Pride of the Lion: Hades' Carnival, Book 3 (11 page)

The lobby was fairly open with the elevators tucked into a dead-end nook. “Keep the doors open and watch for my signal.”

Araminta nodded and pressed one of the buttons on the brass elevator panel marked
Door Open
. Satisfied she was as safe as he could make her for now, Leander stalked toward the desk.

A single male sat tapping away on a long plastic board with keys. A computer, he reminded himself, his brain automatically conjuring up an image from memory. The man looked up as Leander approached. The man’s eyes widened and he swallowed hard, but he offered a tentative smile. “Good evening, sir. Can I help you?”

“We’re leaving early.” He tossed the keycard on the counter and turned away, his duty done. His senses were wide open, scanning for potential danger. There was only the human male here at the moment, but that could change at any time.

“Wait, sir. There’s paperwork to be signed.”

Leander whirled around and glared at the man. “Deal with it.”

He heard footsteps behind him and cursed under his breath. He should have known she wouldn’t stay where he’d put her. He caught Araminta’s arm and kept her next to him.

She smiled at the desk clerk. “I’m Araminta Davidson. The room has already been paid for. I have to go home early. A family emergency.”

The clerk’s gaze went from Leander’s hand where it was wrapped around her arm and back to Araminta. He reached for the phone. “Are you all right? Is there anything I can do for you?”

It didn’t take a lot of brains to know what the clerk was thinking. He thought Leander was coercing Araminta into leaving.

“Everything is just fine.” She patted Leander’s naked chest where the vest parted. “I’m giving him a ride home. It’s on my way.” She pushed her suitcase toward him. “Be a dear and carry this for me, will you?”

Leander wanted to keep his hands free for fighting but had little choice but to grab the handle and follow Araminta as she strode toward the front entrance of the hotel. He admired the sway of her curvy hips and the way the soft material of her jeans cupped her sweet ass.

He growled when she started to step outside and managed to shove her to one side and put himself in front of her. Streetlights lit the area. The coast was clear, the streets fairly empty. Only the occasional car passed by and several taxicabs were parked farther down the street.

It was quite a rush for him to be outside in the modern world, trying to match his knowledge to actual objects. The sounds of vehicles were continuous and the lights and colors brilliant. He took a deep breath, but his nose immediately wrinkled in disgust as it was assailed by the foul odors of gasoline and garbage. Still, he enjoyed the cool air brushing against his face and caressing his body. But there was no time for him to soak any of it in. He had to protect Araminta.

“My car is in the parking garage next door.” She waited patiently beside him, not trying to get past him. She rested her hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze. “I know this must be very overwhelming for you. You’ve been in captivity for so long.”

His lion roared within him. Did she think less of him for his captivity? He didn’t want her to see him as weak in any way. “I am fine. I am not without knowledge of your world.” He thrust her suitcase toward her. “You must take this. I need my hands free to fight.”

She wasn’t quite fast enough to hide the flash of hurt in her eyes. “Of course.” He wanted to curse and roar but did neither. She grabbed the handle and started to roll the suitcase behind her. “It’s this way.”

He stayed by her side as they hurried down the sidewalk and into the dark parking garage. The security lights were dim, but he didn’t need them in order to see perfectly. Cars were parked in long rows. There were plenty of concrete pillars and steel posts where anyone could conceal themselves while they waited to attack. Leander didn’t like this. Not one bit.

When he caught a faint whiff of sulfur and death, he thrust her behind him. “They’re here.”

The light in the distance was growing brighter and the voices louder and more distinct. Even though she knew it was safer not to draw any attention to herself, the Lady drew on some of her power to bolster her flagging strength.

Mordecai had been the first of the warriors released, but that had been decades ago. She’d been wandering this realm lost and alone ever since, searching for a way out. It made her legs weak to think she could actually be close to escape. But she didn’t allow herself to think beyond putting one foot in front of the other.

Energy hummed through her limbs and she all but threw herself to the top of the cliff she’d been climbing for what felt like weeks. She landed with a heavy thud on the hard ground but pulled herself to her knees. She had to be nearing the edge of Hell.

The perimeter between Hades’ realm and the Earth was like a solid steel wall, completely impenetrable. But there were a few places where there was a break, a crack, a small passageway between worlds. Most demons would never think to leave Hell, knowing Hades would discover their actions and punish them severely. Nobody left Hell without Hades’ permission.

And on the other side of the barrier, most humans would naturally shy away from the negative energy pulsing outward from such passageways. She didn’t know how safe it was to try to escape through one, didn’t know if Hades would send an avalanche of rock down to block her way at any moment, but she had to try.

Up ahead, the Lady could see light. She pushed to her feet and hurried toward the opening, running as fast as she could, her burst of energy flagging. She was weak but determined. She would escape Hell or she would die trying. The resulting blast of energy from her death would bring the other gods and goddesses of Hades’ pantheon running to see what was going on. One way or another, Hades would not succeed in his nefarious plan to take over the Earth and enslave humans.

She prayed this was not another deception by the dark god, a trap of some sort to break her spirit. The Lady didn’t know how much more she could take before despair swallowed her whole. The warriors had had one another to gain strength and comfort from these long years. She’d been totally alone.

She sensed someone near her but didn’t feel any threat from whoever or whatever it was. It was disconcerting to say the least, but she couldn’t afford to stop and investigate. Her window of opportunity was running out.

The tunnel was narrowing as it came to an end and she pushed forward, stumbling into the light. She cried out and threw her arms over her face to protect it. It had been more than five thousand years since she’d last seen any light at all, and even the mellow glow of the moonlight was too much for her to bear.

She fell to her knees and felt the cool moss and grass against her skin, the wind stroking her body like a lover’s caress. Tears spilled down her cheeks and onto the ground, which hungrily sucked the moisture in. Sweet-smelling violets immediately sprang from the salty drops. Their scent enveloped her and she smiled. She was home.

Hades felt the shift in his realm as the outer barrier was breached, and he threw back his head and roared. The walls around him shook and every demon raced for cover, including Luna, none wanting to bear the brunt of their master’s anger.

The goddess had escaped from Hell. How had that happened?

His senses flared and he searched for the rift, finding the tiny breach in the wall of his domain in a long-forgotten, dusty, abandoned corner of his realm. His fury sent rocks tumbling, collapsing the tunnel so no other could use it. Candlelight flared into mighty torches and illuminated everything around him. The mirror he used to see into other realms shook and rattled in its ornate frame.

“Mordecai!” He’d kill the warrior with his bare hands for allowing this to happen. “Mordecai,” he roared again. A nearby candle flared so high and burned so hot it scorched the rock ceiling and several goblets on a nearby table shattered with the vibrations of his anger.

“You bellowed, my lord.” Mordecai sauntered into the room looking like he didn’t have a care in the world. Luna ducked out behind him and disappeared from view. He hadn’t given her permission to leave. He’d deal with her later.

Hades was literally breathing fire as he stepped down off the low dais that held his majestic carved throne and approached his general. “How did this happen?”

Mordecai didn’t even pretend not to understand what Hades was angry about, which was the only thing that kept Hades from killing him instantly. “I was training your armies. You’re the one who made the deal with the Lady. I thought you had the situation under control.” Mordecai raised an eyebrow in question and Hades wanted to hit him and shatter every bone in the warrior’s face. He promised himself he would do so just as soon as his war was won.

He took a deep breath and calmed himself. Next thing his dear brother Zeus would be coming to see what all the commotion was. He was realistic enough to know that both his brothers had spies in his realm, but thankfully, none close enough to the seat of power to discover what was really going on. After all, he had spies in theirs. There was no love, or trust, between them.

“I would rather she’d stayed here until the battle was over, but it is of no consequence. She has no power now and is even weaker than my brothers.” Hades straightened the cuffs on his designer suit, in control of himself once again. His temper was his greatest weakness and it behooved him to control it, especially in front of one as cunning as Mordecai.

“How are the armies coming along?” Better to focus on what was important. The Lady of the Beasts had escaped into a world that no longer remembered her. She was powerless against him. The world belonged to him with its greed and violence. The only step left was for him to claim it. He listened with half an ear as Mordecai droned on and on about battle plans and tactical maneuvers. Who cared about such things? Maybe Ares, the god of war, but not Hades. All that mattered to him was the outcome.

In the meantime, he would test this new warrior who’d been set free from the curse and find out what the lion was made of. What were his weaknesses and strengths? Could he be easily bought or manipulated? It would also be a test of the female who was with him. She would probably be the weak link.

Women were always weaker. Just look at the Lady of the Beasts. She’d been easily beaten and imprisoned along with her faithful warriors. He conveniently disregarded the loyalty and bravery of the last two women who’d released Roric and Marko from their captivity. As far as he was concerned, they were nothing more than an anomaly.

He dismissed Mordecai and called on four of his best fighting demons. He gave them instructions, opened a portal, sent them through the utter blackness and shut it behind them. He didn’t think they’d be coming back. But that was of little consequence as long as he learned what he wanted.

He stalked back to his massive wooden chair and threw himself into it. He rubbed the smooth wood as he turned to the mirror and commanded it to show him the warrior and the human female.

Chapter Seven

Araminta froze in place, trying to figure out where the danger lurked. Leander certainly thought that someone was in the parking garage with them. And where the heck had he gotten the sword he was now holding in his right hand? It seemed to have come from out of nowhere just like his clothing had, just like he had.

She blinked and tightened her hand around the handle of her suitcase. The night just kept getting crazier and crazier. She bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming. What was next? Some demon from Hell? Scratch that thought. She could do without the demon. It might finally push her over the edge and make her check herself into a hospital.

Leander’s gaze was centered on the far end of the parking garage. It was extremely quiet, even for the middle of the night. The sounds of traffic echoed through the cavernous building, but they were faint and distant. A
plinking
sound came from her left—water dripping onto metal.

She shifted position and her bag scraped against the floor. It seemed overly loud in the open area. About half the lot was empty, but there were still plenty of vehicles for someone to hide behind, which was why her car was parked near the entrance. As a single woman, she always had to be aware of such things, and she didn’t like parking garages even in the middle of the day. They gave her the willies.

She reached out and lightly touched Leander’s arm. He barely glanced her way before returning his attention to the far end of the platform. “I’m parked right here.” She kept her voice at a whisper and pointed to a spot only about twenty feet away, not wanting to alert anyone else who might be nearby. She reached into her purse and dug out her keys.

“Move slow and stay behind me,” he ordered. She was more than willing to comply. It would be stupid not to stay behind the big, strong warrior wielding a four-foot sword. And if there was one thing she wasn’t, it was stupid.

Leander eased forward, carefully placing one foot in front of the other. In order to stay as quiet as possible, Araminta picked up her suitcase and followed him, not wanting the wheels of the bag to scrape against the pitted concrete.

So far, so good. Araminta was beginning to wonder if Leander wasn’t just imagining things. Doubts began to creep in once more. Maybe he was making everything up and she was just gullible? But what would he have to gain from that? She’d already slept with him, and she wasn’t exactly rolling in money.