“Thank you, Caleb, we could definitely use the extra help. Diego, you can go with Seth and Lucan. Jax, you’ll be with Garin and Gwen. Darius, you’re coming with Marcus and me. We know what needs to be done, let’s roll out.”
The warriors nodded and flashed from the room.
* * * *
I’m such an idiot. What was I thinking?
She couldn’t believe she’d agreed to guide Caleb on his mission to find Qadira. Her stomach clenched at the thought of him going into hibernation. Somehow, she would find a way to prevent that from happening. Even though they couldn’t be together, she would not be responsible for the loss to his people. Something in her soul told her they were going to need him when this whole mess with Odage became known. He was a born leader, and maybe if she begged the gods, they would release him from the bond, and then he could be free to have any woman of his choosing. One he could be proud to have at his side. One who could bear his children.
She balled her fists. The idea of him with someone else made the acid in her belly swirl upward.
Get over it. You can’t have him.
Her jealousy was only due to the bond forming at this very moment. Once broken, she wouldn’t care who he slept with. In the meantime, she’d put up a barrier to protect her vulnerable emotions. Her mother’s voice came back to haunt her.
Trust the gods.
She sighed. The woman was wise and always right. Something nagged at her, though. A feeling deep in her gut. Her mother was holding back information, something very important. The fact that she stood in the kitchen smiling to herself confirmed Lileta’s suspicions. Her mother had been most pleased to hear her daughter was escorting the dragon into Hell.
“Do you know where we’re going?” Caleb interrupted her thoughts.
“No, but I know who to ask. Demons like to talk, especially evil ones. They brag about their latest conquests to any who will listen, so it should only be a matter of time before we learn her exact location.” She strapped a dagger to her right thigh and another to the belt on her waist. Caleb picked up the pack from the floor and helped ease it over her shoulders.
“Once we locate her, I go in alone. You will turn back and head for safety,” Caleb commanded.
Lileta arched a brow. “As you wish.” She held no desire to tangle with Lowan and his minions. Word had already filtered back that the guardians were off to fight the ones escaping. Baal had taken some of his men and gone to help Gabriel’s warriors, hoping they could squelch the breach from the inside before too many escaped. So far, it wasn’t looking favorable.
“Are you ready?” She refused to meet the handsome Draki’s gaze.
“Let’s go.” He picked up the other pack with the rest of the supplies and headed toward the door.
“Wait,” her mother called out.
They both stopped and turned. Her mother approached, took Lileta’s hand in her right and Caleb’s in her left. “Remember, everything happens for a reason. Don’t question why, just embrace it.” She dropped their hands and backed away. “Be safe.”
Lileta nodded, opened the door and stepped into the morning sun, Caleb one step behind her.
“I like your mother. She’s a smart woman.”
She gave him an eye roll then led him up the narrow path to the ridge above.
Chapter Twelve
“Are we not flashing into Hell?” Caleb asked.
Lileta laughed. “You can’t flash into or out of Hell. If it were that simple then all of Hades’s demons would be escaping.”
His shoulder lifted. “Sorry, it’s not like I visit often and know the fucking rules.”
Oops.
There was the attitude Cassie had warned him about. How the hell was he supposed to be someone he wasn’t? It was beyond reason. Dragons were moody, and everyone knew it. He scratched his head. “So, is there anything else I should know?”
She continued to lead him along a dirt path that snaked along the ragged edge of a cliff. The sea below looked angry as it crashed into the sandy shore. He would have offered to fly them but figured it best to keep his mouth shut, at least until he learned more about Hell.
“We will have to hike to the entrance then make our way inside.” She finally met his gaze. “I should probably warn you that I change when in Hell.”
“What do you mean change?” His gut rolled at this bit of news.
“Well first, my magic becomes much more powerful.”
“Makes sense. You’re a demon, after all,” he replied.
“My appearance will change slightly as well.” She sucked in a deep breath as if afraid to tell him. “The horns on the top of my head will appear, and my skin will change to accommodate the heat.”
His cock grew hard, and his dragon itched to be released.
Son of a bitch!
“Okay…” He felt like a complete idiot. Here he was, a nine hundred year old dragon with his tongue twisted in a knot like a damn teenager. Right then, he wanted to kill Argathos for putting him in such an awkward position. If he ever figured out the exquisite female in front of him, it would be a miracle. He was used to having women fall over him, begging to be taken fast and hard. Since rescuing Lileta, he’d become celibate. Not something he or his dragon liked, but other females held no interest for him anymore.
“So what else should I know? Do you think I’ll be able to shift in Hell?”
She gave him a glance. “Hard to say. I guess we’ll find out once we’re in.” She stopped abruptly. “Let me do all the talking. You won’t be very welcome among the demons.” Her golden eyes glowed, and the corners of her mouth turned up. “Matter of fact, you’d be a tasty morsel for many down there. Best to stick close to me.”
Oh hell no!
His jaw set. His mate was not going to be his protector. “I’m not sure how to take that.” He flashed his best smile while gritting his teeth. For the moment, he allowed her this small victory but readied himself for the fight he knew would come later.
She wrinkled her brow as if confused then started moving again, following the path that led to the beach. Lileta took him across a small stretch of white sand then through a narrow crack in the side of the cliff they had just ascended.
“We’re here.” She waved her hand. “This is the entrance.”
He saw nothing. Only a sheer rock face. “It must be well hidden.”
Her hand touched the side of the rock, and a black hole shimmered into view. Damp, musty earth assaulted his sensitive nose. “How is it you can come and go into Hell while the other demons can’t?”
She stepped into the darkness, and he followed, noticing a soft yellow glow emanated in front of her, lighting the way. “Kothar Demons fought Hades long ago for their freedom. My ancestors broke free of their confinement and journeyed above. Over the centuries, we acclimated to the human world, only going back home when necessary…or when summoned.”
He grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. “And what is stopping Hades from keeping you there?” He sensed there was more to this than she was telling and he wasn’t going to like the rest of the story.
Her gaze narrowed. “It doesn’t concern you.” She tried to pull free, but he refused to let go.
“Like hell. You know damn well what the mating bond entails so stop fucking with me,” he growled. All immortals knew the bond was strong, even between two who hadn’t consummated it yet. The urge to protect her flowed through his blood, just as it flowed through hers.
Her body tensed. “I must provide a sacrifice to Hades. It’s the only way I can enter…or leave.”
He ground his teeth together. “What’s the sacrifice?” If she said her body, he was going to blow apart the entire mountain above them. When finished, his dragon would rip Hades’s entrails from his body. God or no.
“It’s only blood.” Her gaze dropped to the ground. “I must feed him.”
“No!” The only one who would ever drink from her would be him, and right then, not even he could do that without a death sentence. Her gaze snapped back up to meet his, the orbs glowing bright. He’d learned when she was pissed, her eyes turned to liquid gold with flecks of red.
“You do not own me, never forget that.” She jerked free of his grip. “Now, do you want to rescue your goddess or not?”
He clenched his jaw. “Yes.” Why was it every time she became a spitfire, his desire for her increased tenfold? If he was ever going to win her over, he needed to find a way to tame his beast.
Hell!
She turned her back to him and continued through the passage. He followed close behind, his senses flaring out, looking for danger. He didn’t give a shit if she wanted protecting or not. She was getting it.
“So why blood?”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “Kothar blood is powerful, that is all you need to know.”
His current mood gave new meaning to biting one’s tongue. At the moment, his bled.
After several minutes and a tight squeeze through a narrow passage, they came out the other end. Caleb stiffened, waiting for some kind of attack that never came. He soon realized Hell looked nothing as he thought it would. There was green grass, blooming flowers and giant shade trees. He half expected fairies to come dancing out of the thicket.
“Where’s the fire and brimstone?”
Lileta tossed her head back and laughed. God, how he loved to see her happy. “Dragon, we’re not in Hell yet. This is only a holding area, Hades’s idea of a joke. Bring the souls here and let them think they have moved on to the afterlife in heaven. Once comfortable then the demons come and their misery begins.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Kind of a sick fuck, I think I like him already.” He knew the souls here deserved punishment. He wondered if he’d meet up with Sanchez in the other world. Now that would be fun.
“Why are you smiling?”
“I hadn’t realized I was.” He knew he was smiling. The thought of torturing Sanchez’s soul while he was here made him giddy. “So when do you pay the god of Hell?”
“Come on.” She moved across the soft grass with grace. It was then he noticed her appearance began to change. Two small, creamy white bumps protruded from the top of her head. Horns, just as she had predicted. Her skin also took on a luminous tone with a soft hue of red. His jeans became too tight, and his cock begged for release. Even his tongue itched to lick every inch of her glowing skin. If possible, his mate was even more beautiful.
“Are you going to stand there with your mouth gaping, staring at me, or are you coming along?”
He blinked and realized Lileta stood with hands on curvy hips, head tilted slightly and her gaze pinned on him. Yeah, he’d been staring, looking like a damn teenager who’d just seen his first naked female.
“Uh, yes.” He decided at that moment he was never going to survive this trip. He needed to sink his cock deep inside her until he touched her soul and didn’t give a shit if he survived. He only hoped he lived long enough to hear her scream his name.
He shook his head and came back to his senses. “You never answered me. When do you pay the god?”
“Are you still hung up on that?” she asked in a huff.
“Yes, but maybe if you warn me, I can look the other way.” Not.
She snorted. “Right. I have to pay when we reach the inside.” She shot him an evil grin. “You know, fire and brimstone.”
Their journey continued without conflict, and before he knew it, Lileta led them to a secluded spot next to a waterfall. “We’ll spend the night here. Tomorrow morning, we’ll reach the gateway so we should rest.” She reached for her bag.
“Here, let me help.” He grabbed the pack and pulled it free from her back. His fingers brushed her skin, sending a visible shiver across her body. Her head tilted back, and her eyes closed. Her arousal wrapped around him as if it were his own. He wondered if it had something to do with the changes brought on since they’d been here. Never had her desire been this debilitating. She was in pain.
He tossed the sack. “You don’t have to suffer. I can help alleviate your arousal.”
She turned to face him. “You have a death wish?”
He flashed his best smile. “No, but I have ways to please you that will still keep me breathing.”
She chewed her bottom lip and looked as if she was considering his offer. “Look, I know you mean well, but it’s better if we restrain. It will pass.” She reached for her pack and grabbed a bottle of water.
He knew better. Their urges were growing stronger, and for some reason, hers had grown worse since entering this domain. He could hold out but wasn’t so sure about her. If they didn’t do something soon, she was going to be in serious trouble.
* * * *
Her hands shook as she reached for the water, surprised by how strong the urges had become since returning home. She was angry that her mother hadn’t warned her. Surely, she must have known being on home soil with her mate in tow would stir her desires to an almost unbearable magnitude. Maybe that was what her mother meant by embracing it. She was thankful her back was to Caleb so he couldn’t see how much his touch affected her. The offer he made for release only caused more pain, and she had been close to saying yes. Her body was strung so tightly it was ready to snap. Her mind unable to focus, which wasn’t a good thing considering where they were. She needed to figure out a way to curb this desire before it killed both of them. She took a swig of water, wishing for something stronger.
Her thoughts now under control, she turned to face him. “I’ll start a fire. The sun sets fast here, and when it does, it gets extremely cold.” She set down the bottle and took three steps to her left, held out her hands and spoke an ancient incantation. Sparks jumped from her fingertips, and a small fire sputtered to life as darkness spiraled down upon them.
“You weren’t kidding. The sun literally fell out of the sky,” Caleb remarked as he spread out a blanket next to the fire.
Lileta followed suit, placing her own bedding on the opposite side of the flames. Far enough away from the dragon, she hoped. She lay with her back to him, unable to gaze upon his exquisite body any longer, and closed her eyes, praying sleep would come quickly.