Awakening Kiss (Watcher's Kiss Book 4) (40 page)

“I paid back the store,” Antonio murmured. “I didn’t know your mother kept it.”

“It’s good to see you.” Enza and Antonio had spoken on and off over the months. They couldn’t talk too often when his new role took him to the far corners of the globe.

Rejected by his clan—the same ones who had rejected him and Soren because they lacked the coveted lightning ability—Antonio’s fate had remained in the hands of the Watcher leader, Arawn. He could have kicked Antonio out on his ass, or had him killed, but Rhys and the group in general felt that he should pay somehow for his role in the kidnappings.

Enza hadn’t been able or willing to say that her father should die. The resulting decision had been to assign Antonio to use his innate sleuthing skills to locate kidnapping and trafficking victims, both human and supernatural. To search for them on Earth and on Torth, for as many years as he had worked for Splinter.

He sometimes paired with human intelligence or paramilitary groups, and sometimes with elite Lash or Deserati forces. And occasionally, he was on a solo job. He and Enza had far from a traditional daddy-daughter relationship, but at least they kept in touch.

Concetta, of course, had no idea of Antonio’s existence or true nature. Neither did the humans he occasionally worked with. And that was how it would stay.

Now, he gave a nod to Rhys. “My daughter chose well. I’m happy for you both.”

Rhys stood behind Enza, slipping his arms around her waist. “I’m the lucky one.”

Enza folded her hands over her mate’s. “Things going okay?” she asked her dad.

He shrugged. “This cartel we’re following is tough. Bringing girls from Central America through Miami. We’re getting close though. Almost ready to take the whole operation down.”

“I’m so glad you’re doing this,” Enza whispered.

“Me too.” Emotion blazed in his dark eyes. “I want every dad who loves his daughter to get to see her as happy as you look right now.”

Enza smiled. In her heart, he was already redeemed. Though Rhys and the other Watchers were reserving their opinions until Antonio’s years of work were complete.

From inside, the music changed. “Oh boy, they’re playing the chicken dance,” she murmured.

“Glad I’m out here. That doesn’t happen in my world,” Rhys said in her ear.

Antonio’s phone buzzed, and he glanced at it. “I need to go.”

“Be safe.” Enza gave him a quick hug before he opened a portal and popped inside.

She turned to Rhys. “We have about thirty seconds before someone comes and finds us.”

“Better make the most of it then.” He turned her to face him. “You may kiss the groom.”

She wound her arms round his neck and rubbed her nose along his. “Hmm. Where shall I kiss the groom?” Her hand caressed up his thigh.

He stopped her path before she reached her destination. “You start that, we won’t be going back inside for another hour.” He lowered his mouth to hers, claiming her mouth in a kiss that both melted her heart and filled her with the most contented joy she’d ever felt.

I love you
, she said in his mind.

And I love you, my bella amore.
Too soon, he pulled back. “Thank the gods your demon side will let you live a long time. One lifetime with you isn’t enough.”

“Agreed.” The music changed again, this time to a slow song. “Hey, they left us alone. It’s a miracle.”

“Bet Miranda headed people off.”

“How soon do we leave?”

He splayed a hand at the small of her back and pressed close. “Couple hours. Then it’s you, me, and an isolated Sicilian beach.”

“Mmm, it’ll be heaven,” she murmured. “And the best part?”

“Getting me naked?”

“No, silly.” She tugged at his lapels. “Though I’m looking forward to that part too.”

“Then what?”

“No portals.” She grinned. “I’ve never been so happy to wait around in an airport and get on a plane.”

THE END

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ATCHER’S
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D
IRT SIFTED DOWN IN TINY
rivulets onto Daphne’s shoulders as the entire mountain heaved and shook. Huddled with several other unfortunate creatures in the little cavern that was her prison, she glanced at the roughhewn wooden door and willed her mind to stay calm. That locked door was the only way out.

“What’s going on?” Cara, the newest captive and a nymph, pressed close to Daphne, panic in her voice.

“Earthquake?” asked Soto, an elf, from the other side of the rock-walled room.

Daphne frowned. “This region isn’t known for them.” High in the wind-ravaged Bloodspire Mountains, it didn’t get much more inhabitable than this, but at least earthquakes weren’t common.

“I hear blasts and shouting.” Crystal, a pixie prisoner, pressed an ear to the door. “I think there’s a fight out there!”

Fight? Who would venture here, to tangle with Splinter, the vicious band of Ghazsul demons who had captured them? Their home was hostile, and the demons were more so. Traveling here was a death wish.

“Is someone coming to rescue us?” Cara asked hopefully.

“I wish,” Daphne muttered. But she’d given up hope of anyone finding her, or any of the missing who had become her unexpected living companions. “But—”

A huge groan erupted from the mountain and a fresh cascade of dirt rained down, harder than the first. Shit. Whatever was happening, there was a good chance they’d be forgotten in the chaos. Splinter would save their own hides first.

Cara shrieked. Crystal banged on the door. “Let us out!”

The ground trembled beneath their feet. Thunder rumbled from beyond the thick cavern walls. Daphne strained her ears to pick up sounds of anyone who may remember that there were prisoners. Creatures who would die if the mountain caved in. Individuals who, at least for a time, Splinter had found useful enough to capture and hold against their will.

A chunk of rock dislodged from the ceiling, landing with a thud near Daphne’s feet. Soto paled. “Never thought I’d die in an earthquake, of all things.”

Daphne still wasn’t convinced it was a quake, but the semantics didn’t matter if they were all about to be crushed. Crystal pounded on the door again. “Let us out, you fuckers!”

They froze when a deep male voice answered. “I’ll get you out. Stay away from the door!”

Crystal, Cara, Soto, and Daphne crowded to the back of the cavern, along with the handful of others. “Why don’t they just unlock it?”

“Who cares, at least someone’s trying to help us,” Cara said. Tears welled in her eyes.

Crash!
With a rain of wooden shards, the door shattered inward. Dust mixed with the dirt falling from the ceiling.

A large broad-shouldered form stood in the wrecked entry, dimly lit by the one fire bulb in their living space. He stepped forward and Daphne’s blood ran cold.

His dark eyes and hair were all too familiar. A Deserati demon. The one who had kidnapped her and dragged her to this hell hole. He’d delivered all of them, along with his equally horrible partner. “Come with me,” he said.

“I’m not going anywhere with you!” Daphne yelled.

“The mountain is going to collapse. Come. We all need to leave.”

“Why should we believe you? You brought us here. You lied to us. All of us,” Crystal said.

He scowled. “I know you don’t trust me. But right now, I’m your only hope and your only way out of here. You can die in this cave, or have a chance to go home.”

“Home?” Soto asked, his voice raw. “You’ll take us home?”

“Not me, but the demons I’m here with. They’ll help you. Come on!” His voice rose, peppered with frustration and anger.

Daphne exchanged a glance with Soto and Crystal. The worry on their faces reflected what she felt. Stay here, in obvious peril, or go with the male who they knew to be a criminal?

One danger or another. Not much of a choice.

The ground shook again. The Deserati extended his hand and his tail swept through the debris on the floor behind him. “We need to go now. I only want to get you out. Please, trust me.”

Daphne swallowed hard. Staying here would certainly mean the end of her life. With a deep breath, she walked toward him. “Okay.”

Relief crossed his face. “Good. Now—”

“Are you crazy?” Crystal shouted. “He’s the one who—”

“I know.” Dismay and fear carried through Daphne’s voice as she implored her friend. “But we can’t stay here. Maybe he’s lying about everything else, but he’s right that the mountain might collapse. We need to go. Come with me.”

“I’ll go.” Cara reached for Daphne’s hand.

“Me too,” Soto said, though he looked all kinds of reluctant.

“Crystal. Stop being stubborn,” Daphne said. “We’re out of time. And we’re in this together.”

Crystal frowned, but joined Daphne.

“Follow me,” the demon said. “Hurry.” He crashed through the mess of broken wood that used to be the door. Beyond, a dark tunnel yawned. As a Lash demon and a predator, at least in theory, Daphne possessed perfect night vison. Her fae friends might have more trouble and she kept hold of Cara’s hand. The earth rumbled as they made their way through the long, winding corridor, the only way out of their well-hidden prison. The big demon set a fast pace, easy for him with his long legs.

Cara jogged to keep up. As they hurried, Daphne detected a different smell in the air. Not just dirt and rock, but the scent of rain and fresh air. And blood. Oh, gods, there really was a fight.

“Almost there,” the demon shouted over the roar of thunder and the harsh groaning of the ground. He ducked around a corner. Daphne followed close on his heels, but nearly skidded to a halt when she saw the intake chamber.

The sprawling, cavernous room where she had first been brought, and which she had passed through when Splinter had dragged her out to do their dirty work with them, was littered with bodies. Splinter bodies.

But even more shocking was the opening of the cave. Where there had once been a narrow, easily guarded entrance, now stormy gray sky churned over a huge wide mouth in the mountain. Rain poured in sheets. Lighting flashed outside, dangerously close. “W-what—”

“No time, keep going!” He reached for her hand, but Daphne yanked it away. She wouldn’t let him touch her ever again. He simply turned and ran to the entrance, picking his way over bodies.

Daphne released Cara. They would both need their hands free if they tripped over the macabre mess. She tried not to look too closely at the injured, but couldn’t help noticing several piles of ash…ash? As if someone had thrown a fireball into the Ghazsuls, causing instant death. Only her own species of demons could do that…

No time to dwell on it. Daphne ran after him. Almost to the mouth of the cave.

Lightning blazed across the sky, brightening it to near daylight levels. Several towering figures moved toward them. Males…clad in black fatigues, armed with swords and blades. Others in civilian clothes, but just as armed and imposing.

She gasped.

Watchers.

The elite fighting force of the Lash demons. Her own race. Relief barreled through her heart. They were the good guys. The real deal.

“C’mon!” she shouted to the friends behind her. “The Watchers! We’re safe!” She picked her way across the debris covering the cavern floor and toward the tall commanding soldiers.

They had spotted her kidnapper and the straggling group behind him and were moving in. At the cave’s opening, two males grabbed him and another raced toward Daphne. He stopped, towering over her, laying hands gently on her shoulders. “You’re safe now. We’re getting you out of here. But we don’t have much time. Are you injured?”

“No.” She looked up at the blond Watcher who assessed her with methodical concern. Dirt covered his clothes and a streak of blood decorated his jaw. “I’m okay.”

“Good.” He glanced to the left, where another Lash fighter was speaking to two more prisoners. “Everyone all right?”

“Yes, sir.” The other male turned. “We’re good to—” His eyes locked on to Daphne in stunned shock.

Heavy raindrops pelted her and she squinted at him, confused. Something in his voice triggered a spark of familiarity. But she didn’t know any Watchers…

“I need to speak to her,” he growled to his colleague in a tone that brokered no argument.

The blond fighter shook his head and muttered, “Make it quick.” He gestured to the other evacuees to join him, and they hurried away from the cave entrance.

The Watcher moved toward her, focused on her like she was something unique and rare. Though all these warriors were lethal by definition, she harbored no fear as he approached. Only a curiosity that grew more insistent with every step he took. Bewildered, she shielded her eyes from the deluge and studied his square jaw and full lower lip. A recollection teased the edges of her mind, struggling to break free.
Who was he…

He stared at her, blinking away the rain that had turned his thick black eyelashes into spiky points. Sudden recognition soared in her soul as those eyes searched her own, moving from one to the other, from her left eye to her right.

From her blue eye to her green one.

“Daphne?” His voice was gentler, but carried the weight of surprise and concern.

She stared as memories snared her heart and yanked it back through time. It couldn’t be…“Raul?” she whispered, barely getting the word out through her shock.

He nodded, looking as thunderstruck as she felt.

“Oh my gods!” She flung her arms around him, awash in astonished disbelief. How was it possible? Standing before her, this male she’d known so long ago and had shared innocent years with. For a heartbeat, nothing else mattered. Not the storm, not the trembling mountain.