Fire with Fire (Demonblood Series #2) (23 page)

“Say
what
?”

“Yup.” He shrugs and brushes his bronze locks from his face.

“I’ve
killed
you before?”

“Yup. Many times. Well, not you personally, but yes…you always seemed to be involved somehow.” His sensuous mouth turns into a grimace.

“This means…you and I…we’ve known each other for other lifetimes?”

Bones nods. “Well, yeah…sure.” He gives me a funny look before continuing. “For some reason, I thought you already knew all this…that deep inside, you knew. The way we manage to find each other, time and time again.”

“No, I didn’t know,” I whisper, my head spinning. How is it possible that I’ve known Bones for many lifetimes but was never aware? Is that why I’ve always felt such a strong connection to him? Why he seems more a part of me than a separate being?

“If I’ve killed you before, or you’ve died—I’m really sorry about that, by the way—how have you managed to come back? How’d I find you again?”

“Well, if you haven’t noticed, the bonds of my servitude are pretty strict,” he says with a wry smile. “I’m an original hound, so I’ll always come back as one. For eternity. In that regard I’ll never die, and I’ll always be bound to Thiberoux. But this time they needed me for…
ahem
, other duties. The number of demons is fixed and finite. But we can make as many
demions
as we like. And because our Light counterparts have been giving us so much trouble over the past century, allowances were made so I could help build up our numbers. Level the playing field some.”

“So you haven’t always been an incubus?” I ask with wonder. Why am I learning all of this now, when it’s too late?

“No. Actually, this is my first stint as one. And I must say, as difficult a job as it is, it’s worth it to be able to attain my human form again. A few lifetimes ago, when I was only a hound unable to phase into human form, I really missed talking to you. Sure, you talked to me, but I couldn’t talk to
you
, other than to bark or growl. It was horrible. I like being able to talk to you.”

“Me, too,” I whisper. I lean my head back against his chest and feel his hot breath on my cheeks. I angle my face back just enough to meet his soft lips.

His kisses, gentle and caring, lack the unbridled urgency of last night. These kisses are sweet, comforting. He gently strokes my hair while his tongue dances across my lips, his body pressing against mine as I pull him closer.

I fall back into his arms and rest my head against his strong frame, blissful despite the dire circumstances. If Bones and I have died together before, what’s one more time? At least we’re together.

From the corner of a half-opened eye I catch a slow movement. I turn my head to see Kieron, standing on the ground, upright and fully alert, staring at us. He’s badly bruised and the vicious wounds covering his face appear quite painful. But that doesn’t come close to the pain in his eyes as he watches me disentangle my body from Bones’ passionate embrace.

I gasp and jump to my feet. “Kieron! You’re alive!” I take three long strides in his direction before the electrifying shocks send me staggering back.

I stand up and try again, this time taking more cautious steps forward until I feel the familiar burn. This is as close to him as I can get. Kieron brushes his hair from his bruised face, and his deep blue eyes lock with mine—and I remember why I came here. Why I risked everything. Why this is all worth it…to be here with him, to be able to see him again. To be in that secret place we go to when our eyes meet…to look at him, and know with absolute certainty he is the one I have waited my entire life to see…

“Lucky.” His husky voice is strained with sad surprise. “What are you
doing
here?” The corners of his lips curl in a grimace, his eyes giving away a deeper concern.

“We’re here to rescue you.” If it wasn’t for the damned invisible forces waiting to electrocute me, I’d be rushing into his arms right now. I crave his touch in a way that’s almost unbearable. More even than with Bones. Much more.

Kieron glances around his quarters and raises an eyebrow at Bones, crouched on the floor behind me. “Bang up job you’re doing.”

“We were tricked,” I say, ashamed at my incompetence. Here I was ready to rush in and save the day, and now I just look like a foolish idiot.

“By Gyan, right?”

“How did you know?”

A pained smirk crosses his handsome face. “I found out not too long after they captured me that he was working for them. Guess he’s a rogue for hire. And with a vendetta against you. Who knew?”

“Not us,” I mutter. Bones still hasn’t risen or acknowledged Kieron’s presence in any way, but I don’t care. I’ve waited so long to see Kieron, to touch him…

But I can’t. Not yet, anyway. Not with the electric fence of death between us. But I can talk to him. I just hope the horrid guard with the tongue doesn’t return. “Why did you look so weird when we got here? You looked like a dead puppet,” I whisper loudly.
Please don’t hate me for kissing Bones…

Kieron’s mouth twitches. “That’s right; you’ve never seen me sleep, huh?”

I shake my head.
Was that a smile?

“I don’t do it often, but when I do I’m out for a few days. Part of being a Latros demon.”

“Kieron, how the
hell
are we going to get out of here?” I ask desperately.

“Don’t you have a plan?” he asks with a wry grin, brushing his ebony locks away from his face.

“Does it
look
like I have a plan?”

“Well, it’s a good thing I do. Guard!” he shouts. I scrunch my forehead and glance back at Bones, who is watching us intently. “Guard!”

A moment later, Snake-Tongue appears and smiles wickedly. “So, Sleeping Beauty is awake. I suppose you think it’s time for you to go, huh?”

Kieron locks eyes with me before turning back to the guard. “You got what you wanted. I played my part. A deal’s a deal.”

“What’s this?” I ask quietly. Behind me, Bones lets out a low chuckle. “What is this? What’s going on?” I ask louder.

Kieron flashes me a devilish grin. “You’ll see, sweetheart.”

A few moments later the guard returns with the demonic wizard. The old man closes his eyes, mutters a few words, and waves his hands. Then he turns and leaves. Kieron looks at me with a delicious smile.

“See ya later, sweetheart. Wish I could stay and catch up more but I have places to be. Thanks for coming for me. Otherwise, who knows how long I’d have been stuck in this awful pit? I’m just happy you have someone to keep you company, unlike me. I was stuck here all by my lonesome waiting for you to come ‘save’ me. Took you long enough, but thanks for finally coming through for me.”

With that, he winks, blows me a kiss, and dashes out of sight.

My jaw drops. “Did that really just happen?” I whisper a moment later, stunned.

“’Fraid so,” Bones replies softly.

A primal rage boils deep within me, fighting to be let free. Unable to contain it anymore, I scream from the top of my lungs and the depths of my fiery soul. Before I can stop myself, fireballs erupt from my palms

“NO!” Bones yells, but it’s too late. The deadly balls of electric fire spin and fly at the barriers, only to bounce back…straight at me. Bones quickly phases back as I duck and dodge, trying to avoid the double balls of electric flames ricocheting off the walls, threatening to extinguish me here and now. It’s impossible to keep my eyes on both of them as they bounce off invisible barriers, flying at almost the speed of light. Once again I’m saved as Bones pounces on top of me. The fireballs will badly hurt him, but they’ll easily kill me.

I wait beneath the mass of hot fur and cringe when I feel the impact of a fireball against Bones’ body. He cries out with a ferocious shudder. A few moments later the room is still again, and the suffocating weight releases as Bones phases back. He slumps against the wall, the whole left side of his body singed and red.

“Oh, no, I am so sorry!” I cry, rushing to him.

He shakes his head and leans away. His skin is blistered raw and oozing blood in several places. “Just leave me alone for a minute. Can you do that please? Can you stay out of trouble for one lousy minute?”

I sit back, stung by his rebuke. I know I deserve it, but still…Nothing hurts worse than knowing Bones is disappointed with me, and right now I can see he’s reached the end of his rope. As have I.

“There’s got to be a way out of here,” I mutter a minute later, mostly to see if he’ll respond. I don’t like it when he gets so quiet. The silence is insufferable. And right now I desperately need something to distract me…anything to take my mind off the fact that I was just betrayed in the worst way imaginable,
again
, by someone I had just risked my life for. Someone I loved, and who I
thought
loved me. Well, I’ll certainly never make that same mistake again. But right now I need to get out of here so I can kill something with my bare hands. Kieron preferably, but anything will do.

Bones suddenly speaks up. “They’re coming.”

Before I can ask
who
, an eerie glow illuminates the gloomy corridor. A moment later about a dozen demons appear led by the beautiful, blonde Xandria.

They stop about ten feet in front of us. “You,” she says, her callous eyes fixed on Bones. “You are the hound responsible for killing our sentries, no?”

“It wasn’t his fault—”

Bones pushes me back. “Yes, and I am very sorry, but the whole thing was a big misunderstanding. We never meant to provoke an attack, but were forced to defend ourselves—”

“Enough. And this demion, she was there, too?”

“Yeah, I was the one holding the Otium
Peace
Torch that your hounds ignored—”

“Silence! The other two hounds we have, were they there as well?”

“No, they are completely innocent—”

“Ha! I wouldn’t go so far as to say ‘innocent’. They participated in the
failed
attempt at an attack here tonight.”

“Only out of pack loyalty. It’s our sworn duty to back each other up. They are no more guilty of wrongdoing—”

She holds up her hand. “Enough. I’ve made up my mind. We deserve retribution for your crimes, yet we do not wish to incite the wrath of the Legionare by overstepping our boundaries. So I am going to give you something. A gift.”

Bones narrows his eyes. “
What
gift?” he asks slowly.

“The gift of choice. I’m going to let you choose who lives, and who dies. Four of you are hostage. Two shall die, and two shall go free. It’s your choice.”

“Wait,
what
? I can’t decide—”

“Hey, wait a bloomin’ minute!” Gyan’s voice rings out from behind a row of guards. He steps around them and faces Xandria. “You and I had a deal! You promised! You were going to torture the hound and kill the demion slowly—”

“Do we need you for something else?” Xandria asks, her voice daggers of ice.

A guard steps forward, flames swirling in his palms. “Oh no you don’t.” Instantly Gyan disappears, reappearing by the exit several yards away. “I’ll get you for this, you two-timing bitch! Just you wait!” And he’s gone.

Xandria returns her attention to us. “You have until the triple moons become one to make your choice.
Tick tock
.” She spins on her heel and stalks away, followed closely by her henchmen.

Bones crouches to the ground and sinks his head in his hands. “What is this? How am I supposed to choose one of them—?”

“Two of them.
Them
,” I say, kneeling beside him.

“One
. Obviously I’ll be the other.”

I jump to my feet. “No
, not
obviously!” I shout. “Not obviously by a million miles! Obviously we throw them Alik and Khalil! I can’t believe how lucky we got—”

“Lucky, I’m not throwing anyone anywhere. I will relay the ultimatum to Alik and Khalil and see if either of them wants to do the honorable thing. I have faith one of them will—”

“Stop it!” I scream. “Stop acting like you’re going to be some kind of martyr when you don’t have to be! We have a way out! You have a choice!”

“I choose to accept my fate. There is no way out for me.”

Hot tears burn my eyes. “Then take me, too.”

“What
?”

“You heard me. If you’re going to die, then I will too. We’ve done it before, right? Like you said. Besides…there’s nothing here for me. I don’t belong in this world. I haven’t for a long time…”

“Lucky, you don’t mean that.”