Claimed by Light (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Okay. What do you have?” Slade leaned over the table, searching the map rolled out over the surface. “This is the spot?”

Theo nodded. “We’re almost set to head in. Just waiting to hear back from a couple of contacts.”

Sadie held up a tattered old book. “I read up on this Oracle business in a few of Halena’s books. I found one in Hebrew that was pretty specific.”

Her eyes are red
, Slade silently said to Lena.

Allows her to read foreign or dead languages.

Sadie plopped an ancient-looking brown leather book in front of him and continued. “We already know Slade’s the One, but the fact that Addie is also seeing visions, albeit very few and very choppy, indicates she plays a role in this as well.” She grinned. “Maybe you two are to join up and be the wonder twin powers of Oracleness.”

Justin shook his head. “That phrase coming from a geek with an IQ off the charts and a newbie Shomrei…”

“Shut up.” Sadie looked at Slade. “It also confirmed what Addie said. Only the eldest male can touch the Gem.”

“It mentioned the Gem specifically in there?” Lena asked.

“Yep. And that’s why the demons need Slade. We get that. Now, to why—”

“What do you mean why? They need him to get the Gem. Once they have it, he’s as good as dead since he’s not about to turn demon,” Justin said. “Which means Halena’s dead, exactly what the demons want, I’m sure. Not to mention the fact that they have a bunch of Artifacts.”

“Unrest is bubbling,” Theo said. “It happened before, centuries ago, and we faced off with evil at its finest. We lost many Gatekeepers, which led to decades of chaos after because we didn’t have the manpower to monitor the gates adequately.”

“So, it’s time to settle things down,” Sadie said.

“Or the Archangels will come and wipe everyone out. I get it. But what do the Gatekeepers gain by having all the Artifacts? How’s that help save Lucifer?” Slade shook his head. “I can’t believe I just said that. We’re actually going to save Lucifer from his demons?”

Yvonne laughed. “It’s messed up, I know. If all the Artifacts end up in our hands, we can use them to bind Lucifer to Hades, where he belongs, which will preserve the balance between good and evil. But if the demons get them, they can kill Lucifer, and balance is destroyed.”

“Bind, huh? So he can’t come up here and cause a ripple of evil on Earth,” Slade said. “Yet he’s still alive and maintaining control of Hades. Got it. So what’s this got to do with Addie and me?”

“Not sure on Addie, but you…” Sadie smiled. “You’re the Oracle. You have the power in your words to bind.”

“Me? Lena told me you were the one who spoke lethal words to permanently end Aggie,” Slade said, looking at Sadie.

“You guys were…talking up there?” Sadie winked. “Didn’t figure.”

“Very funny, young one.” Lena let out a smile. “It says in the book, doesn’t it? That an Oracle has to say the words.”

“Yep, because he’s the only one who can touch the Gem. The Gem goes in the Necklace, he wears it and speaks the words, while touching Lucifer’s forehead. Bam, demon’s bound to Hades.”

Slade tugged at his hair. “Oh, is that all?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Slade batted at the branches slapping him in the face. Despite Lena’s leading, she couldn’t keep all of them away. But his view sure was fine.

Sweat-drenched fatigues clung to her sweet behind. No way should he be thinking of such things while walking into the belly of a beast, but still. She’d unzipped the sleeves to her top, leaving her toned, muscular arms open to his perusal. The sweat made them even sexier.

Stop it. You realize you’re totally turning me on right now.

He laughed.
I need to learn those shields you were talking about.

He heard her mental laugh, but she didn’t say anything more.

Something bumped him from behind, and he slowed, looking over his shoulder.

“Sorry,” Yvonne whispered.

Poor girl had to be sweating like crazy since she had to wear long sleeves, gloves, and long pants.

Justin got her that breathable material. But yeah, it’s hotter than Hades here.
Lena laughed.
Not really, but close.

A branch cracked off to Slade’s left, and Lena tensed. Another crack, then some shuffling among the trees and the sounds of skittering rocks followed.

“What is that?” Yvonne’s voice wavered.

Tell Yvonne to stay back a bit. If demons are watching, we can’t let them hear her.

Up ahead, Lena stopped and looked to her right. They were only a mile from the cave entrance, so it had to be demons keeping watch, but why wouldn’t they show themselves?

“Yvonne, Halena wants you to hang back a bit. Demons are around,” Slade whispered.

“I don’t sense demons, that’s—” Halena spoke out loud this time. “Wait, you hear that?”

He held his breath, listening. Other than some crackling branches and shifting leaves he didn’t hear anything. The air was so thick with humidity, though, maybe it just muted everything.

“No crickets. Birds. Nothing.”

She was right. “When did that happen? I heard them at the landing site.”

“Me, too. I’m not sure when, but—” She whipped around. “Ow!” Blood trickled from her shoulder.

There, in the bark, a small dagger wobbled. He plucked it from the tree. It wasn’t even two inches long, but it was sharper than a razor.

“What are these things? Miniature weapons for miniature demons?” Lena said just as a growl registered in Slade’s consciousness. “Get down.”

Her hand on his back flattened him to the leaf-covered ground. Metal pinging off metal rang above him. With her Mavets, Halena deflected two knives thrown at her. One landed on the ground an inch in front of him.

More growls—higher-pitched than what he’d heard his short time in the demonic world—and he could tell there were many creatures. And they were being surrounded.

“We need to run,” Lena ordered. “Get up. Now!”

She jerked him to his feet, and he took off after her. Two knives sank into this right shoulder.

What looked like a cat leaped from a tree and tackled him from the side. He wrenched the small bundle off his arm. Claws and teeth took a fair amount of skin with it. He chucked the creature into the thicket. Another latched onto his calf and sent him stumbling.

Lena fell to the side, the foliage swallowing her up.

“Lena!”

One buried its claws in his chest, tearing through his clothing. He grabbed its neck and held it steady.

Bulging black eyes stared back at him; snarls poured out of its tiny, fanged mouth. Teeth, much like common vampire fangs, chomped at him, the tips dripping with saliva.

Slade heard Lena’s grunts, curses, and a lot of movement. He twisted his hand, and the creature went limp. Ah, cracking necks worked.

He slid out his daggers and swiped at the one on his calf. “Lena!”

“Keep moving. Damn, they’re everywhere.” More cursing followed. “Like fucking cockroaches.”

Appropriate name, considering how many were scurrying around. Suddenly ash flew, coating Slade’s damp arm.

“Little roaches burn easy, though.” It was Yvonne’s voice. “My arms are bare, so be careful. Just move straight ahead. I’ve got the ones coming behind you.”

Slade plowed onward. A creature fell from the branches above. He flicked his blade and sliced it in half. Another tackled his ankle, plunging its teeth into the flesh. This time he was ready and didn’t stumble so much. He squeezed its neck, and the head popped off.

When he was becoming demon he had added strength, but since mating Halena…Shomrei strength kicked ass.

Lena leaped in front of Slade. Blood dribbled from her neck, shoulders, and both arms. “What the hell are these things?”

“I don’t know. Run!” Slade yelled as he sliced through two more hanging on branches above him. He just hoped their bites weren’t poisonous.

“Two hundred feet to the cave,” Lena said as she swung her blade. “Theo just told me…Sadie found something.” Another thing lunged. “Shit! They just keep coming!”

Twenty more charged out from the trees and landed directly in front of Lena. “Make for the cave.” She hurdled the demon cockroaches, narrowly missing the ends of their raised blades. They couldn’t be more than two feet tall.

Slade wasn’t so lucky. As he launched himself over the evil buggers, blades sliced through his thigh, calf, and shin. He landed, but his knee gave out.

Lena skidded to a stop. A wall of creatures met her, knives raised and growls overtaking the sounds of heavy breathing.

What did Theo say about these things?
Slade asked.

More baby demons pressed in behind him, effectively surrounding them.

The ground shook, thunderous like an earthquake. Only this had a pattern of someone walking. Heavy footsteps.

The trees swayed with a nonexistent wind.

The growls radiating from the creatures morphed into hysterical laughter and hissing.

Lena hustled to Slade. He turned so they were back to back, all sides covered, searching for the source of the footsteps. “Theo said Sadie found a myth about the jungle.”

“Of course she did.” He did
not
have time for this shit. Addie was in danger. He had to get to her.

“The jungle is ruled by Raconem. Basically…a monster.”

“And from the feel of the ground shaking, a fucking huge monster. What are these things, his little babies?”

“We’re about one hundred feet from the cave entrance. I can’t see it through the damn trees, but the GPS says it’s there.”

“Let’s plow through these bastards.”

Just as the words left Slade’s lips, a black-skinned creature parted the trees on his left. Lena stood shoulder to shoulder with Slade, daggers pointed up. That thing was almost as tall as the trees.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” Slade said.

The little roaches scurried toward the monstrosity and scrambled up his legs.

“Hello, Raconem,” Lena said. “Or should we call you Raco for short?”

“She mention how to kill it?” Slade asked.

“That’d be way too easy, now, wouldn’t it?”

The massive creature’s head parted the trees as he bent down. Even his grotesque fangs were black, and they oozed a tar-like substance. Slade didn’t even want to imagine what it might be.

Only the eyes varied from the pitch—they flamed green with swirls of orange and purple.

Lena launched a dagger at the monster, and it landed square in its chest with a loud crack. “
Reverto ut Abyssus
!”

It merely flicked the weapon from its body.

“Looks like Raco isn’t a demon after all,” Lena said.

A roar blew the hair back from Slade’s face and sent him stumbling. A massive hand swooshed at Lena. She dived to the side, and Slade hopped out of reach, crashing into a tree. Vines coiled around his ankles and arm. The more he thrashed, the tighter it got.

He swiped his knife at the foliage while Lena’s grunts and heavy breathing sent his pulse skyrocketing. While tugging at the one tightening around his arm, he stabbed at the snakelike branch shackling his ankles.

They weren’t going to make it to the cave. Addie was as good as dead.

His blade finally severed the main vine securing his feet together. That freed him up to get more leverage, and he pulled with every ounce of his newfound Shomrei strength. The tendrils working to drag him closer to the tree splintered.
Almost free. Almost—

One last swipe of his weapon, and he fell onto his ass. The vine around his arm slid off like a dead snake.

“Fuck me!” He shook the thing loose and hopped up to find Lena.

“What was that thing?” Yvonne whispered.

“Hurry, Lena needs help.”

“Oh, she’s doing fine. Too fast for that big thing, but I’ll sneak back and touch it. Go help her.”

This could work.

Slade sprinted toward Lena’s grunts and finally broke through the curtain of foliage. Despite the gruesome sight of blood-splattered clothes, Lena moved with the grace of a ballerina, but held a deadly intent with her daggers and vicious snarls.

Raco’s hand was nearly as big as Lena’s entire body, and it swung at her. With a speed that defied logic, she ducked, then jumped, landing on the creature’s chest. She swiped her blade at the monster’s throat. Black blood spewed like a geyser, yet the damn thing didn’t fall.

Instead, there was a flash of emerald green, and the injury vanished.

Lena muttered something in French.

“Yvonne’s coming, get off him!” Slade yelled.

He bolted forward, then slid along the jungle floor and rammed his feet into Raco’s. It did nothing to jar the monstrosity, but three of its little cronies jumped onto him and buried blades into his shoulder, thigh, and stomach.

Lava-hot pain streaked through his body. A roar shot from his mouth as his fangs descended. He lopped off two heads, then leaped up and batted the weapons protruding from his skin. A field goal kick later, and the third one slammed into the nearest tree trunk.

The thing didn’t get back up. “Yeah, bitch, stay down!” Damn things were keeping him from Addie. If she was—

“Slade!” Lena yelled.

A shadow overtook him, and he dived. One roll and he was to his feet, having narrowly missed a close-up view of the bottom of Raco’s foot.

Then it froze and bellowed something that sounded like a cross between an injured bear and a furious mountain lion. Lena landed beside Slade. Holy hell, had she been in a tree?

With her arms out, she backed away, keeping herself between the monster and Slade.

“What’s happening?”

Yvonne
.

Lena let out a sigh of relief and pointed at the foot that had nearly crushed Slade. Dark ash crawled up the thick ankle and was working higher to the knee. It spread like a cancer, eating the black skin, coating the thick air with ash and soot.

The tiny creatures hopped to neighboring trees, hissing and crying, but they didn’t attack. They only stood, watching their master—if that’s what it was—cave in on itself. It crumbled, tilting forward, and Slade tugged Lena to the side to miss the timbering Raconem.

But only ash settled over the foliage.

And the vicious little cockroaches scattered.

“Well, let’s hope they’re not off to get another one of those gigantic things.” Lena faced Slade. “You okay?”

Blood covered her face, but he couldn’t see any cuts. He grabbed her by the arms and held them out, inspecting her. Her shirt was torn at the stomach, and most of her flesh was covered with leaves, dirt, and blood.

Yet she was barely even breathing heavy.

“Slade!” She squeezed his biceps and shook him. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” He had some cuts, pretty deep ones, actually, but his primary concern was Lena. “I’m good.”

Her grip tightened on his now-bare arms. He hadn’t even noticed his sleeves had been shredded.

“Liar,” she hissed as she absorbed his pain. Her jaw twitched. “You’re cut all over.”

He dipped down and claimed her mouth. He couldn’t let her get drained healing him after she’d healed all of her own injuries. At least he was good for something: reviving and energizing his Mate.

Despite the dirt, the sweat, and the oppressive heat, his Lena still tasted amazing. She opened when his tongue knocked and drew him in. Heat siphoned into her.
Take it. Take what you need.

A cool, refreshing wave of healing swept over him. The aches and pains on his body, too numerous to pinpoint, lessened with each stroke of his tongue. He freed one arm and tilted her head so he could dive even deeper.

“This isn’t awkward at all…” Yvonne cleared her throat.

Slade turned his head, resting his cheek to Lena’s to keep the energy flowing between them. “Are those things gone?” Slade whispered to Yvonne, though he wasn’t sure why he whispered. After frying that beast the way she did, her presence must be known.

Votar probably used the Thata to come here. Might not even know about the beasts guarding this cave.
Lena’s voice trickled through Slade’s mind.

He hadn’t thought of that. So maybe they didn’t have their minions watching. Good. They needed an edge. “What were those things?” he asked.

“No clue, but let’s get moving. I don’t want them coming back,” Yvonne said.

“I’m okay.” Lena nipped Slade’s earlobe. “Thank you.”

Happy to give her an energy boost, he smiled. “After this, there will be much recouping. Me. You. The hot tub.”

“Deal.” She looked up at him with her sparkling evergreen eyes. “Let’s go get us a Gem and a certain feisty young girl.”

“I wouldn’t mind kicking Votar’s ass, either.”

“Get in line, buddy.”

…

The dark entrance to the cave loomed ahead. It didn’t appear to be anything more than a hole that may or may not lead to the center of the Earth. Vines framed the opening and dangled over, making the entrance look that much smaller.

Slade stepped forward. “Ready?”

She faced the darkness, an unfamiliar tremor in her hands. Until now she’d run headfirst into trouble because she couldn’t die. Since finding and mating Slade, she had so much more on the line. He’d live if she died, but it would be without his Mate.