Immortal Rider

Thirty-three

The second Pestilence left her residence, Harvester’s knees failed. She hit the floor in a crack of kneecaps, and a heartbeat later, Reaver did the same, falling into a bloody heap. Though she was shaken, her muscles mush, she scrambled over to him.

Leave her alone.

Pestilence had stomped Reaver into hamburger, had caused enough damage that it would take days for him to recover. And yet, Reaver had found the strength to not only speak through the broken bones in his face, but to summon the last of his heavenly reserves, the tiny bit of power left in the stumps that used to be his wings, and he’d become a force to be reckoned with.

He’d protected her for some reason, and the shriveled black lump of coal that used to be her heart cracked. Just a little, no more than a tiny stress fracture, but still.

“Reaver?”

He groaned, a sound of soul-deep misery.

“Whine!” The werewolf hurried inside. “Marrow wine. Hurry.”

It wouldn’t help Reaver heal, but it would, at least, make his pain tolerable. Especially since, as per orders, she’d forced it down him often, creating an addiction that would render him all but useless as the end of days approached, and now he took it freely, craving it the way an opium addict chased the dragon.

The werewolf brought a bottle to her, and she lifted Reaver’s head, cradling it in her palm as she lifted the rim to his lips. “Here,” she murmured, wincing whven most of the liquid dribbled out the corner of his mouth.

He was too weak to drink, dammit. In this state, this far out of reach of the source of his heavenly powers, he could fall into what would amount to a coma. He would languish in that coma until someone carried him out of Sheoul, which meant he could be stuck here for all eternity if she—or anyone else—wished it.

“Come on, Reaver. Drink, damn you.” When he didn’t move, she turned to Whine. “Bring me some sugar. Honey if we have it. And a cup and spoon.”

Whine brought her back a small pot of honey, and she mixed a spoonful into the cup with the marrow wine. Angels were like hummingbirds, able to manufacture small amounts of life-giving energy from sugar. Taking his head again, she tilted his face upward and poured a little of the mixture into his mouth. This time, as it trickled into his throat, he swallowed.

“Good,” she whispered. “A little more.”

He drank, and before the full amount was gone, he’d gained enough energy to raise his head and hold her hand in place as he drank greedily.

“Master,” Whine said, and she was so grateful for Reaver’s reaction that she didn’t snap at her slave for speaking out of turn.

“What?”

“A message came while the Horseman was here.” He handed her a scroll—made from human skin.

She broke the seal with her teeth and allowed it to unroll. Reaver could go free. Relief washed over her. She’d hated having him here, hated the scorching glares he gave her, hated how he reminded her of what she’d lost.

His hand tightened on hers, and his eyes, which had been bloodshot, hazy with pain, brightened a little. The sugar was working, and as the aphrodisiac effects of the wine took hold, the blue of his eyes turned sensual, like a warm sea in the moonlight.

She sucked in a shocked breath; this was the first time she’d truly seen him as a sexual being. Oh, she’d appreciated him as a gorgeous male whose presence all but blotted out the sun. But now, whoa. His body hardened as the ecstasy took him, his head fell back, and his body arched. At his hips, a massive erection tented the seam of what remained of his tattered slacks.

Her own body heated as she watched him writhe in the kind of orgasm only the demon wine could deliver. Well, that wasn’t true… on the Other Side, in Heaven, the mating of two souls was like that. The Marrow wine had originally been created to simulate what fallen angels had lost when they were booted out of Heaven, and yes, it came close, was the second most incredible thing one could experience.

Her fingers itched to touch him, and she found herself reaching for his thick arousal. She just wanted to stroke it a little. She wanted to trace the outline against the fly of his pants, maybe slide the pad of her thumb over the tip, since it was nearly peeking out from under his waistband.

Liquid lust seeped between her legs, and Whine growled low in his throat, scenting her arousal and sparking his own. He hais own. d been there for her when she needed blood, sex, and someone to buffer her anger. At times she treated him harshly, but that was what was expected of her, and if she did any less, both Whine and she would pay dearly.

“Go,” she said, and though he hesitated, he obeyed.

His nature wouldn’t allow him to go far or to pleasure himself until he’d received her permission, which meant that if she needed him later, he’d be ready and willing.

Reaver moaned, his lips parting, eyes closed as pleasure took him. His hips pushed up and pulled back, a pumping motion controlling his body, and wetness began to spread along the fly of his pants as he came over and over.

He was beautiful.

Leave her alone. He’d saved her. He could have remained silent, let Pestilence violate her, torture her, but Reaver had risked his own safety. The knowledge rippled through her in a wave of gratitude that melded with her lust, and she lunged, prepared to take him in her hand—

His fingers snapped up to snare her wrist just before she touched his arousal. Gasping, she shifted her gaze to his face, where pleasure had etched itself into the set of his parted lips, his drowsy lids, his flushed skin. But behind all that were his sapphire irises, which glowed like hot coals.

“Thank you,” she breathed. “Thank you for coming to my aid.”

“No female should suffer that.” A twisted smile curved his lips. “But I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Reseph.” His fingers closed so tightly around her arm that she cried out, feeling the bones in her wrist cracking. “You… the first chance I get… I’m going to kill.”

Thanatos stepped out of the Harrowgate in front of Ares’s house and dialed Limos on his cell. “Be at my Greenland Harrowgate in five minutes. And bring Arik.”

He was going to find out if Limos’s new husband had any knowledge of what Regan had planned. At this point, he wouldn’t be surprised, given Limos’s revelations. Maybe she’d married someone as devious as she was.

Except… Thanatos was having a hard time holding onto that anger. He’d been pissed when she’d first admitted her deceptions, but he knew her too well to believe she didn’t regret her past. And if he could believe Reseph could be saved, then how could he forsake Limos?

Arik, however, was another story. Thanatos had wanted to believe in the human, but if he was in league with Regan…

Limos’s voice buzzed over the airwaves. “Than, I can’t. I’m just getting ready to take Arik to the R-XR—”

“Bring him!” In a fit of rage, he disconnected by hurling the phone against a stone pillar that rose up like a sentinel at the entrance to Ares’s garden. It exploded in a blast of plastic and electronic guts.

Dripping blood and melting snow, he stormed inhe stormto Ares’s house, only to be stopped by Ares’s chief Ramreel, Vulgrim. “My lord, you’re injured—”

“I know that,” he snapped. “Where’s Cara?”

“She’s… busy, sir.”

“Where’s Ares?”

Vulgrim cleared his throat. “Busy as well.”

Right. Than shoved past the demon and stalked to Ares’s bedroom, where he pounded on the door, leaving bloody smears on the white paint. “Open up!”

An erotic snarl echoed behind the wood. “Go away, Than.” Ares’s warning was loud and clear, but Than ignored it and slammed his fist into the door again.

“Styx is dying.”

There was a rustle of covers, thumps of feet on the floor, and more rustling. “One minute,” Cara called out.

Than paced, his muscles tense and twitching with a combination of worry over his horse, fury at his brother for attacking them, and intense hatred for Regan’s betrayal. He wasn’t sure which was worse, but they were all blending together in a caustic stew that threatened to release a shitstorm of violence. He wanted to kill. Destroy. Wreak havoc and kill, kill, kill. Only his concern for Styx kept him from going into a complete rampage, but he couldn’t guarantee that wouldn’t happen once the stallion was healed.

If the stallion died… he could guarantee that nothing would stop him.

Cara and Ares threw open the door and rushed out, Cara in jeans and sweatshirt, and Ares in armor. “What happened?”

“Our brother happened.” Than led them out of the house and gated them to the site of the battle.

Though he expected his stomach to turn over at the sight of Styx lying on the ice in a pool of blood like a harpooned whale, he hadn’t expected it to hurt so much. His horse had been injured before, gravely. But Pestilence and his stallion had delighted in making Styx scream, and Than swore he could feel the animal’s pain.

Another gate opened, the flash of golden light streaking out over what little snow hadn’t been spoiled by battle and blood. Limos and Arik stepped out, and if they were a happily married couple, Than would eat his Seal. They stood apart, Limos in turquoise jeans and a leather jacket, and Arik in military BDUs, a puffy green military-issue coat, and a weapons belt circling his hips.

“Dammit.” Cara sank next to the stallion, who was laboring to breathe.

Ares moved in front of Than, blocking his view. “What was the battle about?”

“I don’t know.” Than closed his eyes. “No, I know. He thought my Seal had broken, and when he realized it hadn’t, he went insane. He tried to kill Styx to hurt me.”

“Why would he think your Seal had broken?”

Kill. He breathed through the desire to go after every Guardian on the planet. “Because the fucking Aegis betrayed us, and he knew about it.”

“You aren’t making sense,” Ares said.

“Regan.” Just the name pissed him off, and he couldn’t stop the bloodthirsty growl that condensed in his throat. “She wasn’t sent to learn our history. She was sent to seduce me. She betrayed me. They betrayed all of us.” Anger singed his control as the caustic sludge that had been brewing spilled into his veins and ran like acid through them.

“Calm down, Than,” Limos said. “What are you talking about?”

“Regan.” Than started to pace in a futile attempt to outrun his rage. “That bitch!” He spun around to Arik. “What did you know about it, Aegi?” He got up in the human’s face. “Tell me!”

Arik’s expression shuttered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’d appreciate it if you learned the definition of personal space.”

“Than.” Limos’s tone was the one she’d always used when she tried to bring Reseph down from a rare rage, but it wasn’t going to work with Thanatos, and he turned on her with a snarl.

“She fucking drugged me.” He needed to kill, and the souls in his armor screamed to be let loose. Soon. Very, very soon, he promised them.

Ares scowled. “When? With what?”

“After you left.” Than seethed at the memory. “She plied me with my favorite mead, spiked with something. Probably orc weed.”

“Oh, man.” Ares shoved his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I get why you’re upset, but obviously, it didn’t work—”

“Yes, it did.”

Everyone froze. Everyone but Arik, who looked between them all, clearly confused.

Finally, Limos cleared her throat. “It couldn’t have.”

“I don’t get what’s going on. What’s orc weed?” Arik asked.

“It’s an aphrodisiac,” Limos replied. “Than, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“I’m saying she drugged me. And…” Humiliation shrank his skin. “She took me.”

“And I’m still lost.” Arik’s gaze was wary. “You had sex with a beautiful woman. Why is that a problem? Are you a penis guy?”

Than lunged, but Ares caught him around the waist. “I’m going to kill your man, Limos. I am.”

Roughly, Ares dragged Than away from the human. “Let me see your Seal.”

Than’s hand shook as he reached inside his armor and pulled out the gold coin on the chain. Everyone was still and quiet, the anticipation in thipation e air as thick as fog. The only sound was the ruffle of clothing in the icy wind and the gurgling breaths of his stallion. At least Cara’s healing waves were working, and Styx’s wounds were closing up with amazing speed.

Ares palmed the Seal, his eyes filled with worry and hard, icy resolve. Ares would do what was necessary to keep Than from heading out into the world as an evil entity, and Than didn’t blame him. Still, his gut twisted when Ares’s hand dropped to the hilt of his sword.

Thanatos met Ares’s gaze. “You have Deliverance.” It might not kill Pestilence, but hopefully, if Than’s Seal broke, it would kill Death.

“We won’t need it,” Ares said, his words clipped with the force of his conviction. But truthfully, Than wasn’t sure Deliverance would make a difference. If any Seal broke after the first one, they’d all break. But maybe if Ares could nail Than in the heart before his Seal completely cracked in half…

“How long did it take for Reseph’s to break?” Limos asked.

“It vibrated for a few seconds, then it cracked,” Ares ran his thumb over the scythe on the front of the Seal. “From what Sin said about the timing of the event that caused the breakage, I figure it was almost instantaneous.” He shot Than a look. “How long ago did you have sex?”

Than spoke between clenched teeth. “Half hour, maybe.”

“Wait.” Arik stepped forward. “Are you saying that sex is what will break your Seal?”

“Yeah,” Limos said. “At least, we thought that’s what it was.” She glanced at Than. “Maybe all this time you could have been having sex?”

Five thousand years wasted? No way. There had to be another answer. He snagged Arik by the collar and ignored Limos’s snarl.

“Why would The Aegis send someone to break my Seal? It makes no sense.”

“Exactly,” Arik’s voice was pretty damned calm for someone who was in Death’s grasp. “It doesn’t. Which means they didn’t think sex is what would break it. And apparently, they were right. So let go of me and go make up for thousands of years of celibacy, asshole.”

A veil of crimson fury slammed down over his vision. Limos and Ares flanked him, moving in slowly, and he prepared to fight. Somewhere in his hate-sodden brain, he knew he was gone, knew he shouldn’t be wanting to strangle the human in his grip. But it didn’t matter.

“Than?” Cara’s voice penetrated the lethal soup clogging his head. “Styx needs you.” Dropping Arik, he whirled around to Cara, who was stroking the stallion’s blood-caked neck. “He’s fine, but he needs to rest—”

“To me.” Instantly, the horse dissolved into smoke and shot inside Than’s gauntlet.

“Thanatos…” Ares’s voice was low, edged with warning. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to kill the Aegi who betrayed me.”

Ares grabbed his shoulder. “We can’t start another war between us.”

“Then they shouldn’t have betrayed us!” The shadow souls spun around him as if in a blender.

“Than,” Limos said, a note of desperation in her voice. “You need to calm down. You’re getting that crazy look, and we don’t need a repeat of Roanoke.”

Roanoke… he’d lost his temper after being shot, and… he couldn’t remember. A black haze had worked its way into his brain, the death haze, the one that signaled no return and a desire to slaughter.

“Than… we’ll figure this out…”

“Than, calm down…”

There was a shimmery flash, and he thought he saw an angel, but his body was vibrating out of control and he couldn’t trust anything he saw or heard.

“Reaver… thank God… where did you come from…”

“Ares… do it…”

The words jumbled in his head until he couldn’t figure out who was talking or what they were saying. He only wanted to kill. He’d start with Regan, and then he’d work his way through the entire Aegis organization. He’d rend limbs from bodies, rip open throats, kill, kill, kill…

“Limos! Get Arik out of here!”

Too late. With a roar, he let loose, consequences be damned.