Soul Unbound (Key to the Cursed Book 3) (22 page)

“Find your faith, brother.”

Faith? Bomani had lost his faith when he left
Aaru. He wondered now if he ever had faith at all. Now, Siya needed him to
believe in the impossible. A future he had no control over.

Bomani swallowed against his dry throat and rose to
his feet. He would get her out of this bunker or die trying. “Let us go home.”

“Go, go, go,” Bomani yelled and sprinted up the
steps. The bottom stairwell filled with an undulating black wave of siravants.
Wall, ceilings and floor were filled with the black beings, some with human
bodies, others with massive wings spread.

The screeches were deafening. Claws pierced
Bomani’s back armor. He stumbled forward but caught himself with his free hand.
The siravants gave Bakari a wide berth but ambushed Bomani with small strikes intended
to weaken him enough to drop Siya.

One dark corridor after another, eternity passed
before they reached the last level. Bomani leaned against the wall.

“We have one more set of steps. Do you want me to
carry her out?” Bakari asked and scanned the hallway.

“No.” Bomani clutched Siya to his chest, fearing
if he relinquished her—he would lose her forever. With the pain in his soul waning
to barely an ache he pushed off the wall and shifted Siya over his shoulder.

“Going so soon, boys.” Nebt lunged and grabbed
Siya’s leg, yanking her back. Bomani grappled for leverage, but his foot
slipped on the ice and he slammed into the hard concrete. Siya was jerked from
his grasp and dragged away by Nebt.

Bakari moved and slashed Nebt across the arm.
Black blood erupted from the wound. She reared back, dropping the hold she had
on Siya.

Bomani scrambled to pick her up and bolted for the
door. He hit it with all the force he could muster. The thick metal buckled but
did not cave. Again he rammed into the metal to no avail.

“You have nowhere to go,” Nebt said, pacing the small
distance in front of them.

Bakari moved on Nebt, but every time he stepped
away the siravants inched closer.

Bomani did not come all this way just to lose Siya
and his unborn child. Reluctantly, he set her down in order to force the door
open.

“Nebt!” A bellow echoed from the lower levels.

“We just ran out of time,” Bomani yelled and
continued to slam his fist into the door.

Nebt staggered back. The wicked smile on her face was
replaced by fear. “Give her back to me, now.”

Bomani summoned his strength and rammed his shoulder
into the metal. Again and again until the door flew out into the snow covered
path. Slinging Siya over his shoulders to maximize his ability to run, he
scrambled up the incline and breached the upper level. “Where to now?” Bomani
asked, running out into the unending tundra.

“I have already put in a call for help,” Bakari
shouted and slashed one of the demons in pursuit.

Bright spotlights illuminated from large helicopters
Bomani recognized as Nehebkau. Large explosions erupted behind them. Red flares
chased the fifty caliber rounds and punched holes in the demons.

Bomani was never more grateful to see modern
weaponry at its finest.

“There,” Bakari pointed to a low flying helicopter
in the distance.

Redirecting his steps to intercept, he pumped his
muscles and picked up speed. Bakari stayed at his back. “Almost there.”

The gun ship lit up the sky. Rounds sung by their
heads. Bomani could not afford to look or risk losing his precious lead. Blood
splattered against his back. He forced his legs to push past the pain and ran
harder. Another airship rocketed in, mowing down siravants that had taken
flight. The large bodies crashed to the ground sending plumes of snow and ice
into the air.

Two warriors flanked the door of the helicopter.
Bomani lifted Siya up and they pulled her into the cabin. Then he followed and
turned to pull his brother up to safety.

Bomani stared out over the wasteland of ice as the
helicopter pulled away. Black bodies riddled their trail.

Bakari gripped his shoulder. “We need to thank
Kendra when we get home.”

Blowing out a breath Bomani ducked into the cabin.
The female medic was attending to Siya’s wounds. He collapsed next to her and
drew her cold hand into his.

I will never leave you again.

Pulling her into his arms, he prayed it wasn’t too
late to keep his promise.

“I should be in there,” Bomani said, pacing the
same path of stone for the last four hours. The fact that he was asked to leave
the room only added to his anxiety.

“The women thought it best if you stayed out here
until Lilly’s exam of Siya is complete. I know better than to argue,” Bakari
replied and leaned against the stone wall.

Bomani groaned his frustration. The enemy had her
for over twenty-four hours. “What if they—”

Bakari’s glare halted Bomani from finishing his
words.

“Do not go there, brother.”

“My pain is gone. Has been for a while,” Bomani
said and rubbed his chest. He could not sense Siya’s emotions. She was lost to
him the minute she regained consciousness. Acid churned in Bomani’s stomach. He
was not sure he could take another rejection, especially after how poorly he
handled the last one.

“Let us go to the warrior tavern. An ale would do
you good.”

“Me in the warrior tavern, you must be mad.”
Bomani jammed his fingers through his hair. He would be as welcome as a scarab
in the bed.

“They would welcome you.”

“By your orders.” Bomani chucked darkly. He eyed
the guardians stationed next to Siya’s room. “You have earned their loyalty
brother. I have no place there.”

“Many times I prayed for it to be different,” Bakari
said solemnly.

“As do I.” Bomani barely recognized the male
standing next to him. This was not the god of their youth or even five years
ago.

Humble. Loyal. Honorable.

Bomani had to concede the legion would be stronger
with the God of Death carrying the Underworld banner. Bakari’s name alone would
wilt any overzealous god. With the war to come, the Underworld would need every
advantage. “Father has made a solid choice.”

Bakari’s eyes widened for a moment and then he
bowed. “My hope is to do half as well as you.”

“I have no worries.” Bomani smiled.

“We will see what Father has to say after the
stunt we pulled.”

Bomani remained silent. Things would get much
worse for Siya and him. The Creation wanted their heads in retribution for the
slaying of the protectors.

“Shit, I did not mean to sound so insensitive to
your situation. Kendra’s optimism is wearing off on me. I believe everything
will work itself out.”

Bomani raised his hand to silence his brother. “It
is what it is. I cannot worry about that right now.”

“If the Creations back off, what will you do?”

“I do not know.” Bomani walked to the veranda and
gazed down over the beach. The warriors were playing a game of soccer with the
younglings. Dennu kicked a scoring goal. “Would you have ever imagined seeing
this?”

“No,” Bakari said, settling next to him.

Bomani chuckled when Geos rolled and outmaneuvered
Sin. Standing in silence with his brother, they watched something that had
never happened in the history of the Pantheons. The simple game held more
meaning than either of them could have imagined.

“Is this what the future will look like?” Bakari
asked.

Bomani detected a hint of hope in his brother’s
voice. “I pray for it.”

“I am jealous, brother.”

Bomani turned to assess Bakari’s expression. Curiosity
filled his brother’s eyes as he gazed at the younglings roughhousing next to
the water.

“Do you think the Mother Goddess will ever think
me worthy of a son or daughter?”

Bomani leaned against the veranda wall. He had not
even contemplated having offspring. Nor had he been told the official news. “You
have wed her daughter. I can think of no reason why she would deny you, if you
and Kendra wish it.”

Bakari refused to meet his gaze.

“You have not married?” Bomani asked, astonished.
The couple had bonded, each carrying the other’s mark. Marriage would give
Kendra immortality and strengthen their bond to allow children.

“It did not feel right until we resolved things
between you and me. Plus, I am still a little messed up.” Bakari paused, his
brows furrowed. “Like you said brother, how long will it be before I disappoint
Kendra?”

“
Isis
, Bakari. Of all people, you do not
need my permission. As for your head, Kendra is the very person to help you
through your issues.” He grabbed Bakari’s shoulders and forced him to square
off. “I was wrong, so fucking wrong.”

“Gentlemen.”

The hard line of Bakari’s face softened. Bomani
followed his brother’s silver gaze to find Kendra standing in the hallway. She
smiled brightly. “Glad to see you two are getting along.”

Bomani released Bakari and stepped back. He hoped
one day when he laid eyes on Kendra he would not be reminded of his failures.

“Is everything well?” Bakari asked and intercepted
his mate.

“Well as to be expected. Lilly was able to heal
the worst of her wounds. Siya would not let her finish the rest.” Kendra met
Bomani’s gaze. “She asked to see you.”

Bomani simply nodded, daft of words. He wiped his
hands on his pants and walked towards the gold engraved doors of the guest
room.

He blew out a breath. Good or bad, his future
resided on the other side of the thick wooden door. He pulled on the handle and
entered the large room. After living on the streets, the gold filigree and
intricate carvings appeared gaudy. The enormous bed consumed a small amount of
the sandstone in the far corner of the room. The normal silk sheets had been
changed out for thicker cotton. A pile of bloodstained towels sat next to the
bed.

“She insisted on taking a shower. Lilly’s in there
with her,” Kit said from the nearby sofa.

“Kit.”

“Nice to know you remember my name,” she said with
a cock of her black brow. “You’re not going to screw this up with Siya, are
you?”

“No,” Bomani replied and stared at the door to the
bathroom.

“Good, because we need her on
our
side.”
Kit stood up and walked to the door without looking back.

Lilly carried out a pile of bloody towels. “She’ll
be out in a minute. Have a seat. I’ll get these out of the way,” she said and
picked up the stack of towels by the bed.

Bomani opened his mouth to speak, but Lilly held
up her hand. “Ask her.”

He sighed and sat on the chaise. Restless, he
shifted positions several times before pushing up and walking over to the
archway.

Cautiously he stepped into the bathroom. Siya
stood in front of the mirror. Her naked body was silhouetted beneath the thin
white fabric of her robe. Her long hair lay neatly braided against her spine.
She clutched the robe tight to her chest. The wounds on her face had faded to
pink lines. The deep cuts on her wrists and ankles still oozed blood, and he
still detected the scent of venom in the air.

His palms dampened and his throat tightened.

He could move no further, his legs frozen by his
need to give her space and not overcrowd her. Already overstepping the bounds
by coming this far, he feared pushing her before she was ready to open up to
him. A mere ten feet separated them, but he would wait for however long it took
her to come to him.

Redness and swelling muted the pale green of her
eyes as she stared at him in the mirror. She released her grip on the robe and
smoothed her hands down the front. Taking a deep breath, she pivoted on her
bare feet to face him.

She grimaced with her first step. Sweat beaded
against her forehead. The next sent him racing forward. He stopped short of
grabbing her, fearful she would reject him or worse blame him. “Please, forgive
me.” Throwing her arms around him, she buried her face in the curve of his
neck. He pulled her tight and exhaled a staggered breath. His eyes burned with
a mix of relief and joy.

Not caring if she chastised him later, he scooped
her up and carried her out to the bed.

* * *

“Let me in, please. I cannot stand to see you in
pain,” Bomani begged.

His words wounded her. Her façade of control
cracked the minute she made contact. Tears she could no longer fight fell like
a heavy rain against his skin.

He eased down onto the bed with her still clutched
in his arms. She rolled into the curve of his body and clung to him. “Please
forgive me for not getting there sooner. I should have never left.” He
tightened his grip on her.

She shivered. The coldness of the dark magic never
left her, even after Kendra had blessed her with the expulsion spell. The
vision of Nebt’s sheer pleasure flashed in her mind as the dark magic tore at
her soul. Siya feared nothing was left, the very reason she had closed Bomani
out. What if all the white light in her heart was gone, and the only thing left
was the demon. Dying alone was not Siya’s worst fear after all, it was becoming
her father.

“Tell me what to do,
Ka’ti
.” He caught the
stray hairs and tucked them back from her face.

There was so much they needed to talk about, but
words would not heal their bond. She needed to feel something other than the
coldness and the physical pain. “Make love to me,” she whispered and met his
gaze.

Concern infused his stare. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Unable to explain the how or why she just craved
his touch.

“But—”

She silenced his caution with the press of her
lips against his neck. Her fingertips tugged at his belt clasp, urging him to
remove everything.

“
Isis
, Siya.” He captured her hands. “You
need time to rest.”

“Need to feel you.” She cupped his ridged jaw and
forced him to look at her. “Only you.”

He dabbed the small cut on her lip, his brows furrowing
as his concerned gaze tracked over her face. His skin warmed under her touch
and she was grateful. She needed all the warmth he could give her. He kissed
her lips, and then proceeded with his gentle appreciation of every injury on
her face. She closed her eyes and drew in the energy forming between them.

He shifted off the bed. Heavy boots, pants and
belt hit the floor. His hot skin shocked her flesh. She sighed and gripped the
breadth of his muscled back. She met his gaze. His eyes of the brightest gold
held her in a hypnotic stare. A window to his soul.

He unlaced the tie of her robe and slipped the
silk edges apart. A frown tugged at his lips when he scanned her body. Some of
the more severe bruises had yet to fade. He kissed each one.

In the valley between her breasts he inhaled a
deep breath. His back arched, the muscles rippling beneath her fingertips.
Despite his obvious reservations, the hardness of his arousal pressed against
her. She ran her hands down over his back, following the trail of tattoos to
the base of his spine. He rolled his hips, and the tip of his cock slid along
her clitoris. Waves of pleasure filled her womb, blooming heat through her icy
veins.

His mouth enveloped her nipple and his tongue danced
across the tip. She moaned and arched into his mouth. His gentleness and
devotion unraveled the tightness around her soul.

So solid. So real.

Bomani caressed the faint lion and moon
hieroglyphic on her chest. “I feared I had lost you.”

His ripe emotion brought tears to her eyes again.
Nebt wanted to take all of this from her. And almost had, if not for Bomani
coming to save her. This male risked his life for her. Loved her. She fought
because she finally had something to live for and love back.

“I am here because of you.” She caressed his
cheek. “I love you, Bomani.”

“I love you too.” He leaned into her touch.

Their future was about to get even more
complicated, but for now she needed just him. Unlocking her soul, she reached
out to him through the frayed bond. To the male who had saved her even before
this night. She did not need a prophecy to tell her he was her mate. His actions
spoke of an honor and loyalty beyond friendship or lovers.

She could no more hold back her pain than all the
other emotions flooding into him. He inhaled sharply and his body shuddered
against hers. He latched onto her soul with his power. Her chest ached, but she
did not fight him, not when he had laid down his life for her. For once, she
had to trust him completely.

He probed her soul, leaving no memory unturned.
With such an intimate connection, his desires flooded her. She writhed beneath
him, aching to have him fill her.

He met her demands with one forceful thrust of his
hips. Withdrawing, he left her empty and wanting, but not for long as he buried
himself deeper with each penetrating stroke. Pleasure bloomed where coldness
once claimed. Heat flourished in her core, tightening around his shaft. She
opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, pleasure creasing his face.
She kissed him with what strength she had left in her. “Do not ever leave me,”
she cried out, riding the crest of ecstasy.

“Never,” he groaned, his body shaking with
restraint.

Her core burned hot on the inside. He lifted her
hips to meet his thrusts. She arched beneath him, exploding into a torturous
orgasm. He rode it until the end and then burst inside her. His orgasm surged
with each thrust, sending her reeling. She gripped his erection tight inside
her. His essence rushed like fire through her veins straight to her soul and
healed her broken heart.

He was her cure. The key to breaking her curse. 

Bomani sat up and clutched her to his chest. She
tightened her legs around his hips, unwilling to give him up just yet. Tipping
her head back, she sighed as his power marked her in the deepest way. It was
then she realized she was missing a small part of her soul. In its place he had
left a piece of himself with her.

“Now, no one will be able to tear us apart.”
Bomani tracked his fingers along her cheek.

Whether it was the pain settling back in or wave
of emotion, Siya’s confidence faltered. She had met the reason Bomani left the
Underworld. Sensed the feelings he once had for Kendra. How could Siya compete?