Embrace the Desire (23 page)

He held out his hand and a slender silver chain appeared. With his scythe, he sliced his palm next to the chain. Taking one of his hairs from his head, he wrapped it around the chain and closed his fist around the blood, the chain and the hair.

She vaguely recalled the myth of such a pact.

He spoke low, his voice a mesmerizing lull. “Body, flesh of mine. Blood, power of mine. Soul, power of the gods. I give you my word.” He held out the chain. “If I break my word, my soul will belong to you.”

She hesitated. “And the baby? Will he be like Damon?”

He raised an eyebrow. “A personality is one's own. I cannot guarantee he will be any different than Damon.”

“Do you know what his destiny is?”

“Yes.” He grinned slightly. “He has two roads before him, one evil and one good. If you wish for me to interfere with his choice, I can do so, but the price will be higher than just that book.”

“What else do I have that you want?” Most likely some very important details were missing in this whole bargain of Charon's. “And just how did you get Damon's baby?”

“We have not made the bargain so I must decline to answer any more of your questions.” He held his palm out, the silver chain glowing. “The choice is yours.”

“Once I make the bargain, you can't lie to me about anything can you?” She racked her mind for more information on Charon.

“That is part of our bargain and so I cannot lie.”

“And I can ask as many questions as I want?” She stared at him searching his face for any clues about his character. “At any time I want?”

His red eyes swirled. “There will be a limit. No more than five questions.”

“Is that all? Seriously?” She felt her jaw flex as she tried to move her toes again. How was she going to get all the answers she wanted out of five questions? She needed like thirty or fifty. But five was better than one.

She looked at him apprehensively. “I need to move my hand to take the chain.”

At once her hand lifted and he slowly laid the chain into her palm. “It's going to hurt.”

“What?” No sooner than she said that one word, the pain started, her flesh burning, melting around the chain. Her brain was slow to register the fact and seconds passed before a scream of agony ripped from her throat. As soon as her flesh covered the chain, her hand returned to normal and the pain was gone.

“What is your first question?”

She thought for a moment. “Why did my mother tell me to die?”

He grunted. “Isn't that one obvious?” He shook his head. “Your mother wants Gyth's throne, always has, always will. If you die, your brother will destroy Gyth and she will have what she wants. And just to show my good nature, I'll let you in on another secret about your mother. She made a bargain with me to keep Damon away from you. Before your destiny was unwritten, you were to be his consort, giving him a child that would destroy her.”

She sat there slack jawed. “But she is an angel.”

“Angels aren't always good.” Charon's eyes flashed. “Next question.”

Boy, she had a million questions she wanted to ask about her mother, but her questions were limited and there were other things she needed to know. “How did you get Damon's baby?”

“I made a bargain with Bastilla. She is now on earth and she searches for Payne.” He grinned. “She hid the fetus from Damon and in exchange for passage to earth, she gave the fetus to me.”

She clutched at her stomach. Could she carry a child that belonged to Damon and to the woman Payne was in love with? Would she be able to raise that child knowing he was a part of Damon. She shuddered. Not from fear, but from the hurt he had put her through, but she knew she couldn't let an innocent child die even if it was Damon's. There were so very few members of the One Race that even one child could make a difference.

And how would Payne feel about the child? Did it matter? It wasn't like Payne was going to stick around after he got what he wanted.

Chanta looked at her book, the questions there were endless. She didn't even know where to start or even how to form a question where it was concerned. But she knew the legend of the books of knowledge.

“Why didn't you just take the book from me?” She wiggled her toes and caught her breath wondering if Charon's hold was weakening. “And if memory serves me correctly, how can destinies be changed or unwritten since Jaiden is dead?”

“Once the books have attached themselves to someone, they must be given or traded.” An odd look crossed his face, his eyes narrowing into tiny slits of red light. “Jaiden's power manifested into his books when his physical form died.”

Physical form? Did that mean he had another form?

Chanta raked her hand through her hair as Charon waited for her final question. The legend said that Jaiden died by Gyth's father's hand and that he was completely destroyed, his bones laid to rest in a vault in the Heavens and his books scattered into the four winds. He was the god of destiny and even the legends and myths surrounding him never spoke of his actual birth, just that as a babe, Isten and he had forged the books.

She heard Charon chuckle and she looked up as her book disappeared. “This bargain between you and me, it ensures that the world will not be destroyed?”

Charon nodded. “The world will not be destroyed this night.”

She snorted. “This night?”

His image swirled, his red eyes the only thing remaining of him. “Just as your brother before you, you can save this universe from destruction. But destruction is always just one step away. Pray that all others whose destinies fall upon this crossroads do the same as you.”

As his eyes vanished, the room spun out of control, her vision blurring and the pain of the Burning returning full force. Her back arched as she looked at Payne whose body was encased in ice. Slowly, the ice began to melt and all she could hear was Charon's cold misery filled laughter as the Burning claimed her.

• • •

Elena came to a dead stop as Lysander entered her private quarters. His eyes were downcast, his wings drooping. Since, she had given birth to Chanta, he had become more and more detached, sullen, and depressed. Lysander was for the most part, a good upstanding angel, one who didn't take his duties lightly. For centuries, he had been her most trusted ally and her lover. Her slave of sorts.

His only problem, he had fallen in love with her. She barely controlled the sneer that was threatening to appear on her face. Love? What had love ever brought her? Misery.

With the blondest hair of any of the angels, uncanny handsome blue eyes, and a body built for every sinful wish she could possibly imagine, he had served his purpose without flaw and without hesitation. And now, he stood before her with disappointment written so clearly on his face.

“What news do you bring me?”

“Chanta has decided to endure the Burning.” His voice was low. “Odds are she will survive as well as Damon's unborn son.”

“She must be destroyed. I don't care how, but it needs to be done quickly before she allows that monstrosity, Payne, to save her.” Elena stretched her snow white wings. “Even with the bargain I made with Charon, I don't want to take the chance that destiny will rewrite itself.”

She turned to Lysander, a soft smile on her lips as she gently laid her palm on his cheek. “You'll do this for me so that I can survive. I must rule the Heavens if I am to condemn mankind for all their sins.” As an afterthought, she whispered, “And after it is done, you and I will consummate our relationship. You will no longer have to stand by my side as a consort. When this is over, we will rule as Lord and Mistress of the Heavens. According to Jaiden's book, all that I will require is her death and the rest will fall into place.”

Oddly enough, his eyes narrowed, his voice unwavering. “Is there not another way? Does Chanta have to die?”

It wasn't the response she was expecting. “There is no other way. It must be done, tonight. With each passing hour, the window of opportunity is getting tighter and tighter.”

He nodded. “Varick is protecting her and Payne as well. What do you want done with Varick?”

“I want him dead as well. Gyth will fall all that much easier if the only two things in his entire existence he cares about are dead.” She watched the flicker of regret cross his face. “If you are not capable of doing this, I'm sure I can enlist someone else's aid.”

He scowled. “I have always been at your side no matter how wrong you are in things. Not once have I ever went against your wishes. Not even when you conceived that child with Gyth.”

Elena slapped him, her hand stinging. “You'll do well to remember your place, consort.”

“I don't have to remember it, you remind me every single day.” His jaw flexed. “I'm bound by oath to do as you command.”

From the folds of her robe, she withdrew a small glass jar. Inside the jar, a soft white light glowed, flickered, and swirled around. Lysander's eyes latched onto the jar as he took a step forward, his hand instinctively reaching out.

Elena shook the jar, chuckling softly as Lysander went to his knees. “When you pledged yourself to me and agreed to be my consort, you gave me power over your soul. You will kill her or we shall see what happens to an angel's soul when it is flung into the deepest region of Hell with nothing to occupy its time, but the endless torment of the condemned.”

Facing him, she tightened her grip on the jar. As she gracefully stretched her wings and stood before him, she laughed knowing he would do as she said.

“There will be many who stand in the way.” His jaw clenched. “Many who have no part of this conflict with Gyth. To get to her, I will have to go through them.”

“Then do it. Kill them all.” He flinched as she ran her fingers over her hand print. “Take a few of the guards and make sure that Chanta dies tonight.”

“And if I fail?” His eyes narrowed as she smiled at him.

“Don't fail me in this, Lysander. If you do, it will be your downfall.” Taking a deep breath, she stepped back. “Now go.”

As he turned and stalked away, she laughed softly. Lysander was the sexiest of all the angels, the tallest, and the most skilled. There was nothing she enjoyed more than controlling his every move except making Gyth suffer.

The god's name made her skin crawl. Her lust for him had created a destiny she would defy to the bitter end. She would have accepted that destiny save one little detail. Gyth had ordered her to send Chanta to earth and had ended their little love affair. In her tears and heartache, the bastard had apologized, tried to convince her it was for the best and that they could never be together. If she couldn't have Gyth, she would take his throne.

He was the Lord of the Heavens and could only have a goddess sit by his side at the throne and Elena was nothing but an angel. From the moment the words had left his mouth, vengeance had grown steadily in what remained of her heart.

Grinding her teeth and jerking the cover off the mirror that sat by the window, she stared into the green swirl of the River Styx. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the jar into the mirror where she knew Charon was waiting for his payment. What better way was there to bring Gyth to his knees before her? Kill his son and daughter, take his throne, and end all humanity.

Payne awoke and opened his eyes. Chanta was astride him leaning up on his chest on her palms. He started to reach for her face, but found he was chained to her bed. Her wings were laying on the bed and touched the floor. The pressure of her naked body sent shivers of pleasure through his rather extremely naked one. The soft smile on her lips brought one to his face.

“Did you do this?” he asked as he pulled on his chains.

She sat up and frowned. “I'm not sure. I waved my hand and the chains appeared and I wanted light and these candles appeared. I wanted you and then you appeared in the chains.”

Payne grinned and laughed as he looked at the hundreds of candles that riddled her room. The light glowed on her skin, bringing out every single curve. She was beautiful and she was now his, whether she liked it or not. He knew he could easily break the chains, but he remained as she had placed him.

“I still burn inside. Why?”

“The Burning is not over yet. There is one more thing to be done,” he replied as she ran her fingers up his chest and caressed the wound below his nipple.

“When it is done, will you leave?”

Payne frowned. “I have an obligation to fulfill.”

“And Varick' promise of one wish? What will you wish for?”

Payne didn't answer her question. There had only been one thing he had desired since he could remember: Damon's death. “You must bond with a Destroyer and the Burning will cease.”

Ignoring his statement, she asked again, “What will you wish for?”

“That is my concern.”

She ran her fingers over the tattoos on his arms as she stretched over his body. “And these, what do they mean?”

“I am a Destroyer. They are the faces of the demons that I kill.”

“And the scar on your back? Who put it there?”

“It was a long time ago and is best forgotten.”

“Tell me Payne, who put it there?”

Payne gritted his teeth. “My mother.”

Chanta leaned down to his lips and kissed him, running her tongue across his and grabbing his hair. She raised up and pulled his head back against the pillow. A sensual feeling filled his heart as she ran her fingers down his face and traced his lips. He arched under her as her hands traveled down his chest and her eyes took every inch of his body in. She slid her hips down from his stomach and pressed down on his erection.

“Are you in love with someone?”

Silence was her answer.

“Do you want me?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to be inside of me?”