Being half angel, half demon meant one side was always fighting for dominance. It was a delicate balance they all had to maintain. And because of the connection between them—a connection they’d shared since birth, a safeguard created by the angels to keep them in line and unable to abandon their mission or each other—when Tobias had succumbed, that balance had been disturbed, not just within Tobias but all the knights.
If it hadn’t been for Lazarus and his mate, Eve, they’d all be Diemos’s bitches. The head asshole of Hell wanted Earth and the humans who inhabited it. The knights were the only thing stopping him from getting what he wanted. He didn’t like being denied.
Zenon had firsthand experience with that as well. Something else he didn’t want to think about.
Slipping the key card from his back pocket, he disengaged the lock and pushed inside the interrogation room. When he entered, Chaos and Lazarus were in full-on good cop, bad cop mode. And going by the way Laz had the demon pinned against the wall by his throat, it wasn’t hard to work out which role he’d taken.
Chaos stood back, hip resting against the only piece of furniture in the room, a small table, and offered the red-faced sex demon a smile full of mock sympathy. “You sure you’ve nothing to add to that, Amen?”
The windpipe-crushing hold Laz had on the demon didn’t really help with the whole talking thing, but he managed to shake his head vigorously. Chaos turned to him, and Zen lifted his chin toward Laz. “Where’s Roc?”
Chaos’s jaw hardened. “Amen here thought it would be fun to mess with him. By the time he got here he could barely walk. Blue balls is an understatement. I sent him to the city to relieve the, ah…pressure.”
Zenon grunted. No surprises there, then.
Laz released the demon but stood close, crowding the guy, and Chaos took a step closer. “Lazarus here is kinda…well, crazy. No offense, Laz.”
Lazarus grinned. “None taken.”
“Cutting off limbs and other…anatomy is one of his favorite pastimes. I have somewhere else I have to be, and I’d hate to have to leave you all alone with him. But I’m not gonna have much choice if you don’t start talking.”
The guy had sanctuary. His behavior made no sense. And like Zenon, Chaos didn’t buy the whole I didn’t understand the rules bullshit either. The guy was either up to something or he was one of a growing number of creepy-ass fuckers that got a boner over getting close to a knight. Rocco had his own little fan club.
The demon, Amen, hid his fear well, but Zenon could hear his heart pounding from across the room, could smell the acrid scent of it. Amen turned to him then, his blue long-lashed eyes fixed on Zenon’s. His gaze sharpened. “I know you.” His stare moved over Zenon’s body and back to his face. “Not from here, though. Zenon, right?” he rasped past his abused throat.
Bile churned in his stomach and burned a path to the back of his throat.
Please no.
The bastard grinned. “I thought I recognized you earlier. You servicing the knights now, drudge?”
The name was given to the lowest of the low, the scum of the hell realm, and it slithered down his spine and settled like a rock in the pit of his stomach. Only one person called him that, and she only got away with it because she had the power to end his life. Shame darkened his cheeks. He never wanted the males in this room to know what he was, and this asshole had just blown his shit all over the walls for everyone to see.
An all-consuming rage sliced through him. And before he knew what he was doing, his blade was in his hand and flying across the room. Amen’s high-pitched scream as the knife hit its mark gave Zenon little satisfaction. This demon had seen him at his lowest, knew all his dirty, shameful secrets.
His disgrace.
“Jesus, Zen.”
Zenon ignored Lazarus.
Chaos moved forward. “What’s he talking about?”
Amen whimpered, pinned to the wall by his wrist. Blood poured out of him, pooling on the concrete floor. It wouldn’t kill him—removing his head was the only way to accomplish that—but the blood loss would weaken him for several days, and right now would hurt like hell.
“Zen, man. Do you know this guy?” Laz asked, concern in his voice.
He answered honestly and shook his head. He hadn’t been permitted to look anyone in the eye. He’d kept his gaze lowered. Plus, during those times when he’d been on loan or sent to acquire information, his mistress had usually drugged him to make him more cooperative.
“Helena didn’t let him out much, but when she did, he was definitely a favorite. Everyone wanted a piece of him. That angel blood made him a bit of a novelty,” Amen gasped out.
He felt both Chaos and Lazarus’s gazes burning into him, but he ignored them, couldn’t meet their eyes even if he tried, and instead walked over to the demon pinned to the wall. He held his gaze, and Amen flinched, shrank back. For once, Zenon didn’t curse the way he looked or the effect he had on others. He wanted this demon scared for his life.
Without a word, he gripped the blade buried in the wall and wrenched it up so the guy’s hand was cleaved almost in two and left hanging useless at the wrist. Chaos cursed, while Laz watched him, concern covering his face. Like he saw too damn much.
They weren’t stupid. It wouldn’t take a genius to work out what this slimy fucker was insinuating.
Still, when the screaming stopped, Zen leaned in close. “I think you’ve got me mixed up with someone else, Amen.”
The demon flailed and gasped then nodded manically. “Yeah…yes…you’re right. I…I’ve never seen you before.”
Without another word, Zenon used the guy’s shirt to clean his blade, and ignoring the stunned silence of the other knights in the room, walked out of the basement, through the garage, and back into the yard.
Without bothering to remove his clothes, he shifted, taking his full Kishi demon form, leaving the shredded remains on the ground.
And flew into the night sky.
There was a light knock on the door. Mia put down her book and walked over to open it. Eve stood on the other side, a small smile curving her lips.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you?”
“No. I was just reading.”
Eve glanced at the book on the small table by the couch and her smile got bigger. “If you’re ever short of something to read, just ask. I’m a bit of a romance junkie. I used to own a book store before I came here, and the romance section took up over half the place.”
She couldn’t help but smile back. “Thanks.”
“I’m at a loose end, actually. Laz is busy, and I know I said I’d stop by in the morning, but I could do with the company. If I can tear you away from your reading.”
Mia would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t have a few questions. “Would you like to come in?”
“I thought you might feel like some fresh air. The windows have to be covered, and I know it can take a bit of getting used to.”
No kidding. “That would be wonderful.”
Eve led her out into the hall and to the elevator. When they got in she hit the button for the fifth floor. That floor was the control room. Mia had found it again when she’d been exploring earlier. Another huge male sat behind the desk when they walked in. He looked so out of place behind the desk, dressed all in black, weapons strapped to his chest—it was laughable.
“Hey, Kryos,” Eve called.
He smiled. “What’s up?”
“Just need some fresh air.”
“Go for it.” He went back to whatever he’d been doing.
Eve carried on through the room, past the wall of monitors, and toward a set of steel doors. She pushed them open and they walked out onto a largish balcony at the rear of the building.
“As long as someone knows you’re out here, you can come as often as you like.” Eve rested her forearms on the railing.
The view wasn’t exactly inspiring, but it was good to go outside. They were far enough from the city that you could actually
see stars. “Wow, the moon looks huge.”
Eve was quiet for a few seconds then looked over at her. “So how are you settling in?”
Mia didn’t miss the underlying curiosity in the other woman’s voice. “You were there during dinner?”
A small smile curved her lips. “No, but I heard about it. Zenon doesn’t usually eat with the rest of us.” Her gaze turned assessing. “Something must have brought him out of hiding.”
Mia shrugged. “All I know is the guy doesn’t seem to like me very much.”
“Hmm.” Eve watched her for a few seconds more, like she was trying to figure something out. “You know how the knights came about, their history?”
Mia nodded. She knew how the knights were created. Her sister had told her after her stay there. The heavens discovered demons here on Earth, which was how demi-demons came to be. The angels couldn’t track the demons on their own, so six angels fell for the good of mankind and bred with the monsters they were trying to stop. The resulting offspring were the knights. With demon DNA the knights were able to track and rescue the demi and control the demon hordes invading Earth.
She thought it sounded like some kind of horror movie.
“There’s something you should know about Zenon. Unlike the rest of the knights, born to fallen females here on Earth, he was Hell born. His mother was a demon, his father an unknown fallen male.”
“Hell born?”
“Zenon is kind of an anomaly—a fluke, I guess. No one knew of his existence until he came through the portal.”
The portals that opened during the times of the solstice and equinox and allowed demons to pass from Hell to Earth. After her sister had told her that little tidbit, she’d barely slept for a month.
“So he just showed up?”
“From what Laz told me, Zenon was as surprised as they were. He doesn’t talk about his life before he became a knight, and we don’t ask. But it’s not hard to figure out it was bad. You can’t be as closed off and defensive as Zenon is and not have suffered a great deal.”
Mia didn’t like to think of the horrors he must have lived through. “Why are you telling me this?”
That small smile returned. “No reason. Just that sometimes I think he acts a certain way to keep others at bay.” She shrugged. “But what would I know?”
Mia got the feeling a hell of a lot more than she was letting on.
“Anyway, enough of that. Do you have any questions about how we do things here, what to expect?”
“Well, I was just wondering…you and Lazarus? You’re mated?”
Her smile widened. “Yes.”
It was probably rude to ask, but she’d been wondering since she’d first seen the pair together. “How does that work?”
She chuckled. “It’s not really something you have any control over. It’s sort of a predestined kind of deal. Lazarus knew who I was to him before he even met me. He fought it at first, thought he was doing the right thing for me.” She rolled her eyes. “These males are stubborn, all of them, but when they decide you’re theirs, well, there’s nothing else like it, you know?”
Mia nodded, though she had no idea what having someone love her like that would feel like.
“Did you leave someone special?” Eve asked.
Mia felt her face heat. “Ah, no. I haven’t had much luck with men.”
“Yeah, I know where you’re coming from. Before I met Laz the only boyfriend I’d had was a creep with a boob fetish.”
Mia choked a laugh. “At least you’ve had one. Men have always given me a wide berth.”
“It was the same for me. It’s that demon DNA we carry around. Most full humans sense it and without knowing why are scared away.”
Great.
“What about after the training? I don’t really want to be a virgin for the rest of my life.” No, she wanted a life—a real one.
Eve’s eyes softened. “You’ve never been with anyone?”
She shook her head. “I never wanted to risk falling for someone and then having to leave them, or coming into my power and accidentally hurting them. What if they were disgusted by what I am, afraid?” She shook her head “No, I couldn’t do that to someone else, or to myself.”
Eve’s expression turned sympathetic. “Once you’ve mastered your powers, things will be different. Blocking what you are becomes so easy you don’t have to think about it. You’ll leave this place, and you’ll start your new life, Mia. I promise it’s all good from here on out.”
God, she hoped so.
“Sweetheart.” A deep, rough voice cut through the night and they both turned. Lazarus leaned against the doorframe.
“You’re finished for the night?” Eve asked.
“Not even close.” A wicked grin lifted his lips, and Mia heard Eve suck in a breath. Oh my. He glanced over at her and lifted his chin. “Hey, Mia.”
“Um, hi.”
His gaze slid back to Eve then traveled the length of his mate. “Ready for bed?”
“I’m keeping Mia company.” Even as Eve said the words, she moved toward him. When she reached his side, Lazarus looked down at her, eyes softening before he ran the back of his fingers over the scar on her cheek.
Mia’s face heated just watching them. Add in the husky tone to Lazarus’s voice, and she felt like she was intruding on an incredibly intimate moment.
“No, I’m fine. You go ahead,” she said.
Eve frowned. “You’re sure?”
“Yeah, you’ve been great. Can I stay out here a little longer, though?”
“Of course. You’re sure you’ll be okay?”
“I’m fine. Really.” Surprisingly, she was. Thanks to Eve and James, she had hope. Something she hadn’t allowed herself to have much of since she found out what she was.
Lazarus only had eyes for his mate, and Mia felt a familiar longing as they walked away together. What would it feel like to have someone look at her like that?
When she turned back, she looked up into the night. The stars were bright, the sky clear. It was hard to believe she was in the city and not lying in a field somewhere in the country. It was like this place didn’t just scare off humans but the smog and clouds as well.
Some of the stars twinkled rapidly, flickering in and out. She looked harder and realized something was up there. And whatever it was…had a massive wingspan.
It shot through the sky then changed direction, heading toward her. Fear had her rooted to the spot. It got closer and she could see moonlight glinting off what appeared to be leathery batlike wings.
Oh God.
It got even closer. Still, she couldn’t move, and watched in horror as a gargoyle-like creature arched down toward her. Its skin was deep crimson, and in the dark looked almost black. Horns protruded from its head, black and shiny, and long ivory fangs reached halfway down its chin. Its massive wings pulled at the air on a slow downward sweep and it landed effortlessly in front of her.
Mia stumbled back, grabbing at the railing for support. It didn’t move, just stood there staring at her. She met its gaze, and shivered when she recognized the bright yellow irises staring back. Zenon.
She didn’t look away, couldn’t. His tongue darted out and trailed down a long fang to the sharp point, and his head tilted to the side in a weird animistic way. Like she was the oddity.
Before she could change her mind, and with blood rushing through her ears, she took a step forward.
He didn’t move.
She lifted her hand and took another step. “Zenon?”
It was his turn to stumble back. He hissed, and without a word, sprang up onto the railing and jumped over the side. Mia raced to the edge and watched in terror as he plunged toward the unforgiving concrete below. She cried out. But just yards before impact, he pulled up, and at the same time his body transformed before her eyes. Zenon landed gracefully. He stood gloriously naked in the middle of the compound grounds. He tilted his head back and met her gaze, a sneer on his face.
Oh my
God.
Then he looked down at the ground and strode away, disappearing under the building.
If that display was meant to frighten her, he’d done a good job. But after what Eve had told her, she knew there was a lot more to that male.
If he’d wanted to hurt her, he could have, but that wasn’t what that had been about. She pushed her fear aside and what remained was curiosity and a need to learn more about him.
But more surprising, or alarming, was a desperate need to touch his shiny horns and leathery wings, to learn the texture of his beautiful crimson skin.
To pet the beast.
Chapter 4
The next morning, Mia stood in the hall outside the training room and stared at the metal door in front of her. It looked solid, and the small window was embedded with wire mesh. She didn’t want to think about the reasons for all that reinforced steel.
The nerves she’d woken up with increased their efforts, and she took several slow, deep breaths to calm herself. She didn’t know what to expect at this first training session. But after what she’d seen last night, she was glad it was James in charge of her training and not one of the knights. They were good guys. She knew that. Her sister had made a point of telling her many times just how awesome they were. Still, they were overwhelming.
She’d tossed and turned all night, trying to get that cold yellow stare out of her mind. God, Zenon was terrifying. But for some reason, that fear didn’t stop her from being incredibly drawn to him. It made no sense. Perhaps avoiding him for the rest of her stay would be for the best, for both of them. His dislike of her was blatant to the point of out-and-out hostility but didn’t stop her curiosity where he was concerned.
“You going in?”
Mia spun around and looked up, all the way up. Chaos looked down at her, brow raised.
“Ah, yes…I was just…”
He reached around her and pushed the door open. “Everything will be fine.” Then he motioned for her to go in ahead of him.
Knight's Salvation (Knights of Hell Book 2) Page 4