Taste of Darkness

by Katie Reus

  A burst of rage swelled through her like a tsunami, muting most of her pain. This male was going down. And she’d likely only get one chance to take him out.

  “But why? He was only twelve. He trusted you, looked up to you.” Keelin’s voice was fading, weak with pain and fatigue, spurring Victoria into action.

  Slowly, ignoring the cramping pull in her abdomen as she sat up, she started sliding her pant leg up. Clasping the hilt of the blade forged in dragon-fire strapped there, she clutched it tight and slid it out of its sheath. The towel around her middle was awkward but she left it in place, not wanting to move too much.

  Nevin turned from looking down at the book to Keelin, but his back was still to Victoria. The blond male was shaking, as if he was close to losing control. “Dear Aunt Arya killed my mother so I took what was important to her. Stupid male should have stayed there forever. Now I’m going to sacrifice you and release Akkadian demons onto our land before I escape into Protective Hibernation. By the time your whore mother and worthless father wake up from their Hibernation you’ll be dead and with any luck so will your brothers.”

  Keelin laughed, the sound weak as Victoria stood up. “You’re a fool. Even if you release demons the clan will destroy them all. And it doesn’t matter where you hibernate, someone will find you.”

  He grunted and turned back to the book. “Not if they don’t know where the gate is. They’ll just keep coming and coming and the pack will be too busy trying to kill demons to worry about me. That little shifter bitch is going to be the perfect treat for the escaping demons. And no one will find me.” He laughed then, the maniacal sound like something out of a cheesy movie or cartoon.

  What a freaking psycho. Raw violence was against her intrinsic healer nature but now she felt practically savage. He’d shot her and Keelin, kidnapped them, but more than anything, he’d dared to hurt her mate. When Drake had just been a boy unable to protect himself. She was going to relish killing Nevin.

  Victoria took a step forward, careful of where she placed her foot. Her movements were silent, though her heart pounded out of control. She couldn’t afford to alert Nevin. Heart racing, she took another step. Then another.

  Keelin’s gaze flicked in her direction for a fraction of a moment but quickly reverted back to the crazy dragon shifter staring at the big book.

  “The only thing I regret is that I won’t get to see your mother’s face when she returns,” he muttered, scratching his head like an animal with fleas. He let out an angry growl. “But I must hibernate… The symbols are painted, the blood is flowing… What am I missing?”

  “So you sacrificed him simply for revenge? You’re pathetic, going after a boy like that,” Keelin rasped out.

  “Of course not!” He screamed, back to making that horrible screeching sound. “His sacrifice was supposed to give me unimaginable power. I was going to take over the clan and kill your parents for taking away mine. But a fucking witch betrayed me.”

  Victoria figured Keelin was trying to keep him distracted. Perfect. She was only ten feet from him now, dagger poised. So close she was almost in reach. As she started to take another step, the ground beneath her rumbled and the cave shook.

  A stalactite fell from the roof, crashing near the altar, the splintered rock spraying everywhere. Managing not to cry out, Victoria caught herself before she fell to her knees, but Nevin turned, his greenish-gray eyes filled with dark hatred when he saw her there.

  His gaze landed on her blade and he let out an ear-piercing screech that ricocheted off the cave.

  Victoria lunged for him, blade ready to strike when he let loose a bright stream of orange flames. She instinctively ducked though she had nowhere to go. Instead of being burned, the fire flowed around her, the flames engulfing her in a bubble but not touching her skin.

  Drake’s essence.

  The male screamed even louder, his fire shooting off like a blazing roman candle as he threw his head back and spread his arms out wide. Victoria braced herself, feet wide apart as she withstood the onslaught. She had no idea how long Drake’s protection would hold up under the attack.

  The only thing she knew was that she needed to get close enough to kill this male. And get him away from Keelin.

  Victoria let her claws extend on her blade-free hand. She started walking backward, taking slow steps as if she was trying to flee.

  Nevin growled and his flames stopped as he stared at her, his eyes wild with rage and deep emptiness. “I’ll wear down your protection eventually. Or maybe I’ll just cut your head off.” Again with the crazy laugh as he jumped at her, breathing fire.

  Victoria dove to her left, rolling behind a giant stalagmite for cover as fire burned around her. Part of the rock crumbled under the intensity of the blaze, but her protective bubble held.

  She stood, ready to run again when the flames fizzled and she found Nevin a foot in front of her.

  On instinct, she slashed out at him, the blade slicing against his cheek before she jumped away again, putting five feet of distance between them. She might be younger than him, but she was nimble on her feet. Growing up in a wolf shifter pack had taught her a lot of things. While she might be a healer, she still knew how to attack and retreat and wear down her opponent. Then when the time was right she would attack, attack, attack, until this male was destroyed.

  Nevin screamed again, his body trembling as he shot fire in an uncontrolled arc over her head. He knew his flames couldn’t touch her so the energy seemed like a wasted effort. It was almost as if he’d lost his mind.

  Whatever was wrong with him, she took advantage of the situation when he let his head fall back and screamed even louder. The cave rumbled ominously, rocks raining down on them. She ignored everything but the male in front of her.

  This was her chance.

  Diving at Nevin, she covered the last couple feet and sank the blade into his chest, striking his heart dead center. The blade sank deep, the thudding sound terrible as the hilt rammed into his ribs. The flames immediately died around her, the male’s wide eyes flaring to a bright silver tinged with black flecks, as if the darkness in him was eating away from the inside out.

  Baring her teeth, letting the rage flow through her, she twisted the blade, shredding his heart. She felt like a female possessed. As the brightness from his eyes faded, she withdrew the weapon and raised it above his head. Arching her arm down hard, she sliced through bone and tendons, severing his head. Blood arced away from her in a crimson spray as the separated body fell forward.

  The ground rumbled again, nearly knocking her off balance.

  Before Nevin’s head hit the ground she turned to find Keelin staring at her from the altar, eyes wide. “We need to get out of here,” she rasped, her voice still weak. Too weak.

  Victoria nodded and went to the female’s shackles. After a brief touch on the chains she was grateful they weren’t silver. “How hurt are you?”

  “I’m okay. The gunshot wounds have healed but he injected me with some sort of poison. It’s dulling my strength and…hard to talk.” Her voice was too faint.

  “Don’t talk then. I’ll get you out of here.” Then she would figure out where the hell they were and get Keelin to safety. She yanked on the manacle and breathed out a sigh of relief when it broke away. After breaking off the other one, she slid her arms under Keelin’s back and legs and lifted her off the altar. Holding the female close, Victoria winced at the pull against her abdomen. Even though she was healing quickly it still freaking hurt.

  A quick look at the Hell Gate told her that it was still opening. Unfortunately Victoria had absolutely no idea how to close the thing.

  Stepping over Nevin’s body, she snagged the blood-stained throw and wrapped it around Keelin’s shaking body.

  “I’m going to get us out of here then start healing you. We’ll get help soon. Can you stand for just a sec?” She hated to put the female down but needed to do one thing first.

  Keelin nodded, her skin tinged gray. Victo
ria placed her on her feet and only let go when the female held on to the cave wall for support.

  Though she hated to touch Nevin, she quickly searched his pants pockets and patted him down for a cell phone or another way to communicate. Cursing when she found nothing, she grabbed the book on the altar and hurried back to Keelin. Victoria knew she might have to figure out a way to close the Hell Gate and this book was the best chance they had. If that maniac had used it to open the gate, they could use it to close it.

  Hopefully.

  “I can walk out of here,” the female murmured.

  Yeah, that wasn’t happening. “Just hold this.” She gave Keelin the book then lifted her in her arms. Then she grabbed one of the LED lanterns Nevin had waiting here. Right about now, Victoria was seriously thankful for her shifter strength. Even in the midst of healing she was still stronger than any human.

  “I smell snow,” Victoria murmured as she slowly made her way through the cavernous opening. They had to be close to an exit. Hope soared through her at the thought of freedom.

  The cave rumbled again but she kept her footing and increased her pace. She was trying to be careful since Keelin was injured too, but decided a little pain was worth getting out of here sooner.

  Less than a minute later they reached the mouth of a cave. Victoria stepped out onto a thirty foot ledge, into the freezing night air. A blanket of stars illuminated the sky. Her heart caught in her throat. The cliff dropped straight down farther than she could see. Even in wolf form she couldn’t walk down that type of angle. It was a straight freefall.

  “Keelin—”

  “I can’t shift yet,” she rasped out, clearly knowing what Victoria planned to ask.

  Well, hell. She set the female on her feet and tucked the blanket tighter around Keelin’s shoulders. They might not be able to escape yet, but she could start healing the other female. “Let’s get you into the mouth of the cave.” It would keep the chill off Keelin. Later she’d worry about the fact that a Hell Gate was inside that cave. One problem at a time.

  Keelin nodded and they both started back across the ledge for the mouth. The ground shook again, worse than before. As the ledge floor fell away beneath Victoria she shoved Keelin forward.

  A scream tore from her throat as she tumbled backward off the cliff, her stomach jumping into her throat as she fell into darkness.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Victoria’s scream died in her throat as a huge rush of wind swept under her, making her tumble midair. A muscular arm snagged around her waist and she found herself slamming hard against…Drake. In dragon form.

  She stared up from Drake’s scaled back at Gabriel who’d just grabbed her midair. “You all right?” Gabriel shouted over the sound of wind rushing over them. The Guardian sat on Drake’s back, holding on to the ridged scales down the middle of his long body.

  She nodded, not bothering to talk. For a moment she buried her face against Drake, not surprised how smooth his skin was. He’d saved her.

  Holding on tight to the pale diamond-toned ridges, she turned her head toward Drake’s. His head was turned back to her and though she could only see his profile, she knew all his focus was on her as sure as she knew her name. Wind rushed over her face and body as Drake flew down the mountain. “Drake! We need to go back and get Keelin!”

  In response, he let out a loud growl.

  Thankful he understood her, she laid flatter against him, hugging him tight as his jade-colored wings flapped rapidly, taking them higher and higher. Her stomach dipped at the sharp climb. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. She’d never flown with him before, but once all this was over she wanted to do it under different circumstances.

  As they reached the opening of the cave relief slammed through Victoria to see Keelin deep in the wider mouth of the cave, huddled next to a huge boulder. Her pale, blonde hair stood out like a beacon.

  With surprising agility for such a large shifter, Drake landed in the mouth of the cave in seconds. The moment she and Gabriel slid off him, Drake shifted to his human form with a rapid fluidity that still amazed her. Gabriel hurried toward Keelin as Victoria threw herself into Drake’s arms, more thankful than she’d ever been to see him. Her throat was tight, making it difficult to breathe as she held him close. She couldn’t stop the shakes racking her body.

  He returned her embrace, his big body quivering. “You’re alive.” She could barely hear his whisper.

  She buried her face against his neck, her trembling starting to subside as she took comfort in his steel embrace. They needed to close the Hell Gate and get out of the cave but she needed to hold him for just a second first. Needed to know this was real. “You found me,” she managed to rasp out, tears clogging her throat. She didn’t bother hiding them. She’d been keeping it together until falling off the cliff. She might be supernatural with extra healing abilities, but she wasn’t sure she’d have survived the fall.

  Knowing that she could have died, wouldn’t have gotten to see Drake again, to kiss him, and finally make love to him… She stopped her mind from going there.

  He pulled back, but remained close, his bright silver eyes pinned to hers as he cupped her face in the gentlest hold. “I will always find you.” The deep vow pierced her.

  She opened her mouth to respond but the cave rumbled again. She clutched on to his forearms to steady herself. Panic slid through her veins, an icy reminder of what they needed to do. “Drake, your psycho cousin started to open a Hell Gate. He was using Keelin’s blood to do it and the process has already started. You’re the only one I know who can close it.” He’d done it in New Orleans when none of them had known how. From what Victoria knew about sacrifices and spells, she guessed that because of the strength of Keelin’s dragon blood things were moving at an accelerated rate.

  “Stay here… Never mind, come on.” Drake grabbed her hand and they raced past Gabriel and Keelin. “Keep my sister out here,” he threw over his shoulder as they hurried deeper into the cave.

  Drake held Victoria’s hand tight, knowing she’d never stay put and they couldn’t waste time arguing. His female would never leave him to face this alone.

  Or anything else. And it was one of the reasons he loved her. When he’d seen her falling from that cliff he’d lost a century of his life. He’d never flown so fast or pushed so hard. His heart was still pounding erratically at the sight and he wasn’t sure he’d ever get over the terror that he might have lost her.

  “Nevin sacrificed you. He was behind it all,” she said as they hurried. “I killed him.”

  The raw satisfaction in her voice shocked him, but he didn’t stop now. There was no time. Not until the gate was closed and Victoria and his sister were safe.

  Keep my mate safe and claim her. The two primal thoughts were the most prominent that raced through his mind. As he and Victoria spilled into the heart of the cave, his heart stuttered at the sight of Nevin’s decapitated body on the ground and the rapidly opening Hell Gate above it.

  Victoria had killed the traitor. For him. He’d never be able to thank her for what she’d done for him, for slaying the bastard who’d taken his childhood away.

  But he sure as hell was going to protect her now.

  “Stay behind me,” he ordered as he jumped over a fallen, shattered stalactite. Too many emotions swelled inside him but he had to keep everything locked down until Victoria was far away from here.

  Needing the spilled blood to close the gate, he started toward the altar when a snarled, claw-tipped reptilian hand appeared from the viscous hole. Fuck.

  “Akkadian demon. Get out!” he ordered Victoria as one of the ancient demons crawled through the door.

  He knew they could glamorize themselves in this realm if they chose, but right now the thing staring at them was seven feet of nightmare. Short horns topped its head and his body was covered in thick, reptilian looking skin. Both hands and feet were clawed, like monkeys. Its eyes glowed eerily yellow as he snarled at Drake. />
  It raised a fist in the air, his reptilian face twisting oddly as it shouted, “Freedom.” The creature spoke in ancient Sumerian, but Drake understood perfectly well.

  “Not for long,” he growled, opening his mouth and letting a burst of fire annihilate the demon.

  It burst into flames as the thing screamed in agony. Drake was aware of the pounding of boots echoing off the cave walls, but ignored the sound since he knew it was Gabriel.

  When the demon turned to ash, Drake stilled his fire and turned. Victoria was still there, her blade in hand, along with Gabriel, two blades in hand.

  “I’ll handle this!” he shouted at them. He just needed to close the gate and he didn’t need their damn help.

  He needed Victoria safe and away from here. It was the only way he could focus.

  “Fuck you,” Gabriel snarled. “If you’re her mate, you’re fucking pack. End of story so shut up and let’s close this damn gate.”

  Victoria nodded once, her expression beautifully fierce. “What he said.”

  Throat tight, he stared at Victoria for a moment before turning back to the gate. He didn’t want to look at the fallen body but he couldn’t help it. His gaze snagged on Nevin’s decapitated head and stayed there.

  Nevin’s lifeless eyes stared up at him from the rocky ground, the sulfuric scent around them as disgusting as the dead male. Drake started to shake, wishing he’d been the one to destroy the monster who’d stolen everything from him. Killing one Akkadian demon wasn’t enough to stop the rage burning through him like an out of control volcano. His shaking worsened and he tried to order his body under control, but couldn’t tear his gaze from Nevin’s head.