“Hunger fights castles and hunger surrenders castles.” ~ Greek proverb
Carissa sensed Xen’s emotions the precise moment a shattering roar reached her ears, startling her out of her sleeping position on the floor.
She heard a voice in her mind. “Carissa.”
“Xen?”
“Yes, koukla. Where are you?”
“Upstairs.”
A tingle of anticipation raced through her body. She took a few quick breaths. He was here. Xen had come for her. There was no time to waste. She lifted herself up off the floor as the door to the room splintered from the hinges.
There, dressed in black, stood one angry immortal. The sword in his hand only added to the menacing look on his face. He looked like an avenging angel.
“Xen, behind you!”
He turned in time. Gumbo’s sword never connected.
Recognition flashed on Gumbo’s face, and he stopped before he executed his strike.
“Xen,” Gumbo said, the corners of his mouth turning up in recognition. He leaned in for a man hug.
“Tithon.” Xen slapped Gumbo on the back.
Carissa’s feet decided they would unglue from the spot she was frozen in. She raced to Xen in a few steps.
“You know each other?” Her voice shook.
“Koukla, yes, but that story is for later. Right now, I have to get you out of here.” He sheathed his sword to his back.
She nodded approval and watched as he looked into Gumbo’s eyes to communicate telepathically. Xen voiced his last words out loud.
“She’s mine, and I won’t let anything befall her or my child.”
“That’s not possible for our kind.” Gumbo wasn’t buying the baby conception by Xen.
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.” They did the telepathy thing again.
“Then she must be special, so must the life that grows inside her,” Gumbo said with a grin. His eyes diverted to her for a second. She didn’t know whether to like him or punch him.
“More later.” Xen grabbed Carissa around the waist, his lips descended on hers. Her body became soft and relaxed. His tongue probed hers in a scorching kiss. When he broke away, she was sure no bones existed in her body.
Loud grunts echoed from the stairs below.
“Hal has Phil, but I don’t know where.” She had been too busy having her own pity party to think about where they might have put him.
“Do you know where he’s keeping the lykos Phil?” Xen asked Tithon.
“There is no wolf on the premises. I would have picked up his scent,” Tithon replied. Something passed silently between them.
“Let’s move.” Xen lifted her in his arms then sped down the stairs. Gumbo was directly behind.
A hoard of demons at the bottom of the stairs blocked their path. Xen’s men fought them. A wolf tore at the neck of one.
Tithon forced his way between them, clearing the path. Xen took the small gap afforded to him and raced to the library entrance. In the mayhem Carissa didn’t know where to look. The scene had all the makings of a dance party with swords and wolves. Xen put her on her feet and then pushed her behind him.
“Give me a sword,” she yelled.
“Cute, koukla, but we don’t have time for lessons.”
A demon came at him. Xen’s reflexes were faster. The head of the demon rolled to the ground.
“Okay, I’ll leave the head-chopping to you.”
“Xen,” Tithon called as he cleared the way to the front door.
Xen backed Carissa out the front door. His sword pointed at a few demons in front of him. He swung it and jabbed at them. “Where the hell are they coming from?” she asked.
“That’s exactly where they are coming from.”
“But ...” Her words disintegrated on her lips. Someone pulled her backwards. One hand covered her mouth. She fought against the grip and sunk her teeth into Gumbo’s hand. Double-crosser.
She let out a piercing scream. He continued to back away with her and from the corner of her eye, she caught Hal coming for her.
Xen turned and met her eyes. There was sorrow in them. Anger replaced the sorrow when he spotted Hal. He sped towards her, but there was no way he could reach her. She was sucked into another portal.
She managed to yell out, “Sacrifice in Greece.”
Blackness danced in her eyes.
Xen pulled back his lips and exposed his fangs. His veins and muscles tightened under his skin. Pressure raced up from the dark fissure of his stomach to his esophagus. The monster inside him released a guttural roar. The control gauge that kept the beast at bay flashed to an unstable and vicious level.
His mind transported him to Ancient Messenia. “Alala!” The battle cry vibrated from his chest and rage and adrenaline punched every cell of his body. With his sword unsheathed, he stabbed and slashed, decapitating every demon in a whirl of fury. More heads dropped. Warmth spread through his chest in satisfaction, but this did not give him the retribution he craved.
When he had unburdened the outside of the premises of demon vermin, he proceeded inside where some of his Phi fought with demons and rogue vampires. He spotted Adam fighting a rogue vampire in wolf form. He’d taken a couple of bites out of the demon and sat ready to pounce for his jugular. Xen stepped in, and with one swipe, the demon’s head rolled to the floor. His ears were met with silence.
He looked around at his men and raised an eyebrow. His lips twitched in gratification.
The wolves shifted back to human form. One of the men sped into the room and threw clothes at the now naked wolves. Even in human form, they were faster than the average man. Adam finished dressing first.
“Fuck Xen, that malaka was mine to take down.”’
“Too slow,” he growled.
The quietude in the room from the Phi told Xen that the savage within him was not contained. He willed his fangs to retract and passed his xiphos to Kane. An act to show his men he was still in control and would not harm them in his current state. One they’d never witnessed before. The beast inside subsided to a dark corner. Carissa’s abduction pushed his emotions to levels he hadn’t endured since he was human.
He watched Kane motion for the men to leave. When they were outside he spoke.
“Xen, I need to know you can see this through.”
“I want his head.”
“What happened?”
“He pulled her through another portal. She screamed the words sacrifice and Greece. I think you can understand my rage.”
“Fuck.”
“The only comfort I have is that Tithon was with her.”
“Tithon? What the fuck?” Confusion held Kane’s face.
“Yes, apparently someone has put a high bounty on Hal and that someone wants him alive. Tithon is waiting for the right opportunity to drag his prize away from the demons.”
Kane’s eyes widened at his admission. He let out a loud whistle before a smirk lifted at the corner of his mouth. “Well ain’t that something? Who would have thought that someone has a price tag on that pesky demi-god’s head? And who would have thought that they would call in the best bounty hunter to deliver the goods.” He let out a laugh before handing Xen’s xiphos back.
“I’d say lethal,” Xen blew out. His demeanor and rage finally subsided.
“No, you got that wrong. He’s professional. You are the one who is death-dealing, especially after what I just witnessed.”
Xen flipped the blood-drenched xiphos in his hands and let the words of his lykos friend sink in.
“They took my woman. No one is going to sacrifice my wife and child.”
“Child?” Kane’s eyes met Xen’s. “How is that possible?”
“She is a daughter of a god. Anything is possible.”
“Why didn’t you tell the men how much is at stake here, Xen? This changes the game.” Kane’s voice rose.
“I would have preferred to make the announcement over a celebration of drinks. I had just been given the news myself, only to have them both snatched away.” Xen ran his hand through his bloodied and messed-up hair. “The other bad news is that Phil is missing. According to Tithon, Hal either moved or disposed of him.”
Kane let out a growl. “Let’s roll, boss. We need to find us a lame-assed demi-god and barbecue him Greek style. Like a lamb on the spit with plenty of lemon juice.”
“Stop salivating, lykos. That would be too good a death. He needs to suffer,” he sneered.
Outside, the men were grouped and waiting.
“If you don’t mind, Xen, I’ll go first.” Kane wanted to address the Phi first.
“The honors are all yours,” he said, as he flipped his xiphos in his hand.
“We have a problem and it’s bigger than Houston.” Kane turned to Xen. “With your permission?” Xen nodded. “The situation is delicate ...”
Xen interrupted Kane. “I probably should have told you when we set out on this little mission, Carissa is pregnant with my child.”
A gasp or two came from the men. Urgency filled their features. Every set of eyes bored directly into his as he looked around at his men.
Adam spoke. “I’ve seen a lot of things—not nearly as much as you, Xen—but this takes the cake.” He, too, let out a long whistle. “Okay, we need to get back to base.”
“Before we do, you should also know that when they dragged Carissa through the portal, she said something about a sacrifice. Hal, the sick fuck, wants to kill my woman.” Postures stiffened, shoulders squared, and jaws tightened. He knew that look too well as he wore it often. His men were readying themselves.
“Let’s move out.” Kane yelled.
Booted feet took off for their vehicles.
Xen was left standing alone. He tipped his head back and let out a yell that vibrated all around him. The beast in him wanted retribution. No one took what was his.
Blue-grey eyes stared down at her. Carissa’s eyes closed, then awareness spiked, shooting adrenaline through every nerve in her body. Recognition dawned. She sat up and delivered her best right hook. Gumbo fell backwards at the surprise punch. Pain raided her fist. She shook it. It hurt, but connecting with Gumbo’s face, marble as it was, brought her immense gratification. “Gods and goddesses, that felt fantabulous.”
Gumbo found his voice after the unpleasant surprise.
“Well, hello to you, too.” He rubbed his jaw.
She could have sworn he was smirking, the malaka. Pity it couldn’t have been a harder and more damaging punch.
“Why?” She needed to hear why he’d pulled her through the portal when only moments before it looked like he and Xen had some sort of an understanding.
He stood back up and moved closer to where she sat on the bed. “The reasons are many and cannot be discussed here, but I will swear I will do my best to keep you safe until Xen locates us. I don’t want to face his wrath, but we do have a conflict of interest where Hal is concerned. I want him alive and Xen wants him dead.”
“I see, but I have to say that I’m keen on Xen’s idea.”
He stuck out his hand. “Friends.”
She eyed him for a minute before placing her hand in his to shake. “I’m also not going to apologize for hitting you—that, you deserved.”
“I don’t expect an apology.”
“Good, because it helped me vent some of that frustration I’ve been holding.” A long breath escaped her lips.
His mouth twitched. “You are a bit of a firecracker.”
“So why are you here, Gumbo?”
“Much to my dislike, I have to take you to Hal who is waiting in a car outside.”
“Where are we, by the way?” she asked.
“Motel near the airport.”
“Why not use a portal straight to Greece?” she queried.
“Doesn’t work that way. You can only travel in short distances and to move all the way to Greece that way would take over a week and lots of spells and energy. Something that is not easy to come by.” He waited. “Sorry about back there, but there’s more to this than I can explain.”
“I’m sure there is.” She got to her feet. “Take me to the great demented pooh-bah.”
Gumbo let out a laugh.
Hal didn’t only epitomize the characteristics of a madman hell-bent on getting what he wanted, he refined them, so they fitted him like a glove. He had enough manpower to succeed in his pathetic attempt to achieve what he thought would bring him godly power.
With her heart heavy, she wished she had enough knowledge on how to use her own powers. She wondered whether she would be successful in using what Xen had shown her in his library with Kane. Would it work against the demons? If she could compel them, maybe she’d have a fighting chance. By the gods, she would not give up without a fight. All this daughter of Ares, God of War, business was wearing thin on her.
Gumbo stopped at the door. “Word of warning—no jumping across tables or trying to choke him.”
“Scout’s honor.” She raised her hand palm out and held down her little finger with her thumb, showing the universal three-finger salute. He laughed thickly, from deep in his throat.
“Let’s see if we can work a way out of this. But first, Hal.”
“Showtime,” she said as he walked her out to the far end of the motel, to the waiting limo. She climbed in the back with her least favorite person, who was smiling. Idiot. The man Hal had become had no resemblance to the echo of the boy she once knew. This man, she loathed. What she wouldn’t give to have her gun. Would she shoot? Hell yeah, but not to kill. She’d definitely put him out of action, but Xen would not be as merciful.
“Well hello, Carissa. Glad you could join us in the land of the living on this exciting evening.” His voice dripped with sarcasm and she knew why. The cocky asshole thought he’d one-upped Xen.
“How about you let me go home? This is stupid. Surely we can work out something that would benefit both of us.”
“There’s nothing to work out. I need you, so here you are.”
“Hal. You. Are. Not. Listening. Whatever it is you think I have, I don’t have it.” She lifted her chin and her nostrils flared.
“No, Carissa. It is you who lacks attention. If you believed in yourself, you would know that you have power. All demi-gods have power. Yours is compulsion and I worked that out a long time ago, but you refuse to accept it.”
“My father ...”
“Your father was a fool to hide your power, and you were a fool to involve yourself with that parasite, Xen,” he spat.
“Who I involve myself with is none of your goddamn business.” Her hands clenched on the leather seat.
“Wrong! You were and are my business because your power will be mine.” His eyes flashed red and for a split second he reminded her of Judge Doom from Roger Rabbit.
“You know, Hal, regardless of how much power you think you’re going to wield, you are not exempt from being eliminated. Immortality requires the skill of staying alive without having a blade slice your pathetic throat.”
He paused and then in a loud voice, he shot out his words. “Look around you, Carissa. Your lover failed to extract you from my clutches. I have an unlimited supply of demons, therefore it makes getting close to me difficult. Surely you’ve noticed that. Hasn’t the police force taught you to pay closer attention?”
She cracked her neck, pulled her lips back and went straight for his throat. “You”—she’d show him how easily she could get to him—“son of a ....” The door of the limo was yanked open and in seconds, she was pulled out.
“Let me go, Gumbo.” The door of the limo slammed shut and the window came down. Hal stuck his head out.
“You can kiss your sweet life goodbye,” he sneered at her. “And your precious cargo too.”
She fought Tithon, but it was no use, his tight grip held her in place. The limo took off and Gumbo pushed her back towards the motel. She stopped fighting and he let go.
“Didn’t we say behave?” he said in a mocking tone.
“With that vlaka? Impossible.” She cast a thumb over her shoulder in the direction the limo had sped off in. Shooting him would be too good, gutting him would be better, but deep down she knew he’d intentionally provoked her.
A multitude of images flashed in her head, like her shooting Hal, but it would be over too soon. Making him suffer tasted more inviting. She wanted to kick Hal’s ass.
“Carissa, Xen will find you. Trust me, I’ve known the man a long time. He has never, and I repeat, never considered any woman his. Besides, you carry his child, so he will raise Hell on Earth to get to you. We vampires are possessive, and we don’t like it when someone tries to harm what is ours.”
“Can’t you just, you know, sneak out and call him, and tell him where we are?”
“I’m afraid, I can’t. You see, the thing about working with Hal means no outside communication. That way there’s less chance of anyone betraying him.”
She digested that for a minute or two.
“I will do whatever I can to stall him,” he said.
“Thank you, Gumbo or Tithon?”
“Tithon, but if you prefer Gumbo to keep the charade up, that’s fine.” He paused. “Why Gumbo?” he asked.
“I don’t know. It just sort of popped into my head. I thought you were one of Hal’s rogue goons. The last lot were vermin. I even managed to stab Tweedledee in the eye with a fork.”
He let out a loud laugh. “Nice, but a definite suicide move.”
“Well, if Xen doesn’t ....” She swallowed. “You think he’ll find me?”
“Xen’s been around a mighty long time and so have his men. They will find you.”
“Thanks, Tithon. I guess you will be standing guard for what’s left of this evening. I promise to let you know if I’m planning to stab you or make a run for it.”
His mouth turned up and in a flash she was left in the shabby room. She headed straight for the bed and dropped onto it, face first. This whole situation sucks. MEGA.