The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1)(77)
Author: Gena Showalter

"Go," Maddox told him. "Find her."

The warrior glanced at Ashlyn, then Maddox, then nodded. He left without another word.

Maddox remained with Ashlyn for hours, mopping her brow, forcing her to sip the water. He recalled seeing Torin do this all those years ago, after he’d touched the human woman and the plague had taken root.

For a time, Maddox thought Ashlyn’s will to live was stronger than the disease, for she had not died like the others. That, or perhaps something – someone – was helping her.

But then her cough had become bloody, her body too weak to sit up. Her throat became so swollen she was no longer able to swallow. How much longer could she last?

Not knowing what else to do, Maddox bundled her up and cradled her in his arms. He did not speak to his friends as he carried her out of the fortress. They did not ask his intentions, probably too afraid he would become violent. He would have. The spirit churned inside of him, worried for her, too, wanting to destroy, to maim, to kill. This time in helplessness and frustration, not fury.

Down the hill and into the city he raced, the moonlight a mocking reminder of his failure to help her yesterday, too. Save her, have to save her. She never made a sound, too weak now even to cough. The streets were barren, no one outside. Whatever it takes, save her.

He carried her straight to the hospital, a place he had found yesterday in his fruitless search for her. The building was filled, nearly bursting from its seams, hundreds of humans inside, coughing. Dying. He did not want to leave her, was afraid to trust them with her life. But he did not know what else to do.

In a crowded, white hallway, he found a gloved and masked man issuing orders. "Help me," he said, cutting into the man’s speech. "Help her. Please."

Distracted, the white-coated man glanced at Ashlyn and gave a weary sigh. "Everyone needs help, sir. You’ll just have to wait your turn."

Maddox pinned him with a fierce stare and knew Violence flashed over his face. Knew his eyes burned bright red.

"You’re – you’re – one of them. From the hill." The man gulped. "Lay her there." He pointed to a bed with wheels at the end of the hall. "I’ll care for her myself:"

Maddox did as instructed, then kissed Ashlyn’s soft lips. Still no response. "Save her," he commanded.

"I’ll – I’ll do my best."

Please let her survive. He wanted to stay with her, guard her, watch over her. Take care of her. More than anything, he wanted her with him. But he walked away from her then, and into the night. Midnight approached.

In the morning, he would return. Woe to the world – woe to the gods – if she was not here, alive and well.

Reyes cursed as he searched the airport, nearby hotels. Medical clinics. He’d seen more of the city in two days than in all his centuries living here. He felt like a caged animal, seething with a need to act but ultimately powerless. Danika was still out there. Maybe sick, like Ashlyn. Maybe dying. And he could not find a single sign of her.

Night had fallen once again, and he was surprised to realize he’d raced to the same alleyway he and Maddox had discovered last night. He could see where Maddox had punched the wall in rage. The stone was cracked and dented.

Reyes was close to hopping on a plane to New York, but knew he could not stray very far from Maddox’s side. When the gods had cursed Maddox to die every night, they had cursed him, as well, tethering him to the warrior as surely as if they’d used iron chains. Why him, rather than Aeron, he did not know. All he knew was that, at midnight, he would be forced to return to the fortress. Always he would return.

He’d taken off several times before, testing his boundaries, testing the gods’ reaction, but always he was pulled to Maddox at midnight.

"Damn this!" He unsheathed one of his daggers and slashed the tip across his thigh. Fabric tore and blood leaked from the wound. What was he going to do? There was a need inside him, a deep need he’d never experienced before, to save, to rescue. To protect. But only Danika. Only to look into those angel eyes again and feel another flicker of pleasure.

A pleasure he was never supposed to experience.

But he had experienced it, and now he wanted more.

The gods would not have ordered Aeron to hunt her down and kill her if she could die from Torin’s disease or if Hunters were destined to render the final blow. The thought brought both comfort and anger.

Perhaps Reyes should release Aeron – whom he had locked in the dungeon before leaving the fortress – and follow him to Danika, for surely Wrath would be able to scent her out so Reyes could free her from the Hunters.

No, he realized. Reyes would not be able to follow him if Danika were not close by. And if Aeron reached her first she would die, no doubt about it.

Forget her. She’s a human. There are thousands. Millions. You can find another woman who looks like an angel.

"I don’t want to find another," he shouted. But he could not keep Aeron chained forever, and he knew it. "Damn this."

Stop acting like a baby, a female voice said inside his mind, surprising; him. Look on the hill and shut the hell up already. You’re giving me a major headache.

His shoulders stiffened. He scanned the area, knife at the ready. He saw no one.

What are you waiting for? the voice said again. Hurry.

A god? One of his own kind? Couldn’t be Doubt, for the speaker was clearly female. Reyes didn’t waste any more time trying to reason it out. He sprinted into motion, and ten minutes later, he stood at the edge of the hill.

Danika was there. She and a man – Kane, he realized – were lying on the ground, both of them moaning.

Anger filled him at the notion that she was injured, even as relief poured through him. Shockingly, she looked as if she’d been climbing back up, trying to reach the fortress. Rocks were scattered around the pair as if they’d fallen from the sky, the couple the target.

Reyes scooped her up, never wanting to let her go, and nudged Kane with the toe of his boot to wake him. He kept the hilt of his dagger at hand, just in case. He wasn’t entirely comfortable having the other Lords back in his life.

Kane grunted. Opened his eyes. Grabbed for the gun sheathed in his waistband. Reyes kicked it out of his hand.

"Go ahead and kill each other," Danika said weakly. Her blond hair was matted with blood. In that instant, Reyes thought he knew the dark, consuming violence Maddox must experience whenever he thought of Ashlyn being hurt.

"How are you hurt?" If Disaster had –

"Rocks fell," she said, cutting off his furious thoughts. "From a mountain, I guess. He pushed me out of the way to avoid the worst of it and I tripped, hit my head."