.
“The King decided the case warranted closer scrutiny and I couldn’t agree more,” he murmured, breaking her fantasy.
The blonde elbowed his partner. “Excuse us for being rude. I’m Orlando Trovatelli and this is my partner, Santiago Reyes. Can we come in and talk? This isn’t a matter to be discussed on the front porch.”
Tori was going to kill her brother when he woke up. Not only had he decided to turn to drugs rather than her, his actions had brought the warriors to her home. “Yes, of course,” she replied, stepping back to allow them ingress.
She led them to the couches in her living room. “You’re a Valkyrie?” Mr. Reyes asked.
“Yes, why? You have a problem with that?” she asked, feeling defensive about the question.
She sat across from her sofa in the only chair the room afforded and watched the large males consume the small space. They managed to dwarf her blue sofa and take up all the oxygen in the room. It didn’t help that her paintings were propped against every free inch of space she had. She needed to land a big job and earn the money to buy that loft.
The way Mr. Reyes watched her was unnerving. “No problem. I was merely caught off guard given how rare your species is. I wouldn’t have expected the brother of such a noble creature to be dealing drugs,” the bald warrior murmured in that deep voice.
“You’re speaking out of turn accusing my brother of committing such acts. Where do you get your information? Has my brother woken up?” She may be angry with him at the moment, but the thought of her brother waking up alone was unacceptable.
She and Miguel used to be inseparable. The events of the past day made her realize how much she missed their closeness. After she had been reborn a Valkyrie and adopted by his parents, Miguel had become not only her new brother, but her best friend. That all changed after their parents died. They’d both gone their separate ways and obviously chosen unconventional paths in life.
The idea that her brother was dealing drugs didn’t sit well with her, despite her own career choice. Miguel had been so patient and loving with her. What they were accusing him of didn’t make any sense.
Mr. Reyes sat back and crossed a foot over a knee. “Your brother remains in a coma. Jace is doing everything he can to make certain he wakes up. To answer your other question, your brother had enough drugs on him to supply a small village. And, from what I could see, he’s fairly high up on the ladder. He may have been dressed in simple clothing, but he didn’t fool me. What do you know of his associates?” the bald Dark Warrior asked, pointedly. She noticed the way his partner glanced sharply at Santiago and filed that information away for further consideration.
“You are wrong about my brother, Mr. Reyes. He is not a drug dealer and certainly not a user. Hell, he hardly even drank alcohol. He didn’t care for the way it impaired his thinking. And, I don’t know who his current associates are. We lost touch about a decade ago after our parents died.”
“What I am right or wrong about remains to be seen. We will locate your brother’s supplier and if your brother wakes up, he will be charged. In the meantime, can you tell us anything about your brother’s life? Where he worked? Clubs that he may have frequented? Who he dated? Anything at all?” Mr. Reyes asked, sitting forward now, his scent enveloping her.
It was difficult to think straight with him so close, but she’d be damned if she threw her brother to the wolves, literally, if her nose wasn’t mistaken. They may not be close, but Miguel was her brother and she loved him regardless. “I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could tell you, but I don’t know anything about his life. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to the hospital,” she said, standing.
Mr. Trovatelli stood first and Mr. Reyes followed suit, obviously reluctant to let her go. “You will call us if you discover anything,” the bald warrior indicated, handing her a business card.
“Will do,” she lied, jumping when their fingers accidentally brushed, shocking her with electricity.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
When the flames died and the world stopped spinning around him, Rhys thought he might hurl all over his mate. He had to squeeze his eyes shut and breathe through his nose for several seconds to settle his stomach. It wouldn’t look very attractive if he lost it under such circumstances. He had just shared some of the most intimate moments of his life with a female after having fought valiantly to save her life not once, but three times. It would not be cool if he lost it because of a simple transportation spell.
He blinked several times and his vision cleared to the same sparse lighting he’d become accustomed to in the Underworld. “You okay?” he asked Illianna hoarsely.
“Yeah. So, I guess we made it to the Seventh Circle,” she pointed out, extricating herself from his hold. She turned in a circle, looking around her.
“‘Bout time you guys got here,” came a familiar voice. Rhys swiveled and saw Dante and Kellen walking toward them at a swift pace.
“Took you long enough to figure your shit out,” Kellen indicated. The male was smiling widely and looked ready for anything. The last time he’d seen him, Kellen had been battered and bruised, and Dante had been worse. There wasn’t a mark on Kellen.
Rhys glanced back to Dante, relieved to note that the male appeared whole and healthy and most important, ready to fight. “I see you’ve both found someone to replenish your energy. That’s good. What have you learned about this circle?” Rhys inquired as he scanned their surroundings.
“We found a couple of willing females in Amon’s house,” Dante explained.
“Where is this Amon, and more important, what is he? Will we need to fight him?” Rhys wondered, wrapping an arm around Illianna’s shoulders, holding her close.
“Amon is the ruler of this section,” Kellen indicated, gesturing to his left as he came to a stop close to them. “He’s one massive male with enormous horns and wings. Like most here in Hell, he is a male driven by his lusts and his particular lusts are for the blood of the virtuous.” Kellen cut a meaningful glance in Illianna’s direction.
No way was his mate getting anywhere near this Amon. “It’s what keeps his skin red. At least, according to the female we met. But it’s the giant minotaur who guards the entrance that is our biggest problem,” Kellen finished as he headed away from the location they had transported into.
They all followed in Kellen’s tracks while Rhys wracked his brain for what a minotaur was. An image of a large man-like bull came to mind.
“Why isn’t he here to greet us?” Rhys asked warily, looking around for trouble. The landscape was what one would expect in Hell with black dirt, dead trees with spindly arms like giant spiders, and little else.
“The demons enjoyed our company so much they agreed to keep the minotaur busy for a little while. We shouldn’t stick around here any longer. We have no idea when he might reappear and I have no desire to fight anything right now,” Dante explained, wending his way through the sparse trees.
“Where are we headed?” Illianna asked as she struggled to keep up with their long strides. Rhys had to hand it to the female. She held it together without complaining no matter what they’d encountered.
“Away from Amon’s house and toward the outer ring where the murderers and plunderers are punished,” Dante called over his shoulder.
“How exactly are they punished?” he asked, hoping they weren’t headed for even worse conditions than they’d already witnessed. Although, he couldn’t imagine that murderers and plunderers were treated to tea and biscuits.
Dante came to a sudden halt on the rise of a hill. Rhys couldn’t see what had stopped the male, but he grabbed Illianna’s hand and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Stay close.”
She looked up at him with tired eyes. He didn’t like seeing the dark circles. It reminded him that they hadn’t really been able to rest at all since they’d begun their journey. She looked like she could use about a month of sleep. He smiled when she rolled her eyes in response to his directive. He kissed the tip of her nose and slowed their progress as they came up behind Dante and Kellen.
Dante had stopped just outside the tree line and was gaping at a scene he could scarcely believe. They were staring down at another fucking river. This one contained boiling blood and the surface was on fire. Rhys wanted to gag as the smell of burning flesh clogged his nostrils. The smell was awful by itself, but then every once in a while it combined with the brimstone and death that permeated the Underworld and it sent Rhys’ stomach churning. Thankfully, it had been sometime since he’d last eaten.
They slowly approached the bank of the river. Like with the River Styx, this river was crammed with bodies and souls.
“Let me guess. These are the murderers and plunderers,” Rhys postulated.
&nb
sp; Dante shook his head and looked around as he responded, “You got that right and knowing what they did in their lives, I don’t even feel bad that they will spend the rest of eternity suffering this fate. Let’s find a way to get across.”
“I don’t suppose we could make it across jumping from head to head,” Rhys suggested with a grin.
“We could try it, but I don’t trust these creatures. They have thrived on murder. Who’s to say they won’t simply pull us in to get their jollies?” Kellen responded casually.
Illianna gaped at Rhys and smacked him on the shoulder. “You’re crazy if you think you’re getting me to cross that,” she muttered, as she stormed off, fear evidence on her beautiful face.
Rhys followed his mate. “Wait, Illianna. Stop. I know you’re frightened, but we have to cross this river. We can’t allow Lucifer to get free of his prison, otherwise, he will destroy the world,” he explained, imploring her to understand.
She pointed to the boiling blood and fire. “I am not going to allow those things to pull me in. Do you see those flames? And, the blood? That is the last place I want to be trapped for the rest of time.” She shuddered and wrapped her arms across her chest protectively. Rhys had noticed she had a habit of doing that when she was frightened or nervous.
He rubbed soothing circles on her back and drew her to him. He was making progress with her, he thought, as she came to him willingly. “We will find a way that will keep you out of their reach. I’ll even carry you on my back. You trust me, don’t you?” he asked, kissing the top of her head.
She lifted her head off his chest and looked into his eyes. He had no idea what she saw there, but he meant what he said. He would keep her safe and not allow harm to come to her. “I trust you. I don’t trust them,” she asserted, glancing at the river and the writhing souls within.
The souls here appeared more corporeal and there weren’t as many as there had been in other sections. It was still eerie to see these barely dressed beings, some neck deep, some knee deep, in the boiling blood. The flames would burn their clothes away and their skin would bubble and melt and then they would heal and go back to normal, but it never lasted as the cycle was on endless repeat.