Absolute Surrender (13 page)

Besides, he had far bigger plans.

A flick of his hand and Greed turned off the Wall Of Screams. His gaze fell on the broken shards of mirror on the floor. His tone implacable, he said, “I sent for you.”

“I’m busy. I have work to do. An army to train.”

“Would this
work
have anything to do with breaking the
Ancients
’ laws that keep the balance in place?” Greed stopped strolling and fixed unflinching eyes on him.

Andras dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand. “I have no idea what you speak of. I merely prepare my army for war.”

“Yes, the very war which will occur by the rift that opened into the mortal realm. You have no idea of what you dabble in, boy. Fix it. Close the rift and get those
demoniis
back to the Dark Strata.”

Andras stared at his father, flames licking across his skin as he fought to keep his temper in check. The old goat had repudiated him as heir to inherit the sin greed, because he took the soul of a protected mortal. And because of that one foolish mistake, his father chose his fuckhead-loser brother, Lazaar, to inherit.

No matter. He had better things to look forward to. His sire would regret his choice soon enough. The tension eased from his body at the thought, the flames dwindling.

Greed’s demeanor didn’t change. His black eyes remained pinned on him. “You show much restraint. Good. A’Damiel bound you to this realm for your transgressions
.
You just had to go after a protected mortal...” Greed shook his head. “I saved your life only as a favor to your dead mother. She was my favorite. But break out of here and you
will
die. There will be no rebirth for you. Nor will I intervene again.” Delivering his warning, Greed flashed out of the chamber.

Bastard!

Like he cared about rebirth. The same damn cycle, over and over again. The same thing all demons went through if killed on another realm. The only way to end it was by iron or for those flaming Guardians to get hold of them. But once they turned
demonii
, then there was no rebirth for them. Just Purgatory.

Why had he given into impulse and taken that soul?

Andras’s teeth snapped down hard and a molar shattered. He cursed again at his fate. Grabbing the chair nearest him, he sent it crashing into the wall, the splintering sounds soothing to his ears.

His sire’s threat meant nothing to him. He could taste his success, the freedom of having it all. Elation flowed through him like a dam breaking its walls. He would find the right mortal psychic this time and all would be his.

“Bael!”

The demon came in a few seconds later, his dark gaze wary. He wasn’t a
demonii,
which made it easy for him to procure souls.

“Did you find me an oracle?” Andras demanded.

Bael shifted on his feet. “No, my lord. If there are any in the human city, they’ve covered their tracks—”

A blast from Andras’s hand and Bael hit the wall behind him. The acrid smell of burning hair and bubbling skin filled the chambers. The blisters erupted. Slimy yellow pus trailed down Bael’s face.

“See what you made me do,” Andras reprimanded him. He stalked to his armchair and sprawled on it, his face tight in annoyance. “You’re a bunch of incompetent fools. If I weren’t bound here, I’d have found both the oracle and the psychic female already. Get me an oracle, now!”

Bael stepped back, the sores on his face oozing faster.

“I need a damn soul first. Then find Lazaar.” Andras eyed Bael’s ruined face in distaste and waved him away. “Go, clean yourself. You’re a mess.”

Andras drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair in contemplation. When he had dominion over all, the
Ancients
would bow to him. A’Damiel could go burn in Hellfire. And all the fuckers who guarded the mortal realm would cower in fear of him!

CHAPTER 10

Aethan materialized in front of the oracle’s house. His body may have taken form, but his mind was in complete chaos, struggling to accept the truth. The horror of the reality staggered him, as he tried to fit in pieces of a conversation that had faded over the three millennia.

After his violent initiation into a Guardian’s life, Gaia had held out several obsidian daggers with a swirling pattern on the hilts. They could never be stolen, taken, or lost, she’d told him. They’d always return to their rightful owner. Then she’d asked him to choose one.

One look and he’d hated them on sight. Something eerie had skated across his skin just looking at them.

He’d refused.

She’d insisted. ‘
Your dagger is an embodiment of your one weakness and your ultimate strength. When it fails to return to you, you have found your salvation
.’

He hadn’t understood her meaning at the time, but Gaia’s last words haunted him now.

Only with Echo had he experienced fear, and he damn well knew she was his weakness.

His destiny.

His mate.

The one person who mattered to him for the first time in over three thousand years and she could very well die by his hands—

Aethan broke free of his paralysis and paced down the sidewalk, pinching the bridge of his nose. Then he strode back again. Shit, he didn’t do headaches!

‘
Where are you
?’

At the mind-link connection, Aethan growled. ‘
Can’t talk—later.
’

‘
Make the time
,’
Blaéz ordered.

Dammit! ‘
I’m at the oracle’s.
’

He shut down the connection, promptly dismissing Blaéz. Hands planted on his hip, he glared up at the brownstone.

What the hell was he supposed to do?

He’d waited centuries for his mate. But after his banishment to Earth, he no longer cared. Why should he? This fragile race of humans was the last species he would have thought to find her.

But to discover his mate was the tempestuous female he desired...blood rushed to his crotch. At the thought of sliding into her silky heat, he hardened further.

Gods, he’d give his life to make love to her, but the fact was, she’d be the one to pay the ultimate price.

Already his power prowled in him, a dark reminder of what he was. The females from the pantheons chased him for the same reason, the rush of power that surged through them when sex was involved. They were immortal, their bodies repairable. But Echo, dying the way Hannah did—

His brain disconnected on the thought, unable to handle it.

The breeze picked up and snagged at his unbound hair. Reaching into his leathers for another thong, he tied the loose strands back into a ponytail.

Even if, by some miracle, there was a way to overcome his cursed affliction, he had so little to offer her. A dead heart and a soul stained black with his many sins. All those innocents he’d killed in the name of eliminating
demonii
infestation. What female in her right mind would want a mate like him?

He exhaled roughly. No, he would do the right thing. Once he killed the demon responsible for hurting Echo, he’d walk away.

Like Týr pointed out, they were warriors and their lives solitary ones.

Aethan glanced around. Where the hell was Blaéz?

He cast his mind out into the night, scanning. His senses alerted him that he wasn’t alone. A few seconds later, the Celt materialized like a ghost several feet from him.

“What’s going on?” Aethan demanded. Right then he didn’t care if the city had been invaded by
demoniis
.

Blaéz didn’t answer, his eyes cool but searching. If he had a vision or premonition or whatever the hell got his jones going, he gave no sign of it. But those winter pale eyes, almost pearlescent in the night, trailed over him.

“You aren’t hurt,” Blaéz finally spoke.

“No shit.” Why else would he be tracking feet outside the oracle’s house?

“Makes sense now,” Blaéz said. “I saw something.
Demoniis—
a concealed place.
They will take a mortal and you are a part of it. I called you but you’d shut down your telepathic link and didn’t answer your cell.”

Aethan pulled out his cell phone. He stared at the melted lump of plastic and metal in his hand. Another dark reminder of why it could never be. Phones, he could replace, but not Echo.

“Guess that explains why my call went unanswered,” Blaéz said.

“I eliminated the bastards. That’s why you were unable to reach me.” He dropped the melted phone back in his pocket. “But she got hurt. I brought her here.”

Aethan glanced up at the house. Lights shone from the brownstone’s windows despite the late hour.

“She’s strong. Must have incredible shields if they couldn’t bend her mind to theirs and get her to enter the portal.”

Aethan’s eyes narrowed at Blaéz’s comment. For the first time he saw something other than apathy on the Celt’s face. Interest.

The expression wasn’t one he cared for.

“What?” he growled. He might as well have taken out a billboard ad. He couldn’t even control his own possessive responses.

“They will try again,” Blaéz said, still staring at the house.

“Then they’ll have to go through me.”

“She confuses them with her resilient mind.”

“Why are
you
concerned?”

Blaéz turned. His eyes seemed to smirk in the moonlight. His voice, however, remained cool like the wind snagging their coats. “She’s different. Intriguing. Her destiny entwines with yours, but you’ve already made your decision.”

“Meaning?”

“You weren’t ready to listen yesterday,” Blaéz reminded him. “This path you’ve chosen to travel? Be prepared for the consequences. Later.” Blaéz sauntered off down the street, like a damn apparition.

Aethan should have known better than to ask the Celt anything. His obscure reference was a damn pain in the ass. He took the stairs to the oracle’s house.

At his knock, the door opened to reveal a tall, curvy brunette with hair woven into multiple braids, dressed in jeans and pale green sweater. She had to be the oracle’s granddaughter, Kira. And Echo’s friend.

Her latte-colored skin was blotchy from crying, her red-rimmed hazel eyes widened in surprise when she saw him.

“Lila?” he asked her.

“Gran’s busy,” she sniffed. “You’re gonna have to wait a while.” She brushed at her eyes and stepped aside, letting him into the house.

The strong odor of roots and other musty smelling herbal mixtures wafted to him. “Hold on, what’s wrong—Echo?” His gut clenched in panic and he anxiously scanned upstairs for her. Finding the steady rhythm of her heartbeat, his fear eased.

Surprise flashed in the brunette’s wet gaze. “You know Echo?”

“I brought her here. She got hurt in the subway.”

At his words, her hazel eyes flooded with more tears. “I was with her when the
demoniis
attacked. Then the portal opened. She made me leave. It’s my fault.”

Aethan wasn’t surprised she knew about
demoniis,
considering who her grandmother was, but he cut off her self-recriminations. “You did the right thing. Or there could have been two casualties.”

“I didn’t want her going into the subway. It’s a horrid, horrid place. But Echo, she won’t leave when someone’s in trouble...” She scrubbed her wet face with the sleeve of her sweater. “I–I’ve to go help Gran.”

Halfway up the stairs, she stopped and turned to him. “Who are you, anyway? And how do you know Echo?”

“I’m Aethan. I’ve known her for a while.”

Her stare filled with suspicion. “How come she didn’t mention you? I know all her male friends. She tells me everything.”

“You’ll have to ask her about that.”

Why hadn’t Echo mentioned him? Maybe she didn’t care enough to bother? The thought pissed him off. The sound of footsteps on the stairs interrupted his spark of irritation.