“Hello, Father.”
A brief flicker of surprise registered in Gahn’s ebony eyes before morphing into sneering contempt. “Father, now is it? You court my wrath with such insincere accolades, boy.”
Haden forced his head to dip apologetically and his damn neck nearly snapped from the resistance. “I beg your pardon. It’s not your wrath I seek, but your forgiveness. I have wronged you. I can see that now, and I wish to make amends.”
“Amend a betrayal? You think I hold you in such esteem that I would ever consider forgiving the wrong you have done me?”
Haden’s fist clenched tight, the pointed end of the heart-shaped stone digging into his hand. “No, not esteem. But desperation might make you do it.”
A sharp bark of laughter cut through the air. “Ha, even your groveling bears insolence. Tell the truth, boy. You’ve heard of Tyber’s death and wish to vie for second in command. Come to claim your get, have you?”
Oh, he’d come to claim his get, all right… To hear Gahn speak of Tyber so trivially made Haden’s gut clench with rage. “I’ve heard no word of such position.”
“So you aim to insult me, then? Desperate, you think me? Do I look desperate to you?”
“For heirs, yes. Otherwise, you never would have taken me in.”
“For all the good it’s done me, you traitorous, ungrateful shit.”
Haden forced himself to breathe—to relax his muscles taut with rage, to soften his stance lest Gahn glimpse the hatred flooding through his veins. “I’ve been helping you, whether you realize it or not.”
“Helping me lose my head? You think that I forgot you tried to kill me in the Everglades neigh a month ago?”
“Had I truly intended to kill you, you’d be dead. Thanks, by the way, for sticking that knife in my gut. Seems to me, we both could benefit from a clean slate. And I've got a peace offering.”
That got Gahn’s attention. Steepling his fingers, he rested his chin upon them and locked his soulless back eyes on Haden. “You don’t say? And pray-tell what would that be?”
Guarding his hand closely, he upped the ante, hoping he wouldn’t have to lay all his cards on the table. “The Seer is pregnant. That is why I couldn’t allow you to kill her in the glades. I couldn’t very well announce it to you and ruin the progress I’d made getting close to her, now could I? I knew you’d want the child. As you know, Nephilim are rare and gifted beings—and since you lack the seed to procreate your own...” He couldn’t resist tossing a little salt in that festering wound.
“Your news is worthless to me. I know the Seer is pregnant, and I’ve already taken measures to secure the child.”
A rush of dread spiked Haden’s pulse. He forced himself to tamp down his fear for Olivia lest Gahn detect the foreign emotion through the sulfurous bite in the air. Playing naïve he said, “It’s a risk you take, pitting one of your soldiers against the Ronnin warrior. Who have you condemned?”
He wondered if Gahn trusted him enough to answer with the slightest bit of truth. What Haden truly needed were answers the demon wouldn’t part with so willingly—answer’s that couldn’t be trusted if coerced.
“Maximus Octaine.”
Gahn’s prideful arrogance would truly be his downfall. Haden knew he’d shown the proper amount of surprise and awe when Gahn gave him an arrogant smile. “Impossible…” he said, feigning disbelief and adding a touch of admiration to his voice. “Max is dead—imprisoned in the Abyss. Not even you have the power to release him.”
Before Gahn could answer, the doors flew open, crashing against the wall. The echoing bang couldn’t hide the feminine yelp that sent a ripple of tension racing up Haden’s spine and a foul curse muttered under his breath.
Olivia… He didn’t need to turn around to know it was her. His awareness of the female lit up his preternatural instincts, and it took him a moment to realize the panic rioting inside his chest was actually his heartbeat. It was with a concerted effort that Haden rallied every last bit of the cold-blooded, merciless killer inside him and cloaked himself in the shroud of evil—donning it like a suit of armor. Haden dare not turnaround, he dare not move for fear it would become both their undoing. What the fuck was she doing here? If she recognized him, if she reacted to him in any way, it would ruin everything.
“Come on,” Max growled. The brisk clip of footsteps accompanied the clapping scramble of her high-heeled steps as she struggled to break free. There was a brief pause of silence and then the crack of a palm connecting with flesh shattered the air. The explosion hit him in the gut like a sucker-punch, knocking the air from his lungs.
Haden stood there a moment, frozen, muscles drawn taut as steel as he battled the impulse to turn around and slaughter that bastard. He didn’t have to be bonded to Olivia to sense her terror. It completely stole his ability to think, while every emotion inside him rioted to come to her aid, he knew he couldn’t—not without losing any and all ground he’d gained with Gahn. The bastard was smart, if he sensed, for even a moment that Haden harbored feelings for Olivia, he wouldn’t hesitate to use her to break him—just as he’d used Anya all those years ago.
“Well, I can see you’re busy,” he told Gahn, tempering all emotion from his voice. “Perhaps we’ll finish our chat after you’re done here.”
Unable to avoid facing her any longer, he turned to leave, praying Olivia would not damn them both. Before he could shoot her a glare, warning her to keep silent, her startled gasp caught in her throat as a reflexive growl tore from his at the sight of her caught in the biting grasp of Maximus Ocatine.
Mother fucker… Reflexively, Haden’s hand dropped to the handle of his dagger secured to his waist by his baldric. By an act of God Almighty, he barely managed to stop himself from unsheathing the weapon and burying it in Max’s chest. By the looks of her, she’d suffered more than one blow at that bastard’s hand. Forcing one foot in front of the other, the only thing that kept Haden’s feet moving was the silent vow he’d make the bastard pay for this.
He’d nearly made it, nearly passed her when, unable to stop himself, his gaze flickered up and locked on Olivia’s. His heart stuttered at the sight of her tangled raven locks and her tear-stained cheeks burning fiery red from Max’s abuse. A spot of blood marred the corner of her mouth where her bottom lip was broken and swollen. Fingerprint bruises marred her porcelain flesh, evidencing of just how slowly Haden was going to kill the bastard. The bruise on her cheek promised he’d make it painful. Those thoughts, those silent promises, were the only thing that gave Haden the strength to walk past her as if she were of no more import than a used up whore.
He’d almost made it—was almost out the door, when Olivia’s broken voice skewered his heart.
“Haden?”
Her panicked cry clawed deep into his flesh, cutting all the way to the bone. His feet stopped on their own volition, and he froze. Closing his eyes, he stole himself against the urge to turn around. Even unbound, that female held a tighter hold on him than she’d ever know. She expected him to help her—to save her. She didn’t understand that, right now, the only aid he could give her was to walk away. Ignoring every emotion, every instinct clamoring inside him that screamed not to leave her, he stepped forward, forcing his feet to move faster.
“Haden! Don’t leave me here!”
As if tethered to an invisible chain that had reached its length, he suddenly stopped and snarled a vile curse that echoed off the soot-stained walls. Did she truly believe he’d abandon her? Did she have no more faith in him than this? The evidence of her doubt cut more deeply than he cared to admit. Tension drew every muscle in his body rip-cord tight as the weight of Gahn’s assessing gaze burned into his back as the demon watched the interaction with mounting interest.
He could only imagine the intrigued suspicion dancing in that bastard’s eyes as he waited to see what Haden would do next—proving himself true or false. If he didn’t act now, Olivia could quite possibly get them both killed. Sure, Gahn coveted her chil
d, but was it enough to keep her alive once he realized Olivia was his weakness?
With a blast of both desperation and frustration, he spun around, leveling Olivia with a malevolent glare as he stormed toward her. “Don’t leave you?” he growled. “Do you honestly think that I give a damn what happens to you or your brat kid? I never wanted you, Olivia. It was always about the stone. When I realized I couldn’t kill you for it, I knew I had to go after it another way.”
Tears flooded Olivia’s eyes, hovering on her lashes before spilling onto her ruddy cheeks as her face fell from hopeful to stricken, and then finally heartbroken. With every biting word, he could see her panic mounting, as did no doubt Gahn. Hopefully, he’d buy the lie as easily as Olivia had, and damn her for believing it.
Desperate to take the focus off of Olivia, he had no choice but to complete the betrayal she’d never forgive him for. Turning away from her, he faced Gahn and reached into his pocket, pulling out the gold chain; the heart-shaped stone dangled from his finger. Striding up to the demon, he dropped to his knee and reverently dipped his head in a knightly bow while fighting back the urge to vomit as he extended his hand and presented his father with Immanuel’s Stone.
“No!” Olivia cried, her broken plea fracturing his soul.
Appraisal lit Gahn’s ebony eyes as he reached out to take possession of the stone. A second before his gnarled fingers could touch the powerful weapon, Haden closed his fist and snatched it back. “The stone is bound solely to me. Only I can touch it, only I can wield its power. You said earlier that you questioned my loyalty as you should. We’ve had a very…complicated if not troubled past, you and I. But, I come before you, seeking reconciliation. There are things that I want, things only you can give me. Lucky for you, my fidelity can be bought—for a price.” Gahn’s brow arched in renewed interest and Haden hoped his suspicion over Olivia was all but forgotten. “And something tells me you’re gonna need it in right short order. I’ve yet to decide if you’re incredibly clever, or utterly stupid to bring war to our doorstep. You’ve stolen Liam the Lionhearted’s mate.” Acknowledging her as such nearly gutted him. “You have to know such an act will not go unchallenged.” Haden gave a negligent shrug as if he couldn’t less give a shit. “Guess time will tell… One thing I’ve always admired about you, Father, is no one can ever say you lack the wits or the balls to shake things up.”
Gahn chuckled. The throaty rasp held mild humor, sending a shiver of bad memories racing through Haden’s mind. The last time he’d heard that dreadful cackle had been on the heels of learning his wife had been murdered—at his father’s command. God, how he’d love nothing more than to see the look of shock and terror on this bastard’s face as he shoved this stone into his father’s heart, planting it deep inside the petrified member.
Strength of will and long-suffering patience were the only things that stayed his hand. That and the knowledge he’d never get out of Sheol alive—it’d been a sacrifice he was prepared to make, more than willingly. But now Olivia was here, and by the looks of things, he’d just become her only shot at freedom. He’d never expected she would be captured so easily—or quickly. Where the hell was Liam?
“Call me when you’re done with the angel’s whore. We have much to discuss. I’ll be in my room. I trust it’s still as I left it.” Without waiting for a response, Haden whirled away and strode toward the door while he still had the physical control to do so. It killed him to leave her at Max’s mercy. His only solace was in banking on the belief that as long as she was pregnant, she’d remain relatively unharmed. Gahn wanted that baby more than he wanted Olivia dead, he wouldn’t risk miscarriage—not this far into the game. If Haden was going to gain his father’s trust and the freedom he needed to get close enough to Olivia to free her, Gahn had to believe she hated him, and that he, too, held her in equal esteem.
That measure of luck was granted unexpectedly quick when Gahn barked after him, “Take the Sighted wench with you, and see that she’s secured in the dungeon.”
Haden stopped abruptly and turned back, casting his father an impatient scowl as if the request were a great imposition. “I thought you had guards for that,” he grumbled. Stopping beside Olivia, he took her other arm and none-too-gently, wrested her from Max’s grip, shooting the demon a murderous glare. “If you’ve no objection, perhaps I’ll take her upstairs for a quick rutting first.”
Olivia’s startled gasped echoed off the chamber walls, and Gahn chuckled. If Haden didn’t know better, he’d swear there was a glimmer of pride in that bastard’s eyes.
“Why not. Consider it my gift to you. Just don’t rough her up too much. I need that the brat alive. Once you’ve sated your lust, come and see me. We have much to discuss, my son.”
Olivia tensed beneath his grip, and he had no doubt he was about to have one hell of a fight on his hands in three…two…one…
“Let go of me, you lying, manipulative bastard!”
She took a swing at him with her free hand, but he caught her wrist just before she connected with his cheek and wrenched her arm behind her back. Her startled gasp of pain pierced his heart. Shutting down all emotion, he marched her forward. At her stuttered steps, Gahn’s amused laughter echoed in accompaniment to Olivia’s shrieking protests and spewing profanities. Had they not been directed at him, he would have found them a hell of a lot more amusing.
“Who taught you to curse like that?” he mocked, growling under his breath.
“You did!” she shot back, glaring up at him defiantly.
He could feel Max’s glare bore into his back as he led her toward the doors. No doubt the bastard didn’t appreciate Haden stealing his prize. Then again, he could hardly say as much and expect Gahn to let him keep his tongue. His father would not tolerate being questioned, and was enjoying the show far too much to hand her over to Max now. No doubt, he was waiting to see just how far Haden would allow her to carry this out before taking control of the situation—which was just about now. Abruptly, Olivia spun on him and he narrowly avoided a well-placed knee to the groin. “I can’t believe I ever trusted you, you deceitful piece of sh—.”
The leash on Haden’s temper snapped and he grabbed her by the throat, effectively cutting off her tirade. He didn’t need to hear it. He knew exactly who, and what, he was without Olivia’s colorful reminder. Shoving her against the wall, he leaned his body into hers and snarled, “That’s enough!” Brushing his mouth against the shell of her ear he hissed, “Unless you want an audience while I crawl up your skirts, I suggest you shut the fuck up right now.”
Then, to prove his point, or perhaps just to steal one more taste of her, he kissed Olivia—hard. When she opened her mouth to scream, his tongue swept inside, muffling her startled cry of outrage.
“That’s my boy!” Gahn jeered, and a surge of bile rose in his throat at the sound of his father’s approval.
Olivia jerked her head to the side and he growled against the fluttering pulse in her neck. “Knock it off, or I really am going to have to hurt you.”
She stilled against him, his threat cooling the fight in her, but it did nothing to temper the verdant fire blazing in her eyes that seared his soul. That Olivia bought his ruse so wholeheartedly stung just as deeply as her perceived betrayal, so it was with a great deal of genuine ire that he grabbed her by the back of the neck and marched her out the door. He wasn’t that good of an actor, dammit, and neither was she.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Olivia was in shock. She could no longer process reality. The last person she expected to see when Max had dragged her into the Dark Court was Haden. She’d been so hopeful he would rescue her, so sure he’d kill Gahn as he stood inches from that bastard with Immanuel’s Stone clutched tightly in his hand. It had been his chance! The moment he’d claimed he wanted, his opportunity to exact the revenged he held so dear—and he hadn’t taken it.
Instead, he’d betrayed her, gloating over her stupidity, and plotting with his “father”—thick as thieves, th
ose two had been. Her heart shattered with the realization she’d been played the fool. How could she ever have been so stupid? Any idiot could see how at ease he was here. And why wouldn’t he be?—this was his home. Power and authority radiated from him as he dragged her up the stairs. No one they passed in the stairwell or hall questioned him as he dragged her to his room. Those in his way moved as if he were parting the Red Sea, a few slapped him on the back and told him it was good to have him home, others asked to take a turn with her when he was finished. To which he chuckled, saying there wouldn’t be anything left when he was through with her.
The wicked promise sent a shiver of terror needling up her spine. How could she have been so wrong? How could she have trusted him so utterly and completely? Looking at him now, she couldn’t believe this was the same male who’d professed his love to her, and touched her with such aching gentleness, because right now there was nothing gentle in the way his biting grip cut into her arm. Her fingers tingled from lack of circulation. Her pulse hammered inside her chest with true fear at the thought of what he’d do to her once he got her behind closed doors.
The moment Haden shoved her inside the room, he kicked the door closed and growled, “Take your dress off.”
What?! Did he seriously think she was going to help him rape her? That was the final straw. Olivia was beyond her breaking point. Letting loose an outraged shriek, she launched herself at Haden, pounding her fists against his chest. “Damn you! I won’t do it! I will not takeoff my dress! How could you do this to me? I trusted you!”
He didn’t even try to defend himself. He just stood there, letting her pound away until she’d exhausted herself. With a broken sob of helpless defeat, her knees buckled and his arms instantly came around her, pulling her up tight against his chest. She was too shutdown to fight him anymore, and despite his obvious treachery, something inside her stirred, still clinging to the comfort of his black licorice scent, to the strength of his powerful embrace.
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