Marked by Hades (23 page)

“I won’t hurt you. Please let me touch you. I didn’t want to until you were awake, so Sadie cleaned you up. We’re in Florida. A band of demons came through to find you. I was attacked, you—
er
—Dyre went nuts trying to get to me. Then your green eyes flashed through her black ones.” He drew in a breath. “God. Your green eyes. I’ve craved seeing them for months. Remember how the marking works?”

“First touch. Then kiss. Then…”

“Making love. We almost made it to that one.” He let out a sexy half smile.

“But the demons showed up. I…” Her shoulder pulsed; warmth spread down her arm and chest. “I couldn’t let you bind to a demon.”

“You remember.” He let out a breath.

“How’d you get me out of Hades?”

“Dyre. Your demon helped. It’s a long story, and I’ll tell you everything, but please, let me touch you first. I need the Mark again. I’ve been lost without it.” His eyes filled with sadness. “Missed feeling you inside my mind and heart.”

She gulped. Could this be real? “This is a demon trick. Torture.”

“There’s not a demon in existence that could pull off imitating me.” He closed the distance between them and grabbed the wrist of the hand that held the weapon.

It wasn’t a harsh grip, just firm. Warmth blasted through her and pooled in her belly. He grimaced.

“Watch my neck.” He slid his free hand around her waist and drew her nearer. “I feel it coming.” His chest heaved. “I love you. Love you so much.”

Just as he’d said in their bed before she left him.

A single black line of ink crept up his neck. Another joined it, twining with it, forming the very design that was on her shoulder.

The weapon she held dropped to the carpeted floor with a thud. “Justin,” she whispered.

He was real, she was home, and she was human.

There’d be no waiting this time.

Chapter Forty

Sea-green eyes stared up at Justin as the cloud of confusion lifted.

Yvonne was back.

At first, when she hadn’t remembered him and thought him a demon, he was worried something had gone wrong. She’d been asleep for hours, and that’d been torture. He’d wanted to clean her up, touch her, kiss her, but not while she was unconscious.

“It’s really you,” she whispered. Her breath caressed his lips she stood so close.

Her fingers grazed along his neck, sending his skin puckering. Flames erupted in his stomach, and his spine tightened.

“First the touch. Then the kiss…” She licked her lip ring.

His neck pulsed. Enough waiting. He claimed her mouth as he released his hold on her wrist and cupped her face. Rising to her tiptoes, she hungrily met him.

He angled her head to explore deeper, and she opened, drawing him in. Her hands slid up inside his sleeves, and she grabbed hold of his shoulders. The warmth nearly undid him.

His Mate was here with him. Dyre was gone, and Yvonne was back.

“Off. Shirt off.” Yvonne nipped at his neck and stepped away.

He slid off the material, and she followed suit. She stood before him in leggings and a white lace bra. Dark hair spilled over her shoulders and followed the curve of her full breasts. “
Szép
.”

She shoved the dark leggings over her hips and grinned. His heart hammered so hard it stole his breath. At first, he worried how aggressive she was with him. It was so unlike her, but the glint in her eyes drew him back to the moment. She recognized him as her Mate. Wanted to join with him. Much like the night before she’d gone, but this time, there was no uncertainty. Nothing stood in their way.

He unbuttoned his jeans and shucked them to the side. Her green eyes widened, and he couldn’t have been happier. No more demon black.

She stepped toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you, Justin. You’re mine.”

She’d finally said the words, and his world tilted on its axis.

He hoisted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his hips. The bed was too far, so he laid her on the couch before the fireplace. He’d wanted to set the mood, lighting a fire, laying her on the silk sheets of the hotel bed, but the flame in her eyes and her touch were too much.

He needed her right now.

His neck pulsed, reminding him that it had morphed due to their kissing. It beat in time with her now, and it was going crazy.

She kept her ankles locked behind him as he held her tight. Her tongue went to work with his, relearning everything. Exploring. Tasting. Claiming.

He moved in time with her, relishing her heat, her moans, and her enthusiasm.

Wait. That was new. She was usually more reserved.

Severing their connection, he looked down. Her lips were shiny, and her eyelids hung heavy over her sea-green gems.

“What’s wrong?” She caressed his bare back.

“Is this too fast? I don’t want to—”

“I stopped you last time. I wouldn’t make love to you because I was leaving. I’m not making that mistake again, Mate.” She leaned up and sucked his bottom lip. “Kiss me.”

Taking charge of the kiss, he dove into her, absorbing her lavender-laced scent. Not wanting a single thread of fabric separating them, he flicked her bra clasp, and it fell away.
Finally.

She skimmed her hand down his spine to his butt and squeezed. “Justin.”

He pushed up and worked his way to her chest, kissing, nipping, caressing until he had her arching into his touch. Following the curve of her hip, he pushed off the panties, shed his, and then rolled on top of her. “
Szép
.”

One gentle movement joined them. She gasped, and he stopped, letting their bodies adjust to each other. Energy coursed through him, warming his chest, and it took everything in him to stay still.

His surroundings blurred until he saw only Yvonne. Her wide eyes, shiny lips, and rosy cheeks. He combed her hair back, getting lost in the sea of her eyes and the sensation of being inside her. Finally, they were Mated. His soul was complete.

Coiling her leg around his, she allowed him deeper. She tensed, teasing him toward bliss. Toward heaven.

Her hands grated up and down his back until they stayed on his butt. A gentle squeeze had him moving. Nothing in the world could have stopped him.

His Mate. His life. His eternity.

Tension rippled along his spine as her tight body edged him toward the cliff. He was more than ready to jump into bliss. Jump into mind-numbing euphoria with Yvonne.

And earn his mated Mark.

“I feel it,” she whispered, and tilted her head to the side. “I feel you.”

Black ink crept over her shoulder, twining like a rope toward her neck. He brushed his lips along the developing Mark, and that’s when he felt his etching his skin. He welcomed the burn.

And he picked up the pace.

She met every movement he offered, joining with him. Possessing his soul.

Tensing beneath him, she opened her mouth, and her head pressed into the couch cushions. Energy rippled around him.

He half expected fangs to jet out and bury into his neck, but he was relieved when they didn’t. Instead, a sexy moan streamed with Yvonne’s release.

And he chased right after her. Giving her every part of him. Not just his body, but his soul.

…

Yvonne combed her fingers through Justin’s hair as he slept, his face nuzzled to her breast. They’d eventually made it to the bed, and she was so content, she never wanted to move ever again.

Her body ached in the most intimate places, and she relished it. Justin owned her, occupied every pore of her body. And her Mark…she touched it again, loving the raised, pulsing skin.

Amazing.

His arm that lay across her stomach twitched, and she pressed a kiss to the top of his head. She’d never known such love. She seriously thought her heart would burst.

“We’re never leaving this bed,” he whispered.

“Fine with me.” She let out a giggle.

Man, that felt good. A laugh. A smile.

“Might get a little hungry eventually, though.” He kissed her breast and shifted closer to her. “Then again we don’t technically need food to live. And since you can’t touch another living soul, I better touch you some more.”

The sensation of his body touching hers nearly sent flames shooting through the top of her head. But her growling stomach shattered the peacefulness.

He laughed.

“Tell me how I escaped Hades.”

He moved his thigh between her legs and propped his head on his palm, elbow denting the bed beside her. “We found Dyre in Germany. She had the ring.”

She tensed. “The Artifacts.”

“We have three, thanks to Dyre.” He grinned, looking at her with his ocean-blue eyes. “But Pario has the Bracelet of Aoratos.”

“What’s that do?”

“Renders the wearer invisible.”

He fingered her belly button, and his thigh shifted, setting off triggers in her core. If he kept that up, they’d be at it again before she got answers.

“Invisibility… Nice way to sneak into Lucifer’s home and steal his Mate.”

“Supposedly the separation works like it does with the Shomrei Gatekeepers—he’ll get weak and die.”

“Leaving chaos in Hades. Archangels…apocalypse.” She couldn’t concentrate as he kissed his way from her chest to her neck.

“We’ll get it.” His hand navigated to her breast. “You are so beautiful. So strong. I’ve missed you more than I can ever tell you.”

“How long was I gone, and why don’t I remember anything?”

“Two and a half months. Dyre was with us these last few weeks.” He drew the tender flesh into his mouth and teased her until her vision tilted.

“Justin.”

“I can’t get enough of my Mate.” He grinned.

Her heart swelled at that word. She felt so loved. Treasured. “What happened while I was in Hades?”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re here now.” He eased into her as he claimed her mouth with a rough, possessive kiss. “And you’re mine.
Mine
.”

He propped himself up on an elbow while his free hand touched every inch of her body as he moved within her. Each thrust was filled with a deep, dark emotion as his blue eyes flared with amber swirls.

“
Szép
,” he whispered. “Mine.”

“Yours.” She grabbed onto his shoulders, feeling the muscles bunch beneath her touch. The world slanted even more as he picked up the pace. Deeper. Closer.

He lowered his mouth to her neck and nipped it enough to make it sting. A soft brush of his tongue chased away the brief pain. Bright lights danced in the corners of her vision. Breaths in short pants did nothing to chase the light-headedness away.

And that was fine by her.

His hand at the back of her thigh guided her leg up, impossibly high for her to hold. “Okay?” He gasped against her lips as he planted his hand to the bed, propping her leg in the crook of his arm. “So good.”

The shift in position blasted lights through her vision and stole her breath. “Justin—”

His mouth met hers with a burst of energy as they both jumped into their release. Bathed in heat and electricity, she rode the wave of pleasure, absorbing the connection. The love.

She didn’t mind the delay of making love to her Mate, but the intensity he showed surprised her.

She lay draped over his body, limp with exhaustion. “That was intense.”

His fingers trailed up her spine, and he let out a satisfied rumble.

And then a memory flashed. After she’d been stabbed, she’d awakened in a dark room, naked. A demon…
oh, God
…Pario. A big demon named Pario.

She’d been sore…she couldn’t finish the thought. Bile surged into her throat. Her stomach roiled. “Up. Up.” She pushed off Justin and dashed to the bathroom.

Shit. Pario had raped her. Several times. Violently. Images flashed, her body tensed.

Tender hands took hold of her hair.

She braced herself over the toilet, working to catch her breath. “They—Pario—he raped—”

Justin growled, but his touch along her back was tender, as if he were trying to absorb her pain. Take it from her.

“Justin,” she said through a sob. She’d been so violated. She was dirty. Used. They’d ruined her for her Mate.

“I love you,
szép
.” He kissed her shoulder. “I know you suffered. I’ll help you through it. But know that I love you. I want you. I’ll always want you.”

She spit and pushed away from the toilet. She thrust open the shower door and flipped on the water to hot. Tears streamed, stinging her eyes. Using the soap from the ledge, she started scrubbing. Her neck. Pario had bitten her so many times. Pulsed inside her as he drank her blood.

“Oh, God.”

“
Szép
,” Justin said as he stepped into the steam.

“No. Get out. Just get out.”

Chapter Forty-One

“So, Evania was right.” Zander paced the padded floor in front of the boxing ring, forefinger tapping his bottom lip. “You’ve broken through.”

“Evania…” Yes. Yvonne remembered seeing someone named Evania. Just before… She didn’t finish that thought. Couldn’t. It brought back too many painful memories.

But the agony of Evania’s spell sliced through her attempts to block out the memory. She tensed and drew in a deep breath. Feeling the flesh being peeled from her skin, the pangs of her soul being ripped out, were like barbed wire scraping along her arm.

She clutched her stomach as she stood from the weight-lifting bench she shared with Justin. The gym was stale and cold, but big, and she needed space.

“
Szép
?” Justin reached for her, but she waved him off. The pain in his eyes didn’t help the discomfort she was remembering, either.

“I’m okay.” She worked to smile but wasn’t sure it came out exactly right, since Sadie flinched and averted her gaze to Theo. They stood a few feet away, leaning against the wall beside the water fountain.

She hated the pitying looks Sadie’d been giving her, and the mirrored walls in this gym surrounded her with the sorrowful faces. The woman hadn’t left her side if Justin wasn’t around.

It was as if she was on suicide watch or something.

She needed another shower. To try again to wash off the feel of Pario’s hands on her.

She swallowed back a gag.

“Should have taken months, maybe even a year before the spell wore off, according to Evania.” Zander paused in front of her, still tapping his lips with his fingers.

Such an annoying habit. Then again, she was taking advantage of hers—sucking on her lip ring—a lot recently. At that thought she sucked harder, giving her lip a sting. It helped distract from the memories that would not stop plaguing her.

Despite the enormous workout facility on the second sublevel of Theo’s compound, the space closed in on her. Two huge Shomrei, Sadie, and Zander all studied her. She almost crumpled beneath the weight of their stares. “So, can you hide me?”

“I think I can. While you were away, I was writing down everything I could remember from Evania’s books. And I hope you don’t mind, I figured out how to work your computer. I did some searching after you called and asked me about hiding Yvonne.” He grinned. “Which is very smart, by the way. If those high-level demons came out as a group to get her instead of individually, then the bounty is high enough for them to share.”

“Great.” Yvonne’s shoulder pulsed, and she looked to Justin.

He smiled and gave her a wink. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“While hiding you is a fantastic idea, it’s not easily done.” Zander shoved his hands into his pockets and slouched. “The Mekhash clan has been trying to replicate the effects of the Bracelet of Aoratos for…well—ever, I think.”

“And…” Justin waved for him to continue.

“We’ve come up with this.” He pulled out what looked like a river rock from his pocket. Only this was shiny and brilliant blue with a hint of violet.

In the center was a small circle of white with lines radiating out from its epicenter. Like a little pocket of sun trapped deep within the gem, straining to get out, to let its brilliance shine.

“Here.” Zander dropped it in her hand, careful to not touch her.

The stone felt warm in her hand, as if heat radiated from it, and if she wasn’t mistaken, a subtle blue aura emanated from it. Not quite as brilliant as the gem itself, but lighter.

“This will hide her from all demons? Or just Pario?”

“Should hide her from everything.” Zander looked at her. “Try it.”

“Um…what do I do?”

“Ah. I forget, you’re not magical and not a demon.” He shook his head. “Squeeze it and say
Defluo
.”

“De-what?” Yvonne said.

“De-floo-oh. It’s got Latin roots. Don’t worry, if you don’t say it exactly, it’s fine. The stone has one purpose, and that’s to hide. So it’ll know what you’re trying to do.”

She drew in a deep breath and glanced at Justin. He nodded.

Shutting her eyes, she gave the stone a squeeze, and said, “
Defluo
.”

Nothing happened. She expected to feel something, but she didn’t.

She looked at Justin, and his gaze seesawed from side to side. “It worked! I didn’t think she’d literally go invisible, but she did. Yvonne?”

She reached for his arm but couldn’t see her hand. Eventually she touched him, and he fumbled as he worked to grab hers back. He tracked up to her neck, then her face. “You feel normal, but I can’t see you. Amazing.”

“Nicely done, Zander. Now, how do you undo it?” Theo asked.

“You never mentioned being able to undo it.” He grinned. “Kidding. Kidding.”

“Not funny,” Justin said and leaned closer to Yvonne. “I would miss seeing you,
szép
.” He kissed her nose. “Sorry. I was aiming for your cheek.”

“Okay, that just looks funny,” Sadie said.

“Just say
Visio,
and you’ll return.” Zander smiled. “Eventually, you can think the words and disappearing or reappearing will just happen as long as you’re holding the stone. It has to be touching your flesh somewhere to work.”

“Like the bracelet. A piece of jewelry is easy to keep on.” Sadie nodded. “Is this spell common? Why aren’t there more out there?”

Zander plopped onto a bench and let out a long breath. “So, we’ve known about the bracelet forever and have tried replicating its ability. This is the closest we’ve come. Closest Evania came.” He laced his fingers together and stretched out his arms before him, sending his knuckles cracking like popcorn popping.

Not liking how shifty the demon suddenly got, Yvonne asked, “What?”

“It comes with a couple drawbacks. We’ve only tried it out a few times because the Khamut Stone is so rare. It can only be used once, and for only one person.”

Yvonne paced, rubbing her thumb over the stone. “Once? As in, I just wasted it?”

Zander looked in her direction but didn’t quite lock eyes with her. “No. That’s not what I meant,” he explained. “Once, meaning, the stone can’t ever be used again for another person, another spell, nothing. It becomes a paperweight.”

“But Yvonne can use it. That’s all that matters,” Justin said, standing to his full height.

“That leads me to the next issue we’ve yet to solve.” Zander cleared his throat. “There’s a time limit.”

“What?” Theo’s voice echoed off the walls of the gym. “What do you mean time limit?”

“About thirty days…give or take a week.”

Justin faced the boxing ring. “So, let’s see if I got this right. We now have only three weeks to deal with Pario?”

“Three or four, give—”

“—or take, we got it.” Theo stood now as well. He tunneled his hands into his hair, and Yvonne could see the warrior plotting, planning. “And how do you know this spell? You’re just an apprentice.”

“And you just happened to have a very rare stone with you?” Justin said.

“
Visio
.” Yvonne looked down and watched her hand materialize. She knew there was more to this Zander character. Sure, he was wimpy-looking and skittish, but she saw strength, too. His aura was undetectable. Where the Shomrei glowed, Zander just…was. “What aren’t you telling us?”

“My mom was a witch, dad a warlock, and their parents before them.”

“Humans have practiced witchcraft forever. So though you’re an apprentice, you’re very connected,” Theo said.

“Well, that and…” Zander glanced at Yvonne and back to Theo. “Evania was my grandmother.”

“Wait, what?” Sadie said.

“Born demon,” Yvonne whispered. “You were born in Hades.”

Zander nodded, keeping his focus downward.

“How?” Theo asked. “This is unheard of.”

“Hey, demons get horny, too. The horniest out there, really.” Zander shrugged while Yvonne tensed. A flash of Pario propped behind her, forcing himself into her, tore through her mind. She pushed back the thought and trained her focus on Zander.

“Demons can’t procreate, can they?” Her stomach tensed. The thought of having Pario’s baby…wait, Justin said it’d been a couple of weeks, but what did Dyre do, or more
who
did Dyre do? Could she be pregnant?

“Demon’s can’t procreate.” Zander sifted his hand through his chestnut-brown hair. “Usually.”

“I’m not liking how cryptic you are.” Justin’s hand glided down Yvonne’s arm, and he clasped her hand in his. Was he thinking the same thing? That she could be pregnant with a demon child?

“Sorry. I’m just not used to spilling my guts, you know? It tends to get demons killed.” He glanced around. “I’m from the Mekhash clan, you guys know that. Our family has pretty much led things for millennia down there in Hades. Well, being the strongest line of witches tends to get you privileges.”

“And by privileges, you mean…” Sadie asked.

“You’re looking at them.” Zander pointed to himself. “The Mekhash line can procreate.”

Yvonne let out the breath she’d been holding, and she was pretty sure she heard Justin doing the same. The idea of demons having demon babies sent her stomach churning again. “Sick.”

“Yeah, well, you might view it as that, but if you can build strength, you’re less likely to be thrown into the fires. More valuable is more respected. Our power gets passed down, stronger and stronger with each generation.” He grinned. “Why do you think we were working to perfect invisibility? It sure does up the chance of survival, you know?”

Justin groaned. “Do other witches down there know this spell? How—”

“No. Strictly my line. Grams got it from her mom, her mom before. It’s a well-guarded secret. As are the stones.”

“Stones? So there are more?” Sadie asked. “Where are they? Where do they come from? What—”

“This one was Grams’s.”

“How did Pario manipulate Evania into breaking through Lucifer’s punishment? If she was so strong and respected, why didn’t she just turn him into a frog?” Sadie asked. “Something doesn’t add up.”

“While I have a powerful line, it still takes time to develop. I’m a fledgling. We don’t come into our powers until our three-hundredth year. I just turned three hundred six months ago, so I have only six months of power and training.”

“And…”

“Pario’s goons took me. Threatened to end me if Grams didn’t cooperate. He knew I was the end of the Mekhash line. No heirs until I have kids, so I’m it.” Zander stood and paced in front of the doorway. “I wasn’t strong enough to defend myself or escape if caught, and Grams knew that. She’d set off to get her stone from her mom’s mausoleum, intending to hide me when she started hearing about Pario’s intent with Dyre.”

“But they got you first.” Theo crossed his arms over his chest.

“I come from a very strong line, but I have a lot to learn and a lot of power to build.”

“To build?” Sadie asked.

“Takes time. There’s three hundred years of my power packed in here, not to mention that of my ancestors.” He pounded his chest. “If it all came out at once, that might get a little…messy.”

“A blast of dark magic three hundred years building would get messy,” Theo said. “Shit. And this power, this line of witches, is this why we don’t detect your demon nature?”

He shrugged. “That’d be my guess—not really sure on that one yet.”

Yvonne stood there, watching and listening. Not a single word formed in her brain, let alone her mouth. It was too much. All this talk of magic, demons, Hades…she couldn’t handle it anymore.

Her chest tightened, squeezing the breath from her lungs. She closed her eyes, hoping to calm herself, but Pario’s face flashed. His fangs. Blood.

She grabbed the rope enclosing the boxing ring and shook her head. A warm hand twined with hers, but she didn’t look.

Couldn’t.

Justin didn’t force it. He simply held on, and unless she imagined it, she felt her anxiety wane a bit. Her heart rate slowed, and her breathing leveled out.

Too bad it didn’t stop the images relentlessly flashing in her mind.

“The Council killed Evania for reversing Lucifer’s punishment,” Sadie said. “How’d you get away?”

“I was at home. I don’t—didn’t—live with her.” He shifted his weight. “She got a message to me, and I took off to her house. You guys showed up a few hours later.”

“And now you’re topside,” Justin said. “Pario must know. He’ll come for you.”

“Not here. Protected compound, remember?” Zander grinned. “I’ve always wanted to come topside. It would have been years, decades, before I’d gain enough strength to breach a splice.” He thumbed Theo. “And been able to evade your detection.”

“Holy shit.” Theo stomped to the punching bag about five feet from him and rammed his fist into it. Yvonne didn’t like the tension rolling off him. “So your clan, or coven, whatever you want to call it, will be looking for you, as will Pario. I’m not happy about this, Zander.”

“I’m sure the clan thinks I’m off wandering, racked with grief. Grams was the master trainer and my closest living relative. They’d understand.”

“For only so long, though.”

“True. I’ll have to return eventually.”

“And why are you helping us?” Sadie asked.

Zander looked to Yvonne. “Because I understand not wanting to be in Hades. Not wanting to be a demon.”

“Okay, you suck for holding back info.” Justin offered Zander a hand. “But thank you for helping my Mate.”

“How does the invisibility work?” Yvonne asked. “People might not be able to see me, but I’m still solid, they’ll feel me if I bump into them. And when I touch Justin, why doesn’t he go invisible? My clothes do—so do my hair and shoes.”

“Right. The clothes are in such close proximity to your skin, they’re part of you, so they disappear, as does your hair, etc.”

“Justin’s my Mate, so he’s part of me.”

“But external, he can’t get close enough. Think of the invisibility as an aura, a sheen around you and only you. Anything that isn’t encompassed by the sheen doesn’t disappear.” He pointed to a five-pound weight on the end of a bar. “Go invisible and pick up that weight.”

“
Defluo
,” Yvonne said and reached for the weight. It was so weird not seeing her flesh-colored hand reach out. It was only a slight shimmer, an outline of her hand. She felt the weight, cold and solid, and picked it up.