by Rosalie Redd
Seth bashed his skull against Finn’s forehead.
Finn’s eyes glazed, and his muscles relaxed.
The soft rustle of a shoe on gravel caught Seth’s attention. He wrenched his head toward the sound.
Hannah emerged from the car. Her beautiful eyes widened.
“Seth! On my God, Seth.” She stumbled toward him.
Fear for her safety hardened his stomach. “Run, darlin’. I’ll find you.”
A few feet behind Hannah, pieces of shredded paper and a plastic baggie whirled into a small dust devil. They had company.
Seth’s adrenaline spiked. “Hannah!”
She made it to the front of the sedan before the whirlwind stopped. Zain, a new fae he’d fought a couple of weeks ago, stood in its place.
A growl burst from Finn’s throat, and he raked his claws across Seth’s chest.
Pain rippled along the scoured flesh. So focused on Hannah, he’d lost track of his enemy. A big mistake. One he’d rectify immediately.
On a burst of adrenaline, Seth bunched his knees beneath Finn and, using the strength endowed in him by his goddess, launched his former friend into the air. Bones crunched as Finn slammed into the brick building.
“Seth, you’re injured!” Hannah crossed the car’s headlights.
Zain snagged her arm and hauled her to him.
Her scream ricocheted down the alley.
“Hannah!” Dread coiled around Seth’s chest, forcing the cry from his lips.
He rose to his feet and yanked his whip from his belt. Blood from his chest wound dripped onto the ground.
Zain dragged Hannah toward an open doorway in the adjacent building. She struggled against his grip, her pursed lips displaying her resolve.
Seth raced toward them. The crack of his whip echoed against the building. He wanted to slice the barbed ends at his enemy but wouldn’t risk injuring Hannah.
As Seth closed the distance, a low hiss from behind registered in his brain.
Finn…
Seth turned to defend himself, but his best friend’s claws sliced down Seth’s back, shredding his wings and nearly ripping one from its socket.
Pain crashed over his shoulders and into his chest, squeezing his lungs and burying the scream inside.
His vision wavered.
He fell to one knee.
Zain jerked Hannah through the open doorway, and her worried gaze landed on Seth.
“Seth! Watch out!” she screamed.
Finn grabbed Seth’s injured wing, crushing bone and feathers in his grasp.
Needles of fire licked over Seth’s skin. A tormented scream escaped his lips.
The devious fae chuckled. “Nice wings. I guessed ya had a secret but never imaged this. Sure look sensitive.”
He stamped his boot across the damaged tissue and ground one of Seth’s wings into the pavement like he was crushing a bug.
Seth howled as his bones snapped and excruciating pain seized him. Finally, darkness claimed him and offered him some peace.
The terrible crunching of Seth’s bones carried on the wind. Hannah’s chest ached as if her heart had suffered a similar fate. She jerked from Zain’s hold and bolted out the door. “Seth! Seth!”
Zain caught her by the wrist. He yanked hard, drawing her off her feet. Her sneakers skittered on the loose gravel, and she slammed into his chest.
Pain ricocheted down her arms, but anger-fueled adrenaline lashed along her nerves with such raw intensity, she pummeled her free fist against his cheek, his chin, his nose, anywhere she could reach.
Zain chuckled. “Feisty, aren’t you?”
He snagged her hand and shoved it behind her back to join the first.
She spat in his face. “I hate you!”
“Aw, how sweet. Too bad I don’t care.” Zain shoved her in front of him through the doorway, his grip around her wrists tight and painful.
As the door closed, she caught one last glimpse of Seth. Finn stood over his unconscious form, a malicious smile plastered on his face.
She choked back a sob. Seth, her night angel, had come for her after all. Somehow, he’d escaped Drake’s long punishment only to be tortured by a fae in order to protect her.
A mixture of pain and regret bubbled to the surface and slid over her lashes in a wave of grief. Finn had damaged Seth’s magnificent wings, and she was responsible. She prayed Seth wouldn’t lose his life, too.
“Where are you taking me?” Hannah glanced at her captor.
Zain’s dark braid trailed over his shoulder, the tips swaying across his black leather jacket with each step. He smiled and gave her a shove. “To see Marco, of course.”
Marco.
She inhaled to catch her breath, and the smell of urine and feces burned in her nostrils. Doors spaced every six feet or so lined the building’s corridor. Paint peeled from the wooden frames.
Zain hauled her to a stop in front of one painted with a red “X.” He twisted the handle and swung the door wide. A loud squeak echoed down the hallway.
Damp, cold air filtered from the room. The hair at her nape rose.
Hannah didn’t want to go in there. As if she had a hope of preventing the inevitable, she dug in her heels.
Zain thrust her onward, and she tripped over the threshold.
Hands splayed forward, she crashed into a chair, the only piece of furniture in the room. The edge of her coat caught on the back and ripped.
She toppled to the ground. New bumps and bruises ached from the contact, but the dread grinding at her psyche overshadowed the pain.
“Grace wouldn’t be your middle name, now would it?” Zain held out his palm.
She drew on her courage and stuck out her chin.
Yellow flashes of anger pulsed within his eyes. He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her to her feet.
Pain exploded along her scalp. She scratched Zain’s arms, but he tightened his grip in retaliation.
The pounding of booted feet echoed in the hallway.
“Seth!” Hope lightened Hannah’s spirit.
Zain shook his head. “Oh, honey. That’s not your boyfriend.”
A moment later, Finn burst through the doorway. He narrowed his gaze on Zain.
“Ya couldn’t of waited for me, could ya?”
Zain smirked and shoved Hannah toward Finn. “Here’s your prize. You can thank me for the help anytime.”
Finn caught her in his arms. She struggled to break free, but he held her tight.
“Ya didn’t need ta get involved. I had it under control.” He pursed his lips and glared at his partner. “Did Marco ask ya ta follow me?”
Zain shrugged, strode to the apartment’s closet, and opened the door. Dim light penetrated through a large hole in the back. “Marco’s waiting. We should go. Did you handle the gargoyle?”
Finn guided Hannah toward the closet. “Ya. I did. He’s injured, but not out of the game per Marco’s orders. He’ll be on his way in no time.”
Anger spiked through Hannah. She whirled on Finn. “What did you do to him?”
The Irish fae arched one dark eyebrow. “My, my, lass. Ya shouldn’t care so much for the likes of him. He’s just a gargoyle.”
Just a gargoyle…
He was more than that to her, so much more. Anger roiled from deep inside, and before she knew what she’d done, her palm connected with Finn’s cheek.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed in the empty room.
Hannah’s fingers stung from the impact, but Finn’s head didn’t even move.
“Now, lass. That wasn’t nice.” Finn bent down, grabbed her behind the knees, and hauled her over his shoulder.
Not again…
She pounded his back.
“Zain. Go first, I’ll follow ya.”
“It’ll take us a few minutes to get there in the tunnels. If she gets to be too much for you, I can carry her for a while.” Zain chuckled.
Hannah swung her fist at Zain’s nearby thigh but only connected with air so s
he continued her assault on Finn’s back. “You will both rot in hell for this.”
Zain laughed and disappeared through the hole at the rear of the closet.
Finn adjusted her on his shoulder. “Oh, lass. We’ve been ta someplace far worse already, and after we’re done with ya, ya’ll be joining us.”
Before she could reply, he dragged her through the opening.
CHAPTER 23
C onsciousness returned to Seth, bringing a Mack truck driving over him right along with it. Pain rippled over his back, the intensity so fierce it almost pulled him under once again. The gentle tinkle of rain caught his attention, and he held on, using the lulling chime as a life raft amid the agony.
As the cool and refreshing moisture splashed over his damaged flesh, his skin, bones, and feathers knit together from its healing touch. Far from full power, though, he’d need more than a few raindrops to recoup his strength.
Memories of how he ended up here refused to surface, and a frustrated groan eased from his lips. He opened his eyes to see where he was.
Light from a nearby streetlamp flickered over a black car, its rear passenger door ajar. His mind hit the recall button, and the recollections flooded through his brain.
Hannah…
She was in trouble.
He placed his hands on the roughened blacktop, a few broken bits digging into his palm, and pushed himself to his knees. The newly healed flesh on his wings tore at the movement. He sucked in his breath, held it.
Seth gritted his teeth and rose to his feet. He swayed, his brain threatening to go off-line again as his body adjusted to the tilt of his damaged wing that pulled him sideways.
The rain pelted his skin, plastering his hair to his face. He swiped at the wet strands. How long had he laid in the street, unconscious? Long enough for the clouds to come in and bring the healing rain. Thank the goddess they did, or he might’ve died from his wounds. At least darkness still reigned.
He staggered toward the doorway Zain had dragged Hannah through. The door handle turned without protest, but the hinges squeaked, announcing his approach.
He cursed under his breath and entered the condemned building.
The faes’ stench assailed his nostrils. At least he knew which way to go.
He trailed his fingers over the leather handle of his whip and proceeded down the hall. At the open doorway halfway down the corridor, he entered a small apartment. The lone piece of furniture, a broken chair with one of its legs bent at an odd angle, lay in the middle of the room. A shred of bright pink material hung from the ragged end.
Seth’s heart skipped a beat. He grabbed the strip and brought the material to his nose. Hannah’s cool, refreshing scent wafted into his senses. Dearest Goddess, help me find her in time.
After a quick glance around the room, he spotted the open closet. He strode to the doorway. An opening emerged large enough to walk through, and a faint glow permeated from the other side.
Prickles raised the hair over his scalp, but he tamped down his fear of the dark, damp, underground tunnels. He could do this as long as the light remained.
“Drake, Damian, Grayson, I’m heading into the tunnels after fae. Could use some backup.”
He counted the few seconds he dared wait for a reply by the beat of his pounding heart. Dammit. No response. He was on his own, but nothing else mattered except Hannah. He’d find her, protect her, and give his life for her if that’s what it took.
“Hannah, I’m on my way.”
Seth took a deep breath and plunged into the gloom.
While Finn carried Hannah on his shoulder, she glanced down the tunnel. Lit torches every few feet lined the long corridor. Water seeped from cracks in the walls, and a small stream raced down the middle of the path.
Finn’s boots splashed in the water with each step, sending a constant spray over Hannah’s arms and face. The cool wetness blended in with her tears.
How was Seth? Was he alive? Heaviness settled onto her shoulders. Please God, let him live.
She renewed her efforts to free herself, kicking her legs and pounding Finn’s back.
He tightened his grip around her thighs and ascended a flight of stairs. “Take it easy, lass. We’re almost there.”
A moment later, they emerged into a large room of what appeared to be an abandoned church with its high ceiling and broken stained glass windows. Concrete shards, dirt, and other debris coated the floor and the steps leading to the nave. Beneath its massive archway stood a large metal crate, big enough for a horse, surrounded by a thick chain and secured by a lock.
Finn tossed her onto the floor as if she were a discarded sack of potatoes.
She scrambled to her feet, and painful tingles of awareness woke her numb feet. Her gaze drew upward to the remarkable domed ceiling. Visible through the glass at its peak, a few stars twinkled between breaks in the clouds.
“Welcome, Hannah. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Marco’s deep voice ricocheted off the walls.
The muscles in Hannah’s shoulders stiffened. She turned to face him.
He strode toward her, a smile plastered on his deceptively handsome features. His large overcoat billowed around his knees, and his cane rested in the crook of his elbow.
“Now, where are my manners? I’m sure you’ve had a very difficult past few days. Please, join me.” He held out his hand in invitation.
Hannah tried to swallow, but her mouth turned dry. “What do you want from me?”
“You?” Marco sneered and withdrew his proffered hand. “You’re my bait.”
“Bait?” Her mind clouded as she pieced together his words. Seth… Oh my God, Seth!
Her chest tightened, squeezing her heart. She took a step back, then another. If she made it into the tunnel, maybe she’d have a chance—
Zain and Finn strode toward her, flanking her and preventing escape.
Marco tsked. “Come now, we both know you wouldn’t make it five feet.”
She met his gaze and raised her chin. “You’ll never take him down.”
“Oh, my dear, that’s where you’re wrong. He’ll fall and rather easily, I might add. Now, come here.” He crooked his finger, and a long, pointed claw extended from the tip.
A scream swelled in her lungs, but she refused to give Marco the satisfaction of hearing her terror. Instead, she pursed her lips and took another step back.
“Go on, lass. Can’t wait all night.” Finn shoved her from behind.
Momentum forced her off balance, and she careened forward, her feet skittering over the floor’s dirt-encrusted surface.
Marco slipped his arm around her shoulders. As he tugged her close, the edge of his coat wrapped around her like a blanket.
“It’s too bad you gave yourself to that gargoyle. Your pure, innocent essence would’ve made a nice tribute for Gwawl.” He waved his hand in the air. “But that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. The gargoyle will do nicely.”
Hannah’s mind raced as she stalled for time. “Why do you want him?”
Marco swung her toward the large black box. “Gwawl is into torment. He’d love to get his hands on another one of Rhiannon’s gargoyles. She’d hate him even more and that would be fine by him. I plan to collect the reward and obtain a promotion to lieutenant of the Chicago fae army.”
“If Gwawl doesn’t kill ya instead,” Finn muttered under his breath.
Marco’s gaze riveted on the fae. He grasped the handle of his cane, his fingers white with strain. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Finn shrugged. “Nothin’. Forget I spoke.”
Marco drummed his fingers against the cane’s handle.
Realization dawned on Hannah. Marco feared Gwawl. She tucked that piece of information into the recesses of her mind.
The dark fae returned his attention to the box.
“As for your gargoyle. Seth, isn’t it?” He slid his finger along the metal casing in a gentle caress. “This is his transport crate and future home.”
A tingle of unease skittered over Hannah’s shoulders and down her spine. “You…you can’t. He—”
“That’s enough!” Marco raised his hand and stepped away.
Hannah flinched, but then anger rushed through her. “Seth will kill you all.”
Marco raised an eyebrow, and a laugh burst from his lips.
“You think too highly of your precious gargoyle. He’ll do as he’s told and do it willingly. Now, why don’t you sit on the stairs, right here?” Marco patted the top step near the large metal crate.
Hannah tightened the muscles in her legs, locked her knees in place, and lifted her chin. “No.”
“Sit down!” Marco’s commanding voice reverberated off the walls.
A chunk of rock from the ceiling hit the floor and bounced at her feet, followed by another.
Before she could react, Marco tracked to her side and shoved her onto the floor. Her hands splayed on the grungy tile, and her knee cracked against the step, sending a bolt of pain down her shin.
She pushed herself to a sitting position, and her fingertips grazed the box’s dark metal. A foul and bitter darkness swirled around her. She jerked her hand away and glared at the fae. “You’ll never take Seth down.”
He backhanded her, and her head whipped to the side.
Heat seared her cheek. The taste of blood slipped onto her tongue.
Marco laughed darkly. “Watch and see.”
She spat at him, her bloody spit landing on the edge of his polished shoe. “Over my dead body.”
Marco tsked. “Oh, honey, that’s the plan.”
“Not on my watch.” Seth’s deep voice rumbled through the room.
Hannah’s lungs expanded with relief even as fear for him coursed through her veins.
Seth stood, shoulders squared, at the cave entrance. His wings rustled behind his back, one drooping at an odd angle, but a strong, determined glint reflected in his eyes. “She’s not the one dying tonight.”
CHAPTER 24
“Seth, thank God you’re all right.” Hannah’s soft words came out in a rush and filtered into Seth’s ears.
His wings quivered from relief.
“He won’t be for long.” Marco scowled at Finn. “Capture him and bring me his wings as a souvenir.”