Bedeviled (23 page)

Chapter Thirty-Six

K
yana raced through Below looking for some sign of Ryker even though her gut told her she wouldn't find him there. Not alone anyway. Haven might have all four pieces of the Eyes of Power, but she still needed Cronos's bones to complete the resurrection ceremony. Ryker was one of only two who could port her to that island where the bones had lain for so long. It didn't matter what threats they used; he would never let Haven get within spitting distance of Cronos's corpse.

Which meant she'd kill him when he refused.

As Kyana knelt beside several droplets of blood, fear tripped over itself, causing her hands to tremble. Whatever spells Haven had cast to snatch Ryker so deftly, she hadn't, thankfully, used a Scent Removing Charm. Not even the infusion of Zeus's blood had caused the scent of sunshine and ocean to change. However, hanging in the air like a storm cloud were the base pheromones of Haven
and
Cronos.

Maybe Haven wanted Kyana to follow. Maybe deep down . . .

Frantic, she followed their trail, determined to get to Ryker before it was too late. He would never unleash evil onto the world. Never port Haven and allow her to raise Cronos. He'd rather die than hurt the humans he valued so much.

She couldn't let that happen.

She raced along the path to the cliffs. Footsteps pounded behind her, but guessing they belonged to Geoffrey, she didn't turn. When she entered a wide clearing on the cliff's edge, she froze. Haven had Ryker on his knees. Even from this distance, she could see the blood and bruises. As Haven's fist came down on Ryker's jaw, Kyana flinched for him. It took all her willpower not to leap into action and keep hold of what little calm she'd retained. Being hasty could cost Ryker his life, and his life had become too valuable for her to risk.

That revelation tore at her chest until a faint sob escaped her. She cupped her hand over her mouth and ducked behind the trees, her mind spinning with ways to pull him away from that cliff before she made her move.

As she watched Haven strike him again, Kyana couldn't comprehend why he wasn't defending himself, or why he hadn't sent Haven flying over the cliff's edge, ending Cronos's attempts to regain power once and for all.

What the hell are you doing?
she wanted to shout at him, but her voice refused to cooperate. Thankfully, though, her feet were no longer immobile. If she revealed herself slowly, she might distract Haven enough for Ryker to make a move. She closed the distance, stopping only when Haven pulled Ryker to his feet and shoved him closer to the cliff's edge.

“Take one more step and I'll let him fall.”

The sound of rocks breaking free from their precarious hold kept Kyana rooted.

“Kill him, Cronos, and you'll never get what you want.” She shifted half a step closer. “If he goes over, I'll make damned sure Haven goes with him. There'll be no one to bring you back.”

She looked at Ryker. His face was so swollen that he was barely recognizable. It was then that she saw the binding cuffs linked around Haven's wrist and Ryker's throat. That was why he wasn't fighting back. He was under her spell.

His crisp, clear, ice blue eyes penetrated the pulp that had become his face, eyes that spoke words his battered lips couldn't form. He slowly lifted his hand to grip the Binding Charm around his neck. Though he pulled with enough force to make the muscles in his arms bulge, the necklace refused to release him. His gaze shifted from Kyana, to Haven, to the cliff, then back to Kyana.

Her heart stopped. He was prepared to sacrifice himself to stop this. She couldn't let him do it. Kyana kept her gaze on Ryker, but spoke to Haven. “I'm sorry I let that bastard get his hands on you.”

Haven turned to glare at her, giving her the opportunity she'd been waiting for. She threw herself at Ryker. The instant she collided with his back, she jerked sideways, forcing them away from the edge and into Haven, knocking her on her ass. Their breaths escaped in a whoosh of agony. Then Haven shoved Ryker aside and scrambled to her feet.

Before Kyana could regain her breath or find a way to free Ryker from the bond that was killing him, Haven's foot connected with her ribs, sending her careening toward nothingness.

She dug her hands into the rocky soil, her nails ripping in an attempt to find a handhold. She slipped over the edge before finding a root that would support her weight. Grasping the thorny vein with bloody fingers, she pulled herself up to find Haven standing over her. The maniac inside Haven laughed and ground her heel into Kyana's hand.

Biting back a cry of pain, she searched for another safe place to grab. Her gaze dropped. Nothing but a mist of sea foam and jagged rocks lay beneath her. Even as a goddess, she'd never survive the fall.

“Make your circle . . .” As Haven spoke to Ryker, she knelt in front of Kyana and gripped her throat. Her long nails bit into the flesh sending tiny rivers of blood snaking down Kyana's neck. “. . . or I will kill her.”

Her bloodied hands made finding a secure grip difficult, but Kyana held on for dear life, thorns puncturing her palms and poking at her bones. She visualized snatching Haven by the hair and tossing her over her shoulder and down the cliff. But if she acted on that impulse, she'd go down too, and while she wasn't afraid to die, she knew her responsibilities wouldn't allow for direct suicide.

The stone on the charm around Ryker's neck pulsed bloodred. If he didn't get it off soon, it would kill him. She stared at him, blocking out all thoughts of fears and pain until it was just the two of them on that rocky cliff.

The only thing keeping Kyana from careening down the mountain now was Haven's vicious hold on her throat.

“Don't do . . . it,” she managed to squeak out. “Don't . . . port her.”

She could read the determination in his eyes. He'd rather die than risk Haven completing the ceremony that would bring pure evil down on them all, but he was struggling with the sight of her life in jeopardy.

She caught his gaze, pleaded with him silently as Haven swung Kyana's body up and over the ledge, throwing her with a hard thud onto the dirt beside Ryker.

“You didn't kill me,” Kyana sputtered in surprise, her throat aching and raw.

“If I kill you, he definitely won't port us, will he? Now”—Haven turned her attention to Ryker—“port me, you dumb prick.”

Kyana made a big ordeal about struggling to her feet so Haven wouldn't hear her whispered plea to Ryker as she rose. “Don't do it. I'll figure something out, I just need time.”

There was so much doubt in his eyes, she worried he wasn't going to listen.

His gaze locked with hers, then shifted frantically; the hint of a nod at something to her left had her tossing a glance over her shoulder. No one was there.

She turned back to face Haven. “I will stop you.”

“You had your chance and you blew it. All this is on your head, Huntress. The next time we meet, you'll die.”

“You'd better hope she can't raise you, Cronos, because once you're corporeal again, there's nothing stopping me from ripping your fucking head off.”

Ryker was drawing a circle in the sand, his mouth moving as the inaudible words were said that would take them from here. “No, stop!”

But he'd finished his circle. Haven stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. A vortex slowly formed in front of him. He held out his hands as if offering prayer to the swirling light that gradually consumed them.

Just as Kyana sprung off her toes and leaped through the air toward them, a hand grabbed hers. But rather than hold her back, the body propelled her forward. Her hand contacted Ryker's thigh and she had only a second to turn her head and see who her uninvited guest was before she was being yanked through the painfully bright wormhole.

Ares.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

T
he instant they dropped out of the vortex and onto the sandy beach, Ares laced his fingers with Kyana's and pulled her to her feet. Her blindness only increased the panic crushing her ribs, but until Ryker spoke the words to release her, she'd see no light. The need to stay with him, to protect him, warred with the need to throttle him. What had he been thinking?

He'd just condemned them to Hell on Earth—if they even survived to see another sunrise. The Vampyre here were deadly to gods, and while Ryker hadn't changed into Zeus completely yet and Kyana hadn't yet fully become Artemis, Ryker was still a demigod, and Ares was still Ares. The monsters who resided here were the firstborn Vampyre—created when Cronos shared his blood with the other exiled, and with them bore the first Vampyric children. That pure evil was deadly near the pure auras of the gods. It drained them, sucked the life right out of them just by being too close—with the exception, it seemed, of Cronos.

She had to get Ryker and Ares off this island before sunset and those sons of bitches came out to hunt.

Hindered by her blindness, she felt herself being carried away from the crashing waves of the beach while Ryker and Haven were still recovering.

“Hush,” Ares demanded, releasing her. “She doesn't know we've come with them yet.”

She craned her neck skyward and wished with desperation that she could see how low the sun was. Sunset would be upon them shortly. They had to get moving.

“Why the hell did you let him port?”

Ares crouched behind her and covered her mouth with his hand, stifling the curse she wanted to scream.

He pressed his mouth close to her ear. “To save his life. I can port us off now. We just needed time—”

“
Libero.
” Ryker's voice sounded weak, like he was a million miles away, but he was close enough to return her sight, and with it, her determination to reach his side. She fought against Ares, but he held her tight.

“If you want to save my son, you have to trust me. This is the only way.”

Ares's whispered breath was hot against her ear, but it calmed her momentarily—or at least, it gave her back her ability to reason. She didn't want to put her faith in someone who hated her and despised his own son, but her choices were limited.

The second he released her, she scrambled to her knees to peer through the underbrush at the empty beach. “Where are they?”

Ares pointed toward a path about a dozen yards away before grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. “Let's go. We have to get my son . . . before I'm unable to port us out of here.”

The weakness in his voice, the way he grabbed his chest as though he was having a heart attack, frightened her. Wherever the Vampyre were sleeping, they were near enough to taint Ares already. This was going to be very, very bad.

She couldn't stand the prick, but she needed his port to get the hell out of here. There was no way they'd survive twenty-four hours for Ryker's ability to return. Even Kyana, unaffected by the Vampyre thus far, wouldn't be able to last once . . . Oh gods, she was doomed to change at sunset. They
really
had no time to waste.

She couldn't afford to tote a huge, hulking god with her in his current state. Moving as quickly as she could, she dragged Ares back to the beach, hoping the salty air would help ease his pain. Thankfully, the closer to the water they got, the easier Ares seemed to breathe.

He dropped to his knees. “Thank you,” he mumbled.

“I'm going to find Ryker. Bring him back here.” She pointed her finger at him. “Stay put and don't die,” she ordered.

He looked like he was going to argue, but suddenly gripped his chest again and peered up at her with a panicked expression. “Hurry.”

She left him and sprinted down the path toward the center of the island. It didn't take her long to reach the clearing they'd used as base camp when they'd first found this place a week ago. Crouching, she scanned the clearing.

She listened for any sounds of Ryker or Haven, but only deafening silence greeted her. Raising her head, she sniffed the air, almost crying out with relief when she detected the faint hint of Ryker on the breeze.

Watchful of each step, she worked her way toward the far side of the camp. When she reached the overgrown trail leading to the cave that had become Cronos's grave, she heard the faint sound of a twig snapping. Spinning, she prepared to lunge at Haven, only to find herself staring into Ryker's icy blue eyes. He was bound to a large palm tree, his head immobile, his chin lifted upward at an uncomfortable-looking angle from where Haven had secured him in place with the Binding Charm. His face was pale, his eyes glassy and empty. But he was breathing.

“Thank the gods,” she whispered, rushing to his side.

His forehead was bloody. A deep wound gushed from below his hairline like a crack in a perfect foundation. She snatched at the chain around his neck and slipped her dagger from her boot.

The weapon passed straight through the strands, but before the rope could fall away, they reentwined, holding him in place. Kyana knelt in front of him and shook his shoulders.

“Ryker? Ryker, I don't know what to do.”

His eyes fluttered closed and partially opened again. He tried to lift his head from the trunk of the tree, but the combination of the beating he'd taken, the binding spells, and the creatures on the island were taking their toll. His head jerked back toward the tree trunk and she thought his eyes were rolling back in his head, but as she leaned closer to shake him awake, she saw he wasn't losing consciousness.

He was staring at something overhead.

Her gaze followed his to the object dangling above him. Tied to a thick branch swung a cracked vial of ambrosia. She watched in horror as one undiluted pink droplet oozed out of the crack and plopped on Ryker's head. He let out a muffled roar as steam escaped the bloody wound on his brow and spread it open even further.

“That sadistic bastard!”

She struggled not to panic as she tried to yank the vial down, but like the bonds holding Ryker, it wouldn't tear free with physical strength alone. “Tell me how to get you out of here!”

His horribly swollen lips moved, but all she heard was the rush of his exhale. She leaned forward, placing her ear as close to his battered face as she dared.

“Damn it, Ryker.
You
say it! If you know the words that will release you, then say them!”

“Can't . . . be . . . me . . .”

She understood. He couldn't set himself free of a spell that was cast on him. Someone else had to do it.
She
had to do it.

He began whispering a little more clearly, but it still took three tries before Kyana could piece the garbled sounds together to form a coherent word.

Before she could repeat it, another pink drop fell, splattered on his head, and Ryker convulsed. This time his eyes really were rolling back in his head, and if she didn't hurry he wouldn't be awake to help her.

“
Slacciare?
” she whispered, silently praying she pronounced it correctly.

Much to her relief, the golden strands fell away from his chest to rest loosely at his waist, and the vial of ambrosia clattered to the ground, shattering at their feet. Kyana hopped out of the way, dodging the splatter and pulling Ryker with her.

When the liquid settled, she grabbed hold of the chains hanging from him and tossed them aside. Without the pressure of the binds, Ryker began to sway on his feet. She barely managed to catch him before his face crashed brutally into the ground.

“I'm going to get you back to the beach. I need you to try not to make any noise.”

She slipped his arm around her shoulder with one hand, grabbed the waistband of his pants in the other, and hoisted him to his feet. Every muscle in his body stiffened in protest, but he didn't make a sound.

“We have to hurry,” she panted, walking as fast as she could back the way she'd come.

She didn't know how he stayed on his feet, with them tripping their way through the jungle like a drunken pair of elephants, but thankfully, he managed. She considered carrying him, but if he could get to safety on his own, she wouldn't have to use the strength she needed to reserve for confronting Haven.

As they approached the sand, Ares rushed to her side. Effortlessly, he lifted Ryker and carried him to the water's edge, setting him gently in the sand just out of reach of the surf. He paused long enough to brush Ryker's hair from his bloodied face before shifting to draw his circle in the sand.

“We have to get out of here,” he said. “Now.”

Kyana stepped out of reach of his porting circle. She couldn't leave. Not yet. She wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead and pulled in huge gulps of air. “I know where Haven's going. Take care of him. I'll be back as quickly as I can.”

He looked at Ryker, then back to Kyana. “There's no time.”

Darkness was less than an hour away, but if she hurried, she still had time before the creatures came out of their hole in the ground.

And if she was damned lucky, time to stop Haven from completing the ceremony that would raise Cronos.

“I have to stop her.”

Ares looked at Ryker, then back to Kyana. “If it means leaving you here to die in order to save his life, I will.”

“Give me an hour. If you can.” Not caring that Ares watched her, she brushed her lips lightly across Ryker's. “If I'm not back by sunset, leave without me.”