The Darkest Fire (Lords of the Underworld 0.5)(12)
Author: Gena Showalter

To his surprise, she gave a shout of her own. "Oh, Geryon. I love you, too."

They quickly dressed. Kadence was still weak, but at least the pain had stopped.

"Are they still at the gate?" Geryon asked.

"Oh, yes. They’re working it feverishly."

He kissed her lips, and she reveled in another taste of this man she so loved. "Whisk us there, lock them in place, and I will do the rest."

"I hope this works," she said, because she couldn’t bear the thought of being parted from him.

"It will. It has to."

Otherwise, she feared they were both doomed.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

She flashed them as promised, and it took Geryon a moment to orient himself, inside a tavern one moment, in front of the wall the next. When he comprehended the carnage around him, he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. The demons had worked so fervently, they had bled all over the stones – stones that had been shredded, almost paper thin. A hole was imminent.

Worse, the horde of Demon Lords was still there. They were huge, all of them at least seven foot, their bodies so wide that even Geryon, massive as he was, would not be able to stretch his arms wide enough to measure them. Skeletons were visible underneath the translucent skin. A few had wings, and all were grotesque in their evil. Red eyes, horned like Geryon and fingers like knives.

He must have made a noise, for one of the…things spotted them. Laughed a sound that raised every hair on his body. "Now," he shouted to Kadence.

She glared over at them – nothing. Pointed her hands at them – nothing. Groaned with the force of her will – but still nothing happened. The Lords did not freeze in place.

"I can’t," she gasped out.

"What’s wrong?" He glanced at her, even as he moved in front of her, keeping his arm around her waist. She had paled, and her trembling had returned. Had his arm not been around her, he knew she would have fallen. Had the bonding not worked, then? "Talk to me, sweetheart."

He watched the demons as they rallied together, watching him. Laughing. Imagining how they would kill him?

"I’m bound to you and the wall. I can feel your strength, its weakness, and it’s tearing me apart," she cried. "I’m sorry. So sorry. All of this was for nothing, Geryon. Nothing!"

"Not nothing, never nothing. I have you." But for how long?

Slowly the demons stalked forward, predators locked on prey. Eerie delight radiated from them.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me," Kadence said weakly, leaning her cheek against his back. "I do not care about my demise anymore, but I hate that I’ve placed you in grave danger."

No. No! "You will not die." But even as he said it, the wall, so badly damaged, began to crack, to crumble, a hole appearing. Widening.

Kadence’s knees finally gave out, and he turned, roaring, easing her to the ground. I failed her. Damn this, I failed her!

"Kadence."

No response. No rising and falling of her chest, no moaning in pain. She was as still as death.

"Tell me how to help you, Kadence. Please."

Again, nothing.

Tears burned his eyes. He had not cried for the wife that left him, had not cried for the life he’d lost, but he cried for this woman. I need you. She would want him to stop the demons from leaving this realm, but Geryon couldn’t bring himself to move from her side.

Something sharp scraped at his neck, and he jerked his head to the side. The Lords flew around them, cackling with glee. "Leave us," he growled.

Kill her.

Destroy her.

Maim her.

Too late. She’s gone. More laughter.

One of them swooped down and raked a claw over her cheek, drawing blood before Geryon realized what was happening. The rest scented the lifeblood and attacked in a frenzy.

Geryon roared, throwing himself over her to take the brunt of their assault. Soon his back was in tatters, one of his horns chewed loose, a tendon severed. All the while he swung out his arm, hoping to slay as many as he could with his poison, but only one failed to dodge his blow.

On and on the laughter and abuse continued.

"I love you," Kadence whispered in his ear.

His muscled spasmed in shock and relief at the sound of her voice. She was still alive. "I love you. Stay with me. Don’t leave me."

"I’m…sorry."

He never would have brought her into hell had he known this would happen. He would have spent his entire existence at the gate, fighting to protect it. Her. "Go," he screamed to the demons. "Leave this place. The mortal realm is yours."

As if the wall had merely been waiting for his permission, it finally toppled completely. Which meant – "No," he screamed. "I did not mean for you to collapse. I only meant for the demons to fly through." But it was too late, the damage was done.

Gleeful, the Demon Lords flew into the cave, then disappeared from view. A new stream of tears burned Geryon’s eyes as he gathered Kadence in his arms. What did he care about the mortal realm without this woman?

"Goodbye, my love," she said, and died in his arms.

CHAPTER TWENTY

She was dead. Kadence was dead. And there was nothing he could do to save her. He knew it as surely as he knew he would take his next breath. An unwanted, hated breath. Those stinging tears slid down his cheeks, mocking reminders that he lived – and she did not.

She had wanted his help to save the wall, to save her. She had wanted his help to keep the Demon Lords inside hell, yet he had failed her on all counts.

"I am so sorry, Geryon."

At this newest sound of her voice, he blinked. What the – as he watched, her spirit began to rise from her motionless body. Hope fluttered inside his chest. Hope and joy and shock. Her body was destroyed, but her spirit would live on. Of course. He should have known. Every day he encountered such spirits, though none had been as pure as hers.

He pushed to his feet, facing her, heart drumming madly. She smiled sadly at him.

"I’m so sorry," she repeated.

"Why?" When he’d never been happier? She was here, with him. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I failed you. Had you been stationed at the gate as you had wanted, this would not have happened."

"That isn’t so. The demons would have ruined the wall, and thereby ruined you, but I would not have had the opportunity, no, the pleasure, of bonding with you. I cannot regret what happened." Not anymore. Not with her spirit just in front of him. "What of the demons?"

"I suppose the gods will attempt to gather them, bemoaning me as a failure forevermore."

He shook his head. "You are not a failure, love. You did everything within your power to stop them. Most would never even have entered the gates." His head tilted to the side as he studied her. She was as lovely as ever, like a dream of her former self. Before her, his life had been a wasteland. A moment without her would have been…well, hell.