The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld #3)(32)
Author: Gena Showalter

Her wild gaze locked on Aeron, who most likely still had a death grip on Reyes. The enraged warrior was unmoving now, head bowed, no sound emerging from him. Oh, God. What did that mean? "Just – just let me distract him. I’ll get him away from Reyes, then you can shoot Aeron."

Hinges creaked as she opened the barred door.

Lucien grabbed her arm, stopping her. "The gun isn’t for Aeron." He motioned to a corner of the cell with a tilt of his chin.

"The Darkest Pleasure"

Danika followed the line of his vision. There, in the corner, was a thin, waist-high…thing. Her eyes widened in shock. Green scales covered its naked body. Its teeth were long like sabers, saliva dripping from them, and its ears were pointed. Bright red eyes glowed as Aeron’s had glowed just before he’d attacked Reyes.

"To my knowledge, I didn’t flash the creature here," Lucien said. "It is not our friend."

What was it? And why did she feel as though she’d seen it before? Watched it? Frowned in confusion over its antics?

"Demon," Lucien said as though she’d asked aloud. Maybe she had. Lucien aimed the gun.

"Don’t shoot near Reyes," she said on a rush of air.

Lucien looked at her in surprise, as if he couldn’t quite believe she was defending her captor. "I’ll be careful."

Aeron’s body began shaking again, nearly convulsing. He once more began growling like an animal at mealtime. What was he doing? She released the bars and her nails bit into her palms. Sweat poured down her back, even though she trembled from that shivering cold.

Standing here, doing nothing, she felt utterly helpless.

Boom.

Danika’s ears rang. Underneath the ringing, however, she could make out an eerie laugh. Alarmed, she watched the creature bound around the cell walls and even crawl along the ceiling.

"Play, play. Thisss fun."

I’ve seen this before, she thought again. But how? Her nightmares? Her eyes widened. Yes, of course. She constantly dreamed of demons and hell, so it stood to reason she might have visualized a creature such as this.

Lucien added another bullet, fired again.

More laughter.

Aeron straightened. Blood poured from his mouth and stained his hands. Catching her first glimpse of Reyes since Aeron had begun choking him, Danika covered her gaping mouth with the back of her hand. He was slumped on the ground, motionless, his neck…flat.

Should be happy, should be happy.

But she wasn’t. Tears were burning her eyes. She should hate this man for everything he’d done to her. Should, should, should. The word meant nothing to her at the moment. Bending down, she curled her fingers around one of the blades she’d stolen, not caring that her theft was now revealed.

Aeron had to die, and she had to kill him. It was as simple as that. He was a crazed murderer. He had hurt Reyes – not dead, he couldn’t be dead – and he wanted to hurt her. Worse, he’d probably harmed her grandmother. It was clear her family would never be safe as long as he lived. Yes, he needed to die. Now or never.

Determined, she finally stepped into the cell. Lucien was too busy following the demon with the barrel of his gun to notice. She moved forward tentatively. Aeron’s narrowed gaze locked on her and tracked her every movement.

"Legion," Aeron said. "Need you."

The scaled creature jumped onto his shoulders and held tight. "Me here." Bony fingers caressed Aeron’s scalp. Words Danika didn’t understand were whispered into Aeron’s ear. Soft words, gentle.

Aeron’s body relaxed, his muscles no longer clenched for attack. The red in his eyes faded.

Lucien paused outside the cell. "Danika," he said.

"Get Reyes out of here. His body can’t take any more damage." Danika continued to inch forward. When she reached Reyes, she crouched beside him. Her gaze never left Aeron as she placed a finger on Reyes’s neck, hoping to feel a pulse.

She didn’t.

Don’t panic. He was too vital, too strong to die here, like this. Wasn’t he? He desperately needed medical attention. "Lucien. For God’s sake, come get him."

"He’s fine, and I am unwilling to lose focus with the demon unfettered."

Damn it! She couldn’t leave him here. Truly, any more damage and there would be nothing left of him. Save Reyes or question/try to hurt Aeron? She didn’t have to think about it. She latched on to Reyes’s shoulders, knife flat – she would not release it – and tried to drag him. When Reyes was out of range, she could attack Aeron without fear for him. But Reyes’s large body proved to be too heavy and she only made it a foot before stopping to catch her breath.

Aeron straightened, his knees bending to accept his weight, his hands curling to strike. Any minute, and he would attack.

"He was your friend," she said, pushing back to her feet to haul Reyes another few inches.

"But you are not," Aeron replied.

"No, I’m not."

He grinned, wicked, eerie. "Do you wish to hurt me, little human?"

"Yes." No reason to lie. The truth blazed in her eyes, she was sure. "I wish to destroy you."

"Try."

"So you’ll feel better about what you plan to do to me? No, thanks. Not while Reyes needs help. But once he’s out of the cell, you’re mine."

For some reason, the conversation seemed to calm him as much as the little creature still whispering in his ear. "Do I scare you?"

"You? Scare me? Never again." Another inch. A few more, and she’d have Reyes’s shoulders out the door.

"Why don’t you come for me, then?"

"The difference between us is that I care about someone else more than I care about my own wishes."

"The Darkest Pleasure"

He lost his grin in a hurry. "You cannot care for Reyes."

She didn’t want to, knew she shouldn’t. But…Footsteps suddenly echoed behind her, saving her from trying to form a reply.

"The others are coming." Finally Lucien opted to help. He approached her, gripped the base of her neck before she could protest his touch. One second she was holding Reyes, the next she was inside Reyes’s bedroom.

Dizziness assaulted her. When Lucien released her, she realized she couldn’t stand on her own. She toppled over, her knees hitting the floor. She cringed at the action, but was too wired to feel the jolt. "What the hell did you do to me?"

"Stay here," Lucien said.

As she fought to stand, she glared up at him. "I don’t – "

Without another word, he disappeared, leaving her gaping. Bastard! She couldn’t, wouldn’t, leave Reyes down there with that…that…animal. Should have killed the beast when you had the chance. Determined to return, she lumbered toward the front door. She tripped over a pair of boots and barely managed to stay upright.