Tangled Sin (A Dark Realm Novel) (12 page)

The dam broke. Tears fell. Saia spun around, only to crash into a hard body. She stumbled back and came face-to-face with the one person she didn't want witnessing her final humiliation.

Dodging him, she raced to the front of the house, threw open the door, and sprinted down the rain-sodden driveway and out onto the street and toward the park. Mist hovered in the early morning air, dimming visibility. It made little difference to her, her tears falling faster.

She ran. Ran until her sides hurt, until the pain became a numb lump in her chest. Ran until she could no longer take another step. Ran as her legs gave way.

She fell to her knees on the wet grass, surrounded by drenched oak trees covered in moss. Sobbing hard, she doubled over, her arms wrapped around her waist.

A pair of Nike’s entered her sight. Only then did she realize she wasn’t alone. The scent of lemongrass, of
him
drifted to her in the cold breeze.

Riley hunkered beside her in black sweats and a sleeveless gray t-shirt hoodie. His inked biceps flexed as he rested his arm on his thigh. His expression grim, he stared into the mist-covered trees and angled his body, shielding her from the winds picking up. His warmth, his smell taunted her. Christ, why was he here? Did he like seeing her utterly humiliated?

“I-I thought you’d be gone by now.” Her voice cracked. It hurt to speak.

He turned to her. “Saia—”

“Please, just go. I have enough to deal with.”

“No. I can't leave you like this—”

“Whoa!” A harsh laugh ripped from her throat. She glared at him with drenched eyes. Swiped her runny nose with the sleeve of her hoodie. “I'm a complication, remember? Someone you’d need to work at for a quick fuck?”

He exhaled roughly. “About last night—”

“I don’t care, don’t want to talk about it.” She pushed to her feet and took off again. The saturated ground squelching beneath her sneakered feet didn't make escape any easier. Not that she had a chance of outrunning him.

“Dammit, Saia—wait!” He grabbed her arm, hauling her around.

She kicked him hard in the shin, but it didn't move him, only made his grip tighten more. “Leave me alone! Go back to your perfect, tattooed girlfriend and your uncomplicated relationships.”

“Stop running from this. Go back there and demand your answers.”

“Like you care,” she snarled. “I don’t need
you
to tell me how I should handle this. I'm so sick of people trying to run my life, telling me what I should do. I tried to be the good daughter, met all the men shoved at me, I even dropped my art major because Mother didn't think it was a suitable career for me. I chose business—business!” she cried. “Because it’s safe. But you know what? I don’t give a crap anymore. I might as well become a stripper, more fun that way—maybe then you’ll want me.”

His green eyes flared in anger. “Shut up, Saia—”

“Bugger off—
oomph
!” Her breath swooshed out of her as his mouth crashed down on hers in a hard, heated kiss, destroying her fragile barriers. His tongue thrust between her lips, and she swayed into him. Her hands tightened on his shirt. He pulled her close and kissed her as if she mattered, as if he cared—
no
!
It was all a lie.

He didn't want her. She started to struggle, and when he wouldn’t let her go, fury erupted like a geyser, sweeping over her misery that he would do this. She kneed him hard in the groin.

“Fuck!” he gasped, cupping himself.

She took off again and slammed full tilt into someone who appeared out of nowhere. The breath knocked out of her.

“Easy there, female.” Calloused hands steadied her. She couldn’t make him out in the swirling mist. Just dark hair, pale skin, and black clothes.

“Let her go.” At Riley’s sudden snarl, she froze. His voice was as cold as it had been when he’d killed that Caligo. Fear squeezed her belly. She felt for her ring—
no
! She’d forgotten it because of the fight between her mother and Liz.

“I mean
her
no harm.” The malevolent laughter made the little hairs on her nape rise. Panicked, she tried to leap away, but her captor trapped her against him. Something solid, metal-like dug into her back.

“Let her go, Baric. You want me, I'm here.”

“Too late.”

The man’s low, guttural sneer made Saia struggle harder. His bulky arm around her chest squeezed, constricting her diaphragm. “I have a message from an old friend: You want her, save her.”

Save her?
What the hell did that mean?

Unable to break his strong grip, Saia rammed her sneakered heel into his shin. He cursed; his hold loosening. She swung around, snatched the weapon attached to his belt and struck hard. The dagger plunged through flesh and slid between his ribs.

“You bitch!” He backhanded her. Pain exploded in her jaw as she fell to the wet ground. The man stumbled backward but didn’t poof like Caligos do. Dread knotted her belly.
No, no, no!
She’d stabbed a man?

“
Run, Saia!
” Riley yelled.

She couldn’t move, shock trapping her.

The man lurched. His form wavered like a ghostly hologram. A spine-chilling snarl filled the mist-laden air. He lunged for her, grabbed her wrist, and hauled her clear off the grass and straight into a swirling black vortex opening in the ground.

Saia hit the rugged ground hard where the man had tossed her, pain jarring through her bones.

The thick, acrid air burned her nose and stung her eyes. She struggled to breathe as she lay there, staring into solid darkness, the noisy banging of her heart against her ribs too loud in her ears.

She scrambled to her knees but could see nothing in the suffocating blackness. The fiend she’d stabbed had pulled her through a misty void and left her here.

What is this place?

A flare lit the distant sky, revealing the entrance to the craggy dugout she was trapped inside.

He’d left her in a cave?

Saia crawled to the opening, squinted, and tried to make out the surroundings.

Faded purple skies enclosed her. Was it dusk…or night? She inched forward and banged headfirst into something hard. Pain resonated in her skull. Rubbing her forehead, she peered through the gloom, but saw nothing in front of her. A tentative touch revealed the metal smoothness of invisible bars, the only thing that stopped her from tumbling headlong into the dark void below.

Riley, please come and get me.

Whatever anger she’d harbored toward him for rejecting her dissipated.

A cacophony of sounds drifted to her, almost like she was in the center of a hive. Green flames flickered alive, and like dancing snakes, they formed a circle far, far below.

She scrambled back in fear. Stay calm, Saia. Stay calm.

The invisible bars sizzled and vanished. Rough hands grabbed her. A scream ripped free from her, and then she was falling...

***

Riley leaped through the closing portal, and reappeared at the foot of the gloomy, ebony mounts of Stygia.

Flaming green torches suspended on the rock face gave the place some light. But the strong stench of sulfur nailed him straight in the lungs. Hot air hung suspended around him, thick with past pain, fear, and torture.

Whatever was going on here had the small horde in a frenzy. He prayed Saia wasn’t in this shitpit as he frantically scanned for her. She’d run from him because he’d hurt her. Now his worst enemy had her in a place she’d had no idea existed.

Baric would torture her with no remorse just to make Riley pay for whatever crime the fucker thought he’d committed.

A message from an old friend…

What damn friend? He had none here, except Gaelin.

Riley tossed aside the hoodie he’d grabbed off Saia before Baric disappeared with her.

More torches flamed to life from poles buried in the jagged ground. It revealed the worn gray tarps, makeshifts dwellings lining the foot of the mountain. Home to the malcontents of Stygia.

The excited mumblings stopped as he drew closer to the crudely dug out circular arena. The place stank from unwashed bodies.

Their clothes tattered, hair lank and greasy, the malcontents watched him closely.

Saia? Answer me!
Keeping a wary eye on them, Riley tried to speak in her mind, but everything was a blur. He couldn’t connect, too much static inference.

Or maybe she still doesn’t want to talk to you for being such an asshole?

His heart stuttered. Now was not the time for her to ignore him.
Saia, dammit, answer me!

A high-pitched female scream pierced the air. Riley spun around. There, in the distance, he saw the guard hauling her. She fought to break free, but the bastard manacled his arm around her waist. Her terror hit Riley square in the heart as the guard brought her into the center of the crowd.

Oh, fuck! The truth struck him hard. Baric had jailed her in this cesspit where humans were fought for or hunted with the same end. Trophies…sex slaves.

He spied the bastard hanging on to one of the flaming poles. And felt a surge of satisfaction when Baric clutched his belly. Saia had done some damage if he couldn’t stand unaided.

A gaunt malcontent in trews and tattered chainmail swaggered over and blocked his path. The demon bore the undernourished, skeletal look of those living in the wastelands. The gleam in his malevolent black gaze didn't bode well for Riley.

“Let her go.”

The demon sneered at his demand. “You dare to give us orders? You know the rules. Once in those caves she belongs to the one who wins her. Bring her here.”

The malcontent guard dragged Saia over by the arm, and she stumbled. Riley balled his fingers so he didn’t give in to the urge to smash his fist into the fucker’s face and ruin his one chance to save her.

But the moment Baric laid eyes on Saia, he let go of the pole and lurched toward her.

Snarling, Riley flashed over and lashed out with a flying kick to Baric’s throat. He fell face down and lay shuddering on the ground.

“Riley!”
Saia’s terror enveloped him like a tidal wave. “I didn’t mean to hurt him. I thought he was a Caligo.” Her gaze darted to the demon convulsing as if in the throes of death. If only they were that lucky. It would take more than a kick to kill the bastard.

“Let me go!” She started struggling again, kicking the demon guard in the shin. He screeched and hopped on one foot, howling. Saia yanked free and ran. The pissed guard flashed after her. Riley shoved him back with a psychic push and hauled her into the safety of his arms.

She buried her face in his shirt, her heart pounding frantically against his chest.

The demons surrounding them snickered. Her little show of rebellion heightened the tension as they watched her with growing lust.

“It’s okay, baby. I have you now.” He rubbed her back, eyeing the horde pushing closer.

He recalled then, there were those from other citadels who came here for the sport of hunting the docile Otium demons they’d trapped for their perverse pleasure when humans weren’t available…

The yells started, as did the sneers and lewd promises from several demons. Their bellows intensified. They jostled excitedly as if waiting for a fucking lynching.

Saia’s body tensed against his. Then he heard their words. “Judgment—judgment!”

An eerie sensation rushed through his psyche, as a transparent shield surrounded them, preventing his flashing.
Oh, fuck.
The only way out now was to kill the asshole who’d put up the block—which could be any of these dumbasses.

“The Trial, it is,” the gaunt malcontent announced, his shrunken black eyes gleaming with eagerness.

This little piece of shit was the warden for these caves? He’d heard of the Trials when he was a boy. A most brutal form of punishment. Whatever the injured party chose, it ran for seven long days, be it a hunt or a fight. And it could move as slowly as seven fucking years.

“She thought to kill one of us. Her punishment…” He paused, savoring the moment as the anticipation grew. His thin lips stretched in a parody of a smile, his parchment-pale skin split, and blood oozed down from the crack on his cheek and lips. He licked away the gore. “Is a
one
day Trial, to be hunted and claimed, and if she lasts the day without getting caught, she’s free to return to her world.”

Raucous laughter built up at the changed rules and spread like wildfire around the excited demons. This was just a fucking game to the bastards.

One
day? Saia wouldn’t last an hour on her own in this place. It was just a hunt and seize for their perverted amusement.

“Kill him?” Her shocked whisper speared him in the heart. “No—it was an accident.”

No matter how much he screwed things up with her, and he had, no way would he allow her to be hurt or hunted like a fucking animal.

“I know. The bastard will heal soon enough.” And join the rest of these scavengers in the hunt if he didn't do something fast. Their only chance of survival was to get to the Citadel of Wra.

He continued to scan for a way out, his hand caressing her back. A comfort he had no idea he needed, thought it was for her, until her arms tightened around him.

With no escape from this farce of a hunt, he said, “I’ll fight in her stead.” Everyone froze at his proclamation. “For
seven
days.”

Discontent ripples started among the horde and grew to a deafening roar.

“No-no, they’ll kill you.” Saia’s fingers fisted his shirt as if to keep him there.

She thought him incapable of protecting her?
Weak
. The hated word seeped through him. He snapped, “They’ll catch you in five-fucking-seconds flat once you leave here. If by some miracle, you survive the day, they won't let you go—is that what you want?”

“No, no, God, no!” She shook her head, glancing around the arena. “Where-where are we?” Her petrified gaze rushed back to his.

“You’re in Stygia.”

At her confused expression, no, she had no idea what that meant.

The noise level escalated. If they didn’t accept his challenge, he was screwed. He wished he could have fought the one-day Trial, but those assholes wouldn’t even consider it. It was their deprived attempt at a joke when humans were taken prisoners.

In all the frenzy, the sounds of thundering hooves reached him. Soldiers rode in on enormous black destriers, dressed in gray chainmail and capes. They pulled up short. The animals snorted. Muscles rippled, nostrils distended and their black eyes flashed red.

The male up front caught Riley’s attention. Exceptionally tall, with ropes of white hair down to his waist and dressed all in black, he remained seated on his destrier as he watched them. A Fallen?

Shit, if the dark angel took him on in a fight, he’d have no chance of winning.

“Riley?” Saia whispered, her terrified gaze pinned on the restless demonic animals. “Wh-what are those things?”

“War horses. I’ll explain later.”

“Very well,” the warden called out.

The verdict was given. A space cleared.

The easy acceptance had his gut clenching. The bastards thought him that dumb? Even if he lasted seven days of fighting, they still planned to take Saia. He picked up on the shitheads’ thoughts, believing he’d be too tired to protect her.

Not happening. The first chance he got, he was leaving with Saia. Unless dear old Dad made an appearance.

No, he couldn’t see that happening, not with him dispatching all the guards his sire had sent. Yeah, he was screwed. No point in wasting time, then.

Riley pushed Saia behind him, grabbed the sword from the nearest guard, and skewered the demon in the chest. He snatched a dagger and handed it to Saia. “Use it if anyone gets too close, and stay behind me,” he barked out his warning.

With the mountain at their backs, the demons attacked from the sides and front, giving him no chance to start this so-called mockery of a Trial. Not that he expected any better. Good thing these malcontents possessed almost no abilities, except for flashing, and whoever controlled the invisible shield.

His sword swinging, Riley attacked, but more came at him. He hurled them back with his mind when they got too close. Hearing a grunt, he wheeled around. Baric grabbed hold of Saia, twisted her arm, and she cried out. He seized her weapon and brought it down—

“No, you fucking don’t!” The fury, which had taken hold of him the moment Baric had captured Saia in the park, exploded. Riley leaped through the air, deflected the strike with his sword. Freed, Saia stumbled back. Riley rammed his weapon into the asshole’s belly. Whipping around, he sliced Baric across the throat, severing the carotid. Blood gushed from the deep wound as the demon shimmered and vanished.

Finally, he’d annihilated the bastard who’d hunted and tortured him a thousand years ago, caused him scars that he still bore in his soul.

Now, he had to get his shit together, dig deeper for continued strength, and save Saia.

But as time meandered to a slow beat, the torches gave out to be replaced by new ones. His arms ached, muscles burned. He bled from several wounds, and his shirt was in shreds, but he was fucking glad as the bodies fell.

Breathing hard, Riley glanced back to find Saia plastered against the mountain’s rock face. Her gaze fixed on him. Even with dirt streaking her tear-stained face, she’d never looked more lovely. And so damn brave.

By the gods, she had to be terrified of all the brutality, the carnage she’d witnessed. But he could do little to ease her into the gruesome way of life in his world.

He swiped his sweat-drenched face with the back of his hand, the heat draining him. The ancient symbols he sported on his biceps stretched and strained at his exertion.

The sky darkened to a brilliant purple hue before giving way to complete darkness. More torches came alive. Blood spilled as the fight continued.

His energy started to wane. His arms weighed him down like he wielded a tanker.

He couldn’t hold out much longer—couldn’t protect Saia. No! Fear zipped through him and thundered into his head. He couldn’t leave her alone in this place. A sizzling hiss, and the invisible shield surrounding them evaporated. Horses reared in a cacophony—

A terrified cry rent the air, Riley spun around. Saia was no longer behind him. His heart crashed against his sternum. “
Saia
!”