Eternal Demon: Mark of the Vampire (19 page)

“What you feel is the slow coldness of death,” she said, her voice no longer a thunder to the ears, but soft and resolute. “It will run through you, seizing your blood, your muscles, and your bone until it takes your breath.”

Abbadon looked shocked. “Not possible. You . . . How . . . ?”

Her shoulders fell a fraction. “I am ashamed to admit it, but I am my father’s daughter.”

“You don’t have this power,” he hissed, the breath already abandoning his lungs at a hectic pace.

“I am your firstborn,” she said, the words bitter on her tongue. “I have always had the power, the rage, the hate, and the evil inside me. My mother helped me to know it and contain it, then hide it.” Her gaze flickered to Erion, but only for the briefest of seconds. “I never wished to access it.”

Abbadon’s mouth trembled. “Your mother is my greatest torment, and you my greatest disappointment.”

His eyes rolled back in his head and his body gave one more shattering jerk before he dropped to the floor of the theater.

The scream that rent the air tore Erion from his immobile state. He raced to Hellen, who was shrinking to her normal height, her skin returning to its pale pink, and pulled her into his arms. She was stiff, her eyes pinned to her father’s lifeless body as she shook and moaned.

“Everything is all right, Hellen,” he whispered near her ear. “I’ve got you. It’s over.”

When she didn’t answer, only continued to shake and moan softly, Erion eased back and tilted her face up to his.
Shit.
Her eyes were unstable as hell, shifting from emerald to milky white and back again.

Fear gripped Erion and he spoke harshly. “Hellen, what is it? What’s happening to you?”

“Get the boy,” she uttered, her voice changing, lowering to a pitch that was otherworldly. She moaned against it, cursed.

“Tell me what happened,” Erion demanded, his gaze moving over every inch of her. “Fuck. Are you hurt?”

For one second, her eyes focused and she looked at him in such a deep panic, Erion’s gut twisted.

“Hurry,” she whispered. “Please, Erion. They will awaken soon.”

“Who?” He looked out at the still frozen crowd. “Them? The ones who sat in their seats and watched that bastard force you into mating?”

The thought made him jerk around, looking for Cruen. The
paven
had been immobile too. Erion had seen it. But now,
Erion thought with a sneer, his gaze tracking every inch of the stage, there was no sign of the mad vamp.

Hellen’s groan of pain or change—he didn’t know—ripped him from his search for Cruen.

“I don’t care if any of these bastards wake,” he practically snarled, feeling helpless, his rage over what she had done to save him running rampant through his mind and blood. “Tell me what I can do to help you.”

“They can’t see me,” she whispered desperately. “Not like this.”

He wasn’t sure what she meant. They’d seen her naked, in full demon height and ferocity. Did she mean this pain she was in? Or was this all about the aftereffects of taking down Abbadon?

Shit, did it matter? He wanted her safe, whatever that meant to her. He scooped her up in his arms and took off.

The sounds of her pain, her fear fueled his movement as he ran down the corridors. Every movement, every sound he heard was met with a growl of possessiveness. He would never let anyone hurt this female again after all she’d endured, sacrificed. She was his. She had claimed him in every way that mattered. He owed her his life.

She cried out and jerked in his arms.

“I have you, demon girl,” he said, rounding the corner, heading toward the cage of glass that held Ladd. “I’m taking you away. You will never have to see this world again.”

“Erion,” she whimpered. “I killed my father.”

His gut twisted. Abbadon was a monster, something vile and soulless that had glowed in the presence of his daughter’s pain and shame. Christ, he’d encouraged it. The male should’ve been exterminated long ago. But he was also the thing that had given his female life. It was similar to how Erion felt about Cruen; there was hatred and disgust, yet the vampire had saved him from death. Granted, he’d saved him for a purpose—just like Hellen had been born for a purpose, to be used. But there was something in the child’s soul they both still clung to; no matter how abused they were, there was still a connection to the one who gave them life.

Erion knew intimately that she would mourn this loss in so many conflicting ways.

“We don’t have to speak of it now,” he told her, pulling her closer as he quickened his pace.

She looked up at him. “I took his life.”

“And you saved mine.” Pride exploded with him. “And my son’s.”

Her eyes clung to his, and he watched her struggle. His mate, the female he would spend a lifetime proving his love to and would care for, would come to understand that the evil she believed was inside her would always be used for good.

“We must get to Ladd,” she said, turning her head into his chest and gripping his shoulders as another shudder went through her.

Goddamn it. What is happening to her?
Erion prayed it was just shock and fear. Those he could help her with.

“That’s where I’m headed,” he assured her. “Nothing is holding him now, no magic we cannot break through. No Devil to threaten his life.” He growled at a guard as they passed, and the male cowered. “We can take him and get the fuck out of here.”

“Yes.” She held on to him so tightly. “And my sisters. We can’t leave them here.”

Erion’s skin prickled with tension. “I have more than enough room in my home. Or I will purchase them a home of their own. It can be however they wish—however you wish.”

“Thank you.”

“I will take care of you, Hellen. Everything is all right.”

They reached the room that held Ladd, and Erion burst through the door. But what greeted them on the other side of the stone had Hellen struggling to get free and Erion rushing toward the wall of glass.

“No!” Hellen cried, her eyes wide and fierce as she stared through the glass.

At first, Erion thought he was seeing an illusion. It wasn’t possible. “What is she doing . . .”

Hellen’s eyes flared white-hot and she finally won her struggle and scrambled from Erion’s arms. “She’s taking the boy.”

Before Erion could stop her, Hellen cast a stream of guttural words at the glass, causing it to shatter and crash to the ground.

Then she leaped through the open frame and attacked.

T
hey all converged on the cemetery; two Romans, four
mutore
s, and a pissed-off Brit, but all Nicholas wanted was to be the one who was able to make it past the enchantments and into the portal. He couldn’t believe Kate had gone into Hell without him. He knew how badly she wanted to find Ladd. He knew her maternal instincts were undeniably strong, and he didn’t fault her for that. But they were partners, goddamn it. True fucking mates! She had no right to risk her life without consulting him first—without having him at her back when she did it.

She would feel his wrath.

But he had to get to her first.

A foot in front of him, Lycos reached the gravesite, and without a word made an attempt to cross it and get to the headstone. But after one step in he was thrust back by an invisible force. He cursed, landed on his ass, and muttered, “I’m guessing I don’t have demon blood.”

“I warned you,” Raine said, moving to stand near Nicholas, who had stopped where Lycos had stood a moment before. “If you would just wait for Cruen to come to me—”

“I’m not waiting for the cockroach to emerge from the dark,” Synjon said, coming up beside Raine. “I’m going in with my bloody brilliant headlights on and forcing him out of the crack he’s hiding in.”

“I hate cockroaches,” Nicholas heard Phane mutter to Helo as the pair stood behind them. “Unfortunately, my bird has a real thing for them.”

“We all have our vices, bro,” Helo returned.

As if he weren’t listening to anything but his own stream of consciousness, Synjon barked at the
mutore
beside him. “Take me in.”

Raine gaped at him. “I cannot. As the wolf male said, only demons can get through the portals.”

“My mate is no demon,” Nicholas said, his eyes on the gravestone. “How did she get through?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can someone without demon blood piggyback on one who has it?” Synjon asked, his gaze shifting to Nicholas.

Nicholas grinned with quick understanding. “My twin brother is part demon, which would mean I have it within me as well.”

“That’s good enough for me,” Synjon agreed, moving closer.

“’Course it is,” Lucian uttered, standing a good five feet away from them. “You’ve got a death wish.”

Syn growled at him. “This is none of your affair, Frosty.”

“Bullshit,” Lucian returned. “None of you know anything for sure. It’s like walking outside without knowing if it’s night or day. A fucking crapshoot.”

“He’s right,” Raine told them, his tone grave. “Without knowing for sure you could both end up dead. Before you even reach Hell, you could both be nothing but ash.”

Synjon shrugged. “We’ll see.”

Raine turned to Nicholas, his eyes imploring him to think rationally. It was one of the few times in his life where that objective was virtually impossible. Clearly the
mutore
before him had never experienced a mate running straight into danger.

“Perhaps,” Raine suggested with conviction, “your mate didn’t walk into the hellfire. Perhaps she is back home in New York or at Erion’s castle.”

“No.” He’d already been in contact with both, and Kate wasn’t there.

“Sod off, you bloody git,” Syn snarled. “We’re wasting time.”

Continuing undeterred, Raine said, “Perhaps she did try to get into the Underworld. Tried and failed.”

A low, foul snarl exited Nicholas’s mouth. That thought, that abominable, impossible version of what happened to his mate, would not even be considered.

“Don’t listen to this knob head.” Synjon moved to Nicholas’s side and gave him a questioning look. “Shall we join hands or make this a true piggyback experience?”

“You could be jumping to your death,” Raine told him.

“The possibilities are endless.”

“Hey, London,” Lucian called to Synjon, though he stared hard at Nicholas’s back, “that ain’t the way.”

“Life and death is my way,” Syn returned hotly.

“You’re being an idiot,” Lucian said to Nicholas, then turned to Syn. “And you. Are you seriously going to risk death? Risk leaving Cruen here to live?” Lucian lifted one pale eyebrow.

With an irritated growl, Synjon patted the blade at his hip and eyed Nicholas. “Is your demon blood ready to go?”

“My demon blood wants to leave your sorry British ass behind.” Nicholas grabbed the
paven
’s arm and yanked him close. “But unfortunately, I may need backup.”

•   •   •

Hellen advanced on the vampire female. “Release him, or I will make you do it.” She raised an eyebrow. “And it’ll hurt. A lot.”

The blond female had thrust Ladd behind her, turned, and was now flashing an impressive set of fangs. Unfortunately,
Hellen mused, conjuring up the magic that hummed within her, the vampire female had no idea what stood before her—what was truly protecting the boy
.
Hellen wasn’t so sure either. But she knew that whatever she had unleashed back in the theater, it was impressive and raring to go again.

“Back off, demon,” the female said, her tone hard and wary. “I have no fight with you. I just want to take the
balas
.”

“It will be a fight to the death if you take that
balas
.” She raised her hands. “And I will win.”

Erion moved past her to stand between her and the vampire female. “Hellen, wait.”

She stared at his concerned expression. “She wants the boy.”

“She is his—”

“Guardian,” the female provided with deep irritation.

“What?” Hellen stepped to one side and studied the female. Tall, beautiful, with yellow hair, and strong in mind and body. “I don’t believe you.”

Erion glanced over his shoulder. “Kate, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” she answered.

Jealousy poured through Hellen and she felt her hands curl into fists. Erion knew the female. This blond, beautiful vampire female. Were they lovers?

The growl that erupted from Hellen’s throat made both Erion and the female turn to face her.

But it was the boy who spoke.

“She is my Kate.” Ladd stepped in front of the female and spread his arms wide. “She takes care of me, like a mother. And she’s very good at her job.”

The boy’s words, his care for the female, had Hellen pulling in a breath. What was happening here? She backed up a foot. She glanced at the female, Kate. Her eyes were wet with tears, but she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand.

What was this? Was this the boy’s mother? The one Erion made the child with?

Ladd eyed her, not with any trace of anger, but as one who was protecting something he loved. “I won’t let you hurt her, Hellen.”

Shock barreled through her. “You know my name.”

He nodded, his eyes flashing with momentary mischief.

Levia or Polly must’ve told him,
she thought. She drew back another foot. “I wouldn’t hurt her, Ladd.”

But if she has been with Erion, cares for Erion, I may have to get her out of Hell immediately.

Kate got down on her knees and faced the boy. “I think we are all trying to protect you,” she told him. “Your friend Hellen didn’t know who I was, and she was afraid some crazy lady was stealing you.”

“Oh. Well, that makes sense, I guess.” He grinned at her. “Sometimes you are crazy.”

She laughed. “True,
balas
. Very true.”

“Then everything is okay?” he asked, turning to look at Erion.

Erion granted the boy a sturdy nod, then turned to Hellen. “This is my twin brother’s mate.” He looked at the vampire female, regarded her with a surprised expression. “Kate, how did you get here? You need demon blood to enter Hell. Is Nicholas with you?”

She stood, looked tired and worried. “I waited for Nicky, realized as I stood there that he would have the blood to get through. But he didn’t come.” She glanced at Hellen. “Something else did, though. A blue specter, a ghost—I don’t know how else to describe it—came shooting through the portal. It took one look at me and was headed back in. I panicked. All I could think about was getting to Ladd. I flung myself at the thing, gripped on to its strange mass of light, and I was here.”

“It must have been a rogue demon,” Hellen said. “They try to get through the portals, cause trouble, but they can’t survive long up there. You were very lucky.”

She put her hand on Ladd’s shoulder. “Yes, I am.”

“Hellen!” Levia rushed inside the room, followed by Polly. “There you are. We were so worried. You looked terrifying.”

Polly grasped her around the waist. “Oh, Hellen. We didn’t know what he was forcing you to do. How you protected us. We thought you wanted the mating, that you felt it was a good match.” Tears fell onto her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Hellen soothed, her heart breaking for the loss of her sisters’ innocence. Damn their father. He could’ve had what he wanted, had two daughters who feared him but didn’t know the absolute truth about him—that he was a loathsome monster who would sell them off as easily as blinking.

“He was going to kill Erion and Ladd.” Levia stared at her, horror-struck. “He would’ve killed you too, Hellen. His own flesh and blood. I saw it on his face. We all saw it.”

“I never thought he loved us,” Polly said sadly. “I wasn’t silly enough to think that, but I believed he had a trace of something good deep within him.” Her eyes locked with her sister. “When he spoke to you on that stage, how he treated you, all that he said and did—I realized my beliefs weren’t based in truth, but in hope.”

“Oh, Polly,” Hellen said, shaking her head.

“No, don’t. I’m glad you did it. I’m glad you showed your power, and I’m glad he’s gone.” She looked at the group before her, Erion and Ladd clinging to Kate. “Are you leaving? Going aboveground?”

“Yes,” Hellen confirmed.

“Then we’re coming with you,” Levia said.

Hellen felt a pull inside her, a responsibility to the citizens she was leaving without a leader. To this place she’d always called home. To her mother’s memory.

She looked at Erion, Ladd, and her sisters. She wanted to be with them. For once, couldn’t she choose what she wanted? Couldn’t she be done with the role of perpetual sacrifice?

“Let’s go.” Erion took Hellen’s hand and motioned for her sisters as well as Kate and Ladd to follow.

But it wasn’t Hellen who refused the call. It was Ladd.

“I don’t want to leave,” he said, his lower lip jutting out. “I want to see more of the Underworld.”

“Come, Ladd,” Kate urged, pulling at his hand.

The boy shook his head and held his ground. “I like it here. I feel good here. Strong. Kate can stay here with us. Right, Erion?”

Shock registered on Erion’s face. He looked first at Hellen, then back at Kate. The vampire female looked completely unsure what to do.

Finally, Erion released Hellen’s hand and went to the
balas
, knelt down in front of him. “Someday we will return to the Underworld.”

The boy’s eyes brightened. “Tomorrow?”

“No,” Erion said softly. “Not tomorrow. But someday.”

Ladd’s eyes flickered with frustration. “You promise?”

Erion nodded, then got to his feet and headed for the door, taking Hellen’s hand once again. “Ready, demon girl?”

She nodded, smiled with relief. “Let’s take the west corridor. The one you and I took before. Remember? It’s the safest.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t know what we’ll encounter with the citizens of Hell. We need to go quickly to the nearest portal.”

As they hurried down the corridor, the sound of the crowd leaving the theater hummed through the walls. Hellen led the way with Erion at her side, and all were quiet as they wondered what, if anything, they would encounter or have to fight off to get to the portal.

Time moved rapidly, as it does in anxious times, and when they finally reached the archway leading outside, Hellen forced them to slow down and listen. “I think it’s best to try to go through together. We will all touch, hold hands. There is more than enough demon magic here to get us aboveground.”

They all nodded their agreement, and Erion squeezed her hand for support.

“See the rock just a few feet away, the dark purple?” she said, pointing. “That is a portal. Take each other’s hands. Now. On the count of three, we’re going to run for it. I’ll be out in front. Levia, Polly, take the rear. There shouldn’t be any problems. Just hold on to each other.”

No one nodded this time; they were all focused and ready. The countdown was quick, and within seconds, the group charged toward the rock. Out in front, Hellen stretched out her hand, ready to push straight through the rock and sail upward.

But something happened.

Something unexpected and breath-stealingly painful. A force field hit her full on, a smack so strong it sent her flying backward, into the rest of the group.

“Shit!” she uttered, struggling to her feet.

Erion was on her in an instant, checking her for bruises or breaks. “What was that?”

“No idea,” she told him. “Levia, you try. Don’t run into it, but see if there’s something there. Maybe it was just me.”

The female nodded and slowly moved toward the rock. Every step she took was calculated. Hellen watched, and in seconds, her sister seemed to bounce off the surface of the air and land a foot backward. Levia turned and shook her head.

“I don’t understand,” Hellen breathed. “This shouldn’t be happening. It’s not possible—”

“The portals were your father’s, created by his magic.”

They all whirled around. Eberny, Abbadon’s right hand, stood behind them. The hybrid stared calmly at Hellen. “When he died, the magic died with him, closing all the portals.”

“Eberny,” Hellen began. The hybrid had worked closely with Abbadon. There was no love or even care, but there was respect for his position in the Underworld, and Hellen wondered what the hybrid thought about the actions taken by his daughter. “Are you going to work against us?”

Hellen waited for the answer, waited to see what emotion, if any, worked within the hybrid’s gaze. “Or do you see the reason behind the action I was compelled to take?”

The hybrid didn’t say anything for a moment. There seemed to be some consideration of Hellen’s words, then a slow nod. “You are firstborn, Hellen. If you wish to open portals to the world above, you must create your own.”