by Lia Davis
Scanning beyond the circus hotel, she saw computers and high-tech lab equipment. Light reflected off something on the table to her right. Focusing on the object, she shifted closer to the bars. Dread washed through her. It was a crystal very similar to the one that hung around Jagger’s neck and a smaller version of the one in Teddy-Bear’s possession.
Fuck. How in the hell did the demons get a piece of the Sinew? Even more important, how many fragments were out there?
Footsteps had her shrink back and pretend to sleep.
“Has she been able to transfer the power to the stone?”
A deep, husky voice boomed through the quiet lab and made Khloe’s skin crawl. Demetrius. Bastard.
“No. She isn’t strong enough.” The Lackey picked up the stone and slipped it into his pocket. “Of course, she could be faking.”
Demetrius shook his head, disappointment coloring his expression. “No, I considered that. She is strong enough. She just doesn’t know it.”
When the demon general moved toward the cell, she closed her eyes and forced her breathing to slow. That was hard to do with their words swirling inside her mind. They had a witch working for them. It was the only possibility. But what did they mean about transferring power?
Chapter 24
Kalissa sat at a large, rectangular table in Noah and Vanessa’s library, staring absently at the computer screen and going through the coven’s archives. “I can’t believe he never told us.” The man she’d loved and admired all her life had lied to her or, at the very least, had withheld a very important chunk of her heritage from her and her twin. Their father was half leopard-shifter, and she and Khloe carried the gene. The knowledge infuriated her and hurt like hell.
Vanessa’s warm hand covered hers. “His family cut all ties to him when he married your mother.”
Shock drew her focus to her mother’s best friend, but Kalissa should have known that the priestess would know. “That’s not a very good excuse to keep it from us.”
“I agree, and I tried to talk to your mother about it. Khloe has shown signs of aggression and dominance her whole life. When you both went through puberty without going through the change, I stopped worrying so much. I still expressed my feelings about keeping this from you, but she thought she was protecting you.” Vanessa paused and released a sigh before continuing. “We were all wrong. We should have known the demons would use it against you.”
Letting everything settle in, she refocused on the computer. Her hand drifted to her still flat stomach, and she lifted her gaze to Vanessa. “What about my child?”
Longing and a hint of sadness passed over Vanessa’s features but vanished seconds later. “There is always a chance your children will be able to shift, but now that the demons injected the gene enhancer into Lo, her children will have a greater chance than yours.”
A laugh bubbled up, and Kalissa didn’t hold it in. “Can you see Lo having children?”
Vanessa smiled. “She’s not the mothering type, is she?”
“Not really. She loves children, but doesn’t have the slightest interest in having any of her own.” The image of her twin chasing after a couple of cubs amused her more than it should.
The slam of the front door followed by heavy footsteps brought their attention to the living room entrance. Ayden rushed in, his eyes fixing on hers. “They took Lo.”
Kalissa stood and moved toward him. He stopped her by wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her in place. “You’re not going,” he said firmly into her hair. Tears spilled over her lids.
“Who’s going?”
“Jagger, Lex, and Zach are already downtown.” He pulled her away from him enough to lock gazes. “I can’t risk anything happening to you or the baby.”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “I know.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek to his chest. “I’ll have to trust that Death Demon to protect his mate.”
Khloe thought the demons would never leave. Her self-control had truly been tested moments ago when Demetrius had poked her through the bars with something unknown, but she was sure she didn’t want to know what it was. She’d really wanted to lash out and set his demon-ass on fire along with the whole building. But, she couldn’t do that until she found out if that stone was indeed a piece of the Sinew and what the demons had planned for it.
First, she had to get the hell out of this damn cell.
Pushing to a stand, she instinctively tried to teleport. She wasn’t too surprised to find a spell in place to keep unwanted beings out or, in her case, to keep magical prisoners in. However, the spell was placed around the building and not the cage. A smirk lifted one corner of her mouth as she flashed to stand on the other side of the bars.
Demons just weren’t very smart at times.
She conjured clothes on her body and went to the computer, and giddiness rose in her chest. Fingers flying over the keys, she worked to break the code and gain access to the files.
Ten minutes later, she was in, and disappointment weighed on her. Every file was encrypted. Shit. It’d take her all night to break each one. Opening her on-line email account, she compressed the files and sent them to Zach. Hopefully, he would recognize them for what they were.
A noise outside the door pushed her into action. She was not going to be tranquilized again and shoved back into the oversized animal cage. A shiver went through her as the fear of being caught changed to determination. The cat within agreed that they would fight to keep from being contained again.
She’d crept a few feet to the door on the other side of the lab when she doubled over from muscle spasms. No, no, no. Not now. We need to get out of here. She started to shake, and panic set in. That was how they’d caught her in the first place. Stupid cat.
Think. She had to calm herself. When she’d lost consciousness under the drug they’d given her, she’d shifted. Earlier, her anger toward Jagger and Samoan had caused her to shift. It made sense that the change was controlled by her emotions.
Okay, kitty. We have to work together. I need my legs to kick that she-demon-elf-bitch’s ass. So work with me.
The small spasms slowed until her muscles relaxed enough to walk. She guessed that was some kind of progress. Before she could reach the rear exit, the other door crashed open. The leopard growled in her mind, and Khloe glared at Samoan standing in the doorway, alone.
“I see the kitty is out of her cage,” Samoan purred and inched closer, manifesting a dagger in her right hand.
Nice.
“May the Goddess give me strength.” Khloe felt a rush of power roll through her, but it wasn’t from Hecate answering her prayer. This was natural, primal, and raw. The same power she possessed in leopard form. Nice. Good kitty.
“Thanks for the gift, Samoan.”
Their mother had always told the twins to accept their gifts as a link to their inner strengths, and feel the power in every pore of their being. The magic was their lifeline, their souls. She had always felt something else deeper within her but had never known what it was, until now.
The demoness snarled. “It wasn’t a fucking gift, bitch. Why can’t you witches do anything you’re supposed to do?”
“Now that wouldn’t be any fun. You should know that I never play by the rules.”
“Yes, you’re a freak of nature.”
“That I will have to agree with you on.” Khloe raised her hands. The few large, rectangular windows several inches from the ceiling opened, and the wind blew around the room, scattering papers.
Thrusting one hand out, Khloe levitated a chair and flung it at Samoan. The demoness dodged it and returned the favor by hurling a small table at her. Khloe jumped out of the way, which gave the demon-bitch time to charge her.
Samoan hit her in the side like a linebacker sacking a quarterback. Pain sliced through Khloe’s ribs as they hit the floor in a tangle of arms and legs then rolled until Khloe pinned the she-demon. Samoan backhanded her, sending Khloe to the floor. The f
emale demon rolled to her side and pushed to a stand. Khloe kicked out, hitting Samoan in the knee. Samoan cried out as she fell and her back slammed into the ground. Jumping up, Khloe picked up the dagger Samoan had dropped. Snatching her up by her ponytail, Khloe pressed the knife to Samoan’s throat.
A scream ripped from Khloe, and she crumbled to ground, every muscle convulsing painfully. Footfalls sounded around her, and then voices erupted into a clatter of noise. She lost focus. Her skin tightened, but this time, she didn’t fight the change. No, she accepted it, wanted it, and vowed to her leopard never to keep her penned up again.
Jagger led Lex and Zach through the basement of the warehouse, following his mate’s scent. It carried a heavier scent of rose than usual. She was pissed but alive. He reached the end of the corridor at the same time the sound of a scream cut into his heart.
He rounded the corner to see Khloe fall to her knees, a demon standing behind her with his hands outstretched. Samoan staggered to her feet, but Jagger’s focus was on his mate struggling for control as she shook wildly while her body shifted into her leopard.
He took a step but stopped when the male demon snapped his gaze toward him and raised his arms, ready to fire. If it were only him, he wouldn’t give a shit. He’d take out the whole damn place. With one flick of the wrist, the building could be engulfed in flames. He could handle the Fire, unlike his brother, mate, and Zach.
Seconds later, a black leopard let out a roar and twisted to lunge at the demon behind her.
“Damn. That is going to take some getting used to,” Zach said beside him, the tone of his voice a mixture of proud brother and pissed-off witch.
Jagger couldn’t have agreed more.
“The cavalry has arrived,” Lex’s flat tone warned from behind them.
Jagger turned to peer over his shoulder. Five large Amiddians stormed into the room. As a unit, Jagger, Zach, and Lex turned to face the group. The wall of hairless creatures wore blank expressions. Jagger wondered if these were the power-enhanced scouts Ryn had mentioned. They were nothing but puppets, and Khan pulled the strings.
Not feeling even a smidgen of pity, Jagger thrust an energy bolt at them. It hit the biggest demon and propelled him backward into a glass cabinet. Shattering glass bounced across the floor and tables nearby, and the demon dropped to the floor. Calling the element of Fire, Jag finished the bastard off by blasting him with a fireball.
Lex and Zach split off from him, each taking on a demon in hand-to-hand combat.
A blur of black fur flew by him and pounced on one of the other males. Trusting his mate to hold her own, he turned to face the fifth demon, who stood staring, unblinking. Jagger raised more energy to get ready to blast him. The demon must have sensed it because he crouched, ready to charge.
Jagger braced for impact, wanting to get his hands on the demon. Hitting him full force, the demon blasted him with more power than an average Amiddian should have possessed. Jagger fell to his knees, howling from the pain as the electrical current surged through his nervous system. A sharp stab in his chest drew his attention downward. A wicked smile formed on his lips. “You’ll have to do better than that, asshole.”
Thrusting his hand out, Jagger snatched the demon by the throat, and with a flick of the wrist, snapped the bastard’s neck. He tossed the lifeless body to the ground just as more demons entered the room. Samoan laughed and ordered, “Get her,” before teleporting out.
The demons pinned Khloe with glares and raised their arms. Dark magic stirred within the room. The air, charged with Fire magic, told Jagger they were calling demon fire—a white-hot, magical blast that in small doses would wound even a god, but a large enough dose could kill one. Jagger screamed, but Khloe was too engaged with the demon she fought. Distracted and in cat form, unaware.
There was only one thing to do. To save her.
Jagger flashed to stand in front her. The demon fire hit his chest, throwing him across the room. Unlike normal fire, the dark blast burned from the inside. He screamed, trying to will the fire out of him. It was no use. Pain overrode thoughts and the ability to effectively use his powers. Darkness closed in around him and dragged him under.
Jagger’s pained screams sliced Khloe’s heart. She yowled and ran to his too-still form on the floor. Blood streamed out of his ears. Her heart shattered into pieces as she shifted back to her human body. She rolled him onto his back and caressed his face with her fingers. He was hot. Too hot.
With a scream of her own, she whirled around and faced the wall of demons staring at her like a bunch of idiots. “Fucking die, bastards!” She threw her hands out, calling to Fire and wind, and directing the flames at them. Then she opened the link to her brother-in-law’s gift of adaptability. Searching the demon’s powers, she found the link that allowed them to call the demon fire and used it, burning the fuckers from the inside while the natural flames burned them from the outside.
Movement behind her made her turn and hiss at whoever approached.
Lex stared, unfazed by her primal attempt to protect her mate. His chest rose and fell, and his crimson eyes glistened in the light. It was the most emotion the demon had shown since she’d met him, but Khloe smelled the pain and fear drifting from him.
Footsteps behind her made her pivot around, ready to attack, but it was Zach. All the demons were dead. Samoan, on the other hand, had flashed out moments before Jagger was hit. That bitch was hers, and Khloe would get her revenge. Some day.
Bringing her attention back to Lex, she pleaded with tears rolling down her cheeks, “Fix him. You have the power to give him life.”
Moisture in his eyes increased, and he shook his head. “Jagger has that gift, not me. There is no cure for demon fire.” He bent down and lifted his brother in his arms.
No. Jagger has to pull out of it. “Call Hecate. There has to be something we can do. What about the Fates?”
Lex just gave a nod. Khloe wanted to scream at him, hit him. But deep down, she knew he was right. Demon fire was lethal even to the gods.
Cotton touched her bare skin. Startled, she peered at Zach. He had taken his button-up shirt off and draped it over her shoulders. Sliding her arms into the sleeves, she sniffed with a soft “thank you” and allowed him to lead her out the door.
“Goddess, please bring him back to me.”
Chapter 25
“Lo, hon. You need to rest.”
Khloe shook her head and continued to wipe Jagger’s brow with a cool cloth, speaking to him in hushed tones. His fever had finally broken two days before, but she wanted him to know she was there and wouldn’t leave. Hecate was able to stop the demon fire the night they’d brought him home, but he hadn’t shown any signs of waking. “I’ll sleep when I know he’ll be all right.”
Lydia laid her hand on Jagger’s chest and sighed. The healer didn’t need to say it. Khloe knew. No change.
“Why hasn’t he woken up? It’s been five days.”
“There was a lot of internal damage,” Lydia replied, but Khloe could tell the healer didn’t have any answers.
Khloe lay down beside him and rested her head on his chest. His heart thumped in a steady pace but didn’t soothe her like it should. She released a shaky breath and snuggled into him. “Please, come back to me.”
Jagger floated. At least, it seemed like he was on a bed of air, light, and in no hurry to get anywhere. Where was he? Darkness surrounded him.
Please come back to me. The words whispered to his subconscious. Khloe?
Then the events replayed in his mind. Demons flooding the room with one target in their sights. Then Jagger jumping in the line of fire, taking the full force of the demon fire aimed right at his mate.
Khan had gone from capturing Khloe to kill order? Or was it Samoan’s order?
How was he still alive? Well, not really alive. But not dead either.
A soft white light shone above him. A familiar face appeared. Her hair was black as night and her eyes were green like emeralds. Two othe
r females hung behind her, not coming too close, but Jagger sensed they were there.
The Fates.
The female closest to him spoke softly. “Hello, my son.”
“Have you come to take me like you took my family?” he couldn’t keep the harshness out of his words. “Why have you cursed me? Am I not allowed to love?”
He didn’t want her there. His soul would soon go to the Elysian Fields. That thought broke his heart. Khloe. He’d never see her, touch her, smell her again.
“My son, I do not control all things. Just the path and keeping the balance.”
He let out a growl. “Leave.”
A soft sob escaped her, and she stepped closer. “I come to give you a gift.”
He laughed bitterly. “At what cost?”
“Your life for your immortality.”
Narrowing his eyes, he focused on her face as he sat up. “What are you saying?”
“You can go back to your mate, but you will be mortal. You and Khloe can bond, and you’ll take her lifespan. However, when she dies, so will you.” The goddess of Fate blinked then lifted the corners of her mouth. “You sacrificed your life for hers and have suffered so much loss. I haven’t been there, couldn’t interfere. But I can give you this gift. If you accept.”
He’d give anything to be with Khloe. Giving up his powers was a big sacrifice, but he’d do it. He’d share her lifespan, and they’d go into the afterlife together… “Wait. I thought the Divinities were immortal?”
“No. They have extended lifespans. Many will live for thousands of years, but they can be killed. With the war between witches and demons, there is no guarantee how long Khloe’s life will be.” She frowned and lowered her green gaze. “I’m sorry, I wish there was more I could do.”
Jagger nodded, hope restoring in his heart. “I will need my Death Demon strengths and powers to help the Divinities fight in this war. I’ll give up my immortality and god powers I’ve gained from you and Hecate.”