The Darkest Seduction (Lords of the Underworld #9)(102)
Author: Gena Showalter

She fell to her knees in front of Sienna, removed her gag, said “Miss me?” and palmed a blade.

Come on, fight her. Do something. “You’re pathetic, you know that? Galen had the strength to resist me, but not you. Are you embarrassed?”

Fox was too enraptured by the pulse in her neck to reply, and never even bothered to check her restraints, something she’d done every time before. The addiction was getting worse, then. Good.

“I bet you’re not. You’re too stupid to—”

With a growl, Fox lunged, lowering her head. Sienna jerked her knees up, knocking the female in the temple and sending her flying to the side. Sienna lumbered to a stand, which was difficult to do with her arms shackled behind her and her ankles held together. Not to mention the Tilt-a-Whirl inside her head.

Scowling, Fox jumped to her feet. “You’re going to pay for that.”

What she would do next, she didn’t know, but then, it didn’t matter. Suddenly Legion was there, behind Fox, unnoticed—and swinging a frying pan. The cast iron slammed into Fox’s skull, a loud clang echoing. Fox’s eyes went wide, rolled back, and her knees collapsed.

Legion dropped the pan as if the handle was on fire and stood there, panting, staring down in horror.

“Grab her knife and cut me loose,” Sienna commanded, taking over. “Hurry, we don’t have a lot of time.”

Shaking, crying now, Legion remained exactly as she was. “I—I know you’re here, but I can’t—I can’t see you, can’t hear you.”

No. No, no, no. If Legion couldn’t see her, Legion couldn’t touch her. Sienna tried everything she could think of to make herself known. All the while Wrath slammed against her temples, desperate to escape. Finally, not knowing what else to do, she allowed him to take over.

For the first time after ceding control to the demon, Sienna was aware of her surroundings, of her body and her mind. She wasn’t sure if it happened because she was stronger or Wrath was weaker, but she felt her skin change, from smooth to scaled. Felt her teeth sharpen and her nails elongate.

A second later, Legion gasped. “Wrath.”

“Hell.” Sienna’s voice was lower, gruffer than ever before.

The girl worked up the courage to bend down and pick up the knife, then close the distance between them. Delicate hands cut the rope away, freeing Sienna’s arms.

Through the demon she commandeered the knife. Bending down proved to be a huge mistake, though. The dizziness cranked out of control, and she ended up sprawled on her stomach. She drew up her knees and sawed at the rope, cringing as every inch of her throbbed.

“I knew she hadn’t killed you,” Legion’s soft voice proclaimed. “I could feel my Wrath. I would have come sooner, but Galen commanded me to stay in his room for however long he had to stay inside it. Turned out to be three days. He left this morning, nullifying the order, and I followed Fox to the kitchen and then to her room.”

Sienna’s mind caught on only one fact. Three days. Paris would have had to sleep with at least one woman to maintain his strength. More likely two. Don’t think about that, either. A breakdown would stop her from doing what needed doing.

Completely free now, she anchored the blade at the waist of her pants, pushed to a stand, and held out a hand to Legion. The girl hadn’t moved, was frozen in place, her expression one of great misery.

“Where is Galen now?” Sienna asked, still using that gruff voice.

“I don’t know. He hasn’t returned.”

Good. That was good. “We’re leaving.” She waved her claw-tipped fingers. “Me and you, right now.”

Blond hair fluttered around slender shoulders as she shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Can. Come on.”

“No, I can’t. I took a vow.” The misery increased. “I have to stay with him.”

We’ll see about that. Vow or not, Sienna was taking this girl to safety. Now. Arguing would waste time. Fighting would be ineffective. As weak as Sienna’s body was, Legion would escape her in seconds. Sneaky route, here we come.

“All right. We go without you,” she lied. “Need another weapon first.” Though she almost fell a thousand times, she managed to pick up the pan, straighten—and brain the girl the same way she’d brained Fox. Clang.

Legion crumpled, landing on top of Fox. Yeah. That was gonna leave a mark.

Getting the girl, who was no lightweight, positioned properly on her shoulder was a nearly impossible task. At the last moment, Sienna found the strength to pull through and level out. But the burst cost her. Wrath lost his hold on her, her image returning to normal and her body now moving under her own steam. She stumbled her way into the hall.

A long hallway. Papered walls, freshly polished furniture. Only the best. A spiral staircase loomed ahead. Miles away, as far as she was concerned.

Then, at the far end of the hall, Galen took a corner as if he were wearing skates, all speed and furious grace. He was armed like a tanker, and menace rippled off him. Had she spotted him on the street, she would have run like hell and prayed for a quick death. Now, she could only watch as he barreled toward her, intent on taking Legion back.

No, he would never trust her now. Her only hope was to engage him, and force her blood down his throat. Then he’d want her alive. Right? Please be right.

She was about to set Legion down when she caught sight of Zacharel on one side of her and the shadow guy from Cronus’s realm on the other. Dang it, how many people were after her? These two were closing in. Galen noticed them, too, and shouted a black curse. They would reach her before he did.

And then it happened. Contact. The black mist enveloped her first. She and Legion were swept up into a world of dizzying screams. Beneath those, she thought she heard Zacharel’s roar of frustration and anger. A mistake on her part, surely. The angel was emotionless.

Wrath retreated to the back of her mind, and just as Sienna opened her mouth to release a scream of her own, the noise quieted. Wrath caught those grainy images again, and had no idea how to react. She tried to fight her way free, but the black mist held tight around her, blocking the view of her surroundings.

“Female.” Shadow Guy’s voice was raspy and coaxing. “I have a bargain to propose to you.”

Legion slipped from her grip. Sienna reached for her, but couldn’t quite get to her, the girl remaining inside the mist, floating, spinning. Eyes closed, she slept on.

“Do you have a name?” she asked.