Darkness Captured (29 page)

Just a few minutes more and they would make their move.

“Come inside me,” Irkalla crooned. Her hips lifted, her knees settling deeper onto the cushioned squabs.

Guntram rose, his face red, his lips moist. He fisted his hand around his cock and squeezed, increasing his girth before kneeling on the step behind Irkalla and bending over her.

He breathed deeply as though girding himself to accept a great burden.

The moment he entered her, everyone knew because Irkalla’s eyes slid shut and her mouth opened around a soft gasp.

The first slam of his hips rattled the wooden platform. The second forced air from Irkalla in a soft, feminine grunt. By the third, Guntram’s desperate gaze met Gabriella’s and Marduk knew they had to move now before the warrior ruined their chance by exposing his anguish to everyone there.

CHAPTER
19

T
he queen’s heat clasped Guntram’s engorged cock and his stomach tightened with revulsion. The only woman he’d ever wanted to slip inside was only paces away, watching as he pleasured another.

Feeling as vile, as amoral as the vampires he despised, he lashed his hips at the bitch beneath him, slamming hard to punish her and her kind for the fact that he was here, punishing her for the fact that he and Gabriella suffered for the
convenience
of others.

Gabriella’s eyes were glassy, filling quickly, but Guntram hadn’t the strength to reassure her, to tell her silently that he’d get past this. Instead, he bared his teeth and hammered harder.

While blood rushed to his sex and to his head, he did note subtle stirrings from the other two men.
At last.

Perhaps they’d make their move, and he could withdraw before he gave Irkalla her pleasure, before he spewed his precious wolf’s seed into her whore’s cunt.

He let go of her ass and bent closer, his hand sliding to the thin wire he’d hidden in his fist, then stuffed beneath the cushions of the bench when he first entered the room.

His excitement over the battle to come increased his sexual fervor and Irkalla groaned, no doubt thinking his escalating ardor was all about her. But Guntram had had enough. If the men were still waiting for the right moment, he’d give it to them.

He leaned over her back, still rutting into ripe heat, and slid his hands forward, carrying the wire beneath Irkalla’s outstretched neck. Then he straightened, pulling his hands up, tightening the garrote—just enough to slice shallowly into her tender skin.

Irkalla let out a muffled shriek and bucked against him.

“Easy, now,” he whispered, looking up.

The guards, their eyebrows lowered, stepped toward the entrance, but Marduk was already moving, shoving them both against the corridor wall and looping an arm around the one closest to him—tightening, then twisting, breaking the guard’s neck and letting him fall silently to the ground.

Likewise, Dumuzi caught the other, halting his shout with a knife slicing across his throat. As blood spurted, he pushed him to the ground.

Gabriella’s expression grew taut, fear and excitement shivering through her.

Guntram pulled out of Irkalla, looped the garrote twice around the queen’s neck, then tied it below the bench. “The wire’s very sharp,” he rasped. “If you move, if you try to shout, you’ll risk severing your own head.”

Then he was off the platform, pausing to tie the slave’s skirt he’d been given to wear around his hips and lifting a sword from the ground beside one of the fallen guards. He straightened, his muscles flexing as adrenaline spiked his blood, and followed the others down the corridor toward the empty chamber.

“How are we going to get out of here?” he asked quietly.

Marduk’s smile was tight, determined. “You’ll follow the dragon.”

Then they were racing up the steps, Marduk in the lead, Guntram at the rear. When they entered the hall, all gazes swung their way.

Gazes locked, expressions shifting from suspicion to shock at the sight of the wolf carrying a sword and the blood spatter that coated the other three.

Guards at the back of the hall shouted and began to run through the crowd, shoving away anyone in their way.

Marduk leapt atop a table, spread out his arms and transformed, crushing the table beneath him. His tail swung in every direction, lashing out, clearing a path for them, then he lifted his head and a fiery explosion blasted a hole through the ceiling.

“Get on his back,” Simon shouted, once again wearing his own face.

They all climbed on, one behind the other between his wings, and Marduk rose on his hind legs, his forearms pulling at the edges of the hole in the ceiling to widen it. With one powerful downward flap, they were shooting through the hole and into the darkened sky.

Below them, shouts erupted, arrows whistling silently behind them—but they were already too high.

“There’s a cave beneath the ridge,” Simon shouted. “We have to get to it. I have what I need to open the portal there.”

“Hold on,”
came a voice inside Guntram’s head, Marduk’s voice.

Guntram wrapped his arm around Gabriella’s waist and clasped a spiny ridge, then bent forward as Marduk soared downward.

“They won’t be far behind us. Already the guard is spilling out of the gates.”

“Why are they following? Why aren’t you repelling them, Marduk?” Simon said.

“Have to conserve,” he replied. “Save something in case we need it later.”

Shrill shrieks came from off to one side, and Guntram swung toward the sound. Winged, black-skinned demons were bearing down on them.

Marduk skimmed downward between hills of sand and then turned upward, his wingtips hitting the tops of the dunes and spraying sand into the air behind them.

But the dark, winged demons were undeterred, continuing to gain on them, their strange, shrill cries filling the air.

“They will try to unseat you.”

The creatures behind them were faster, more agile, and Guntram knew he’d spoken the truth. “I’d rather make a stand on the ground with a sword in my hand,” Guntram shouted.

“Hold tight!
” Marduk executed a sharp turn, heading back toward the ridge.
“Where is that damned cave?
”

“Midway up, just to the left,” Simon said

“I see it. You might have mentioned how small it is.”
Marduk flew straight for the opening, then lifted his wings and angled them forward to brake. Turning, he hovered near the entrance.
“You have to jump.”

“Fuck me!” Guntram muttered, staring down at the steep drop, but he stood first and waited for the next downward flap of wings to clear the cave’s entrance and leapt for it, landing at the lip of the entrance. Then he turned, grabbed a jagged edge of rock and reached out to help Gabriella, who also sailed safely across, landing hard on her bare knees.

He helped her up, then turned to await Simon, but Gabriella’s soft gasp behind him had him turning back. She sat huddled on the ground, her face leeched of color.

“Touch her,” Simon shouted from Marduk’s back.

Guntram reached down and clasped her shoulder. Her eyes cleared, focusing on him, and he realized there really was power in the crystal strung around his neck. “Keep your hand on me, Gabriella.” Then he turned back to wait for Simon.

When Simon made the leap, he hugged the side of the cave. “Give Marduk room.”

“He’ll never make it,” Guntram said. “He’s too damn big.”

But Marduk seemed to have no such qualms, flying upward, then curving down again, swooping toward the entrance. When he thrust his head and forearms inside the opening, he transformed.

With Gabriella’s hand planted against his back, Guntram rushed forward to catch Marduk by the arms before he slid off the shelf. He pulled him into the cave.

“Guntram,” Simon said softly, “we’re going to need that sword.”

Guntram had noted the
V
-formation flying straight toward them. “I know, those damned harpies are coming.”

“Don’t piss them off. But they aren’t who I’m worried about.”

Guntram heard the steely edge of Simon’s voice and turned slowly. Flat, reflective disks, a matched pair, shone from the back of the cave. Then a low, ominous rumble reverberated, shaking stones from the ceiling.

“Simon?” Guntram whispered harshly.

“This is an
anzu
den.”

“And you didn’t think to mention it before?”

“It didn’t matter when we arrived because I knew we wouldn’t meet a bird when we arrived.”

As the creature neared, its paws, then its fierce lion’s head, entering the moonlight spilling into the cave’s entrance, Guntram lifted his sword, swearing. “If I keep it occupied, you might be able to slip past it.”

“It’ll kill you,” Gabriella said, coming around his side. “I’ll transform to help.”

Guntram stepped forward, shoving her behind him as he eyed the creature slinking ever closer. “You’ll do no such thing. I didn’t come this far to lose you like this.”

Simon turned to Marduk, who nodded. “You’d better get against the walls again,” he murmured.

Marduk stepped past Guntram to stand in the center of the tunnel. He held the creature’s gaze and stretched out his arms, hands extended palms up. He closed his eyes, and a light blinked beneath one upraised hand, then flickered and glowed strongly, subduing the shadows pressing around them.

Marduk opened his eyes then and stared at the creature creeping closer, then drew back the hand wearing the ring with the seal and slammed it forward. A sound like a sonic boom exploded all around them, and the
anzu
fell flat, whimpering, against the cave floor.

Marduk gasped and dropped his hands. The light surrounding his hand faded.

“You didn’t kill it,” Guntram muttered.

“It’s not inherently evil. Just hungry. Something to remember,” he said, aiming a sharp glance at Guntram.

Guntram nodded his understanding, then turned as shrill cries from outside the cave entrance grew in volume. “This cave’s getting crowded.”

“Best plan I could manage,” Simon said.

“Glad you think you have it all figured out. What are they, anyway?” he asked, eyeing the dark creatures who lightly touched down before them one by one.

“Lillum.
Vicious demons. If they get close enough they’ll rip your throat out.”

Guntram thought they looked like creatures from a nightmare. Completely black, their shiny skin reflected the moonlight. Long black hair hung in tight ringlets down their backs. Their breasts were small, their nipples cone-shaped like a young girl’s. Their expressions were also girlish in a frightening way. Girlish even when black incisors slipped over the edges of their lips.

One stepped forward, as graceful on land as in the air, her naked body swaying. “Master,” she said, her gaze locking with Marduk’s. “Why have you betrayed us?”

“Aya, darling,” he said softly. “It’s time for me to leave.”

“Don’t you love us anymore?”

“I will miss you.”

Her head canted as though listening to something buzzing beside her. “Our queen has asked that we sever your hand and retrieve the ring. Already Dumuzi leads her army. She will give him power over us.” Her eyes grew wide. “Who will protect us?”

“My hand will stay where it is. And if you let us pass, I promise a replacement who will please you every bit as much as me.”

“But will he love us?”

“You will have to show him the way. You enjoyed training me, did you not?”

Aya grinned. “Do you think to sway us? Even Nergal has left his bed. Even now, more
anzu
are winging their way here.”

Guntram peered toward the sky. More lion-headed birds soared toward them, their wings flattened as they arrowed downward.

“Stay clear of my fire, Aya. For the sake of our love, I wouldn’t want you singed.”

She laughed, then spread her wings and leapt off the ledge, spiraling upward, the others of her flock following.

“I don’t like this,” Guntram said. “We’re trapped. Simon, go get that damn bag.”

“We must do something first,” Simon said quietly.

Guntram looked to Marduk, who nodded, then lifted his hands. He tugged the ring past his knuckle, his chest lifting as though surrendering a great burden, and handed it to Guntram.

Guntram looked at the ring lying in his palm, then lifted his gaze to Gabriella. She was shaking her head, her eyes filling. “No. No!” she said, turning to Marduk. “You promised that if I stayed you’d let him go.”

Guntram glared at Marduk. “He promised that if I took his place, he’d help you get back.”

Marduk shrugged. “I made two agreements, each better than the last. You may come with me Gabriella. Guntram has given you into my care.”

Guntram fisted his hand around the ring, unable to meet Gabriella’s eyes. “You’d better get going. Now.”

Gabriella grabbed his forearm. “I can’t. I’d rather stay here with you.”

His heart slowed, pounding purposefully as he looked into her face one last time. He cupped her chin in his palm. “Don’t make this sacrifice count for nothing. Go. You may even now be carrying my children. I don’t want them born in this place.”

Simon cleared his throat and stepped into their tense circle. “Sorry to disappoint you both, knowing how much you want to prove you love each other, but the ring is meant for me.” He cupped his hand over Guntram’s closed fist. “I hoped I’d make it this far. And if I did, I made arrangements. I will remain as Master of the Demons. You will both take your places in your clan.”

“Simon …” Guntram couldn’t believe it. “Why?”

“My job is done. Alex has been prepared, his place in the Nation affirmed. Gabriella needed a strong mate at her side. Don’t let your bitterness over this unfortunate chain of events cloud the fact that you and Alex will need each other in the future. Don’t burn bridges.” His lips quirked. “Don’t make my sacrifice worth nothing,” he said, stealing Guntram’s words.

Guntram’s jaw clamped tight, and he drew a deep breath. He unclasped his fist.