Damned and Desperate (28 page)

Mar stretched out on Ash’s lap, looking up at her with tears in her eyes. “Mom, I’m sorry I wasn’t a better daughter.”

Ash froze. “Uhhh, what?”

Boner nervously clomped beside her. “She’s hallucinating.”

Mar smiled up at Ash. “Thank you for being such a wonderful mom and for loving Katherine so much. Please keep her safe.”

Ash brushed back Mar’s hair, pointing to a huge welt behind her ear. “Look at this thing, Aedan. It’s huge. That spider must have bitten her.” She smoothed a hand across Mar’s brow. “She’s burning up.”

Boner’s lower lip trembled as he bent down and nuzzled Mar’s hair. “What going to happen to her?”

Ash scooted out from under Mar, gently laying her head on the slab. She pointed to Katherine, who was still slumped over Boner. “She has an anti-venom. Release her.”

I cut Katherine’s bonds, pulling her onto the slab beside Mar, scowling as she looked up at me with a smile.

“Cut her gag,” Ash said.

I was reluctant to do so, for the gag also held her snake. I cut it, then quickly grabbed hold of the flailing serpent, holding it tight at the base of Katherine’s skull.

Mar had gone eerily silent now, and all color had drained from her face.

Ash pointed to the welt on Mar’s neck before narrowing her eyes at Katherine. “Spit in her wound.”

Katherine shrugged. “Why should I?”

“Why?” Ash screeched. “She’s your mom, and she loves you. Why do you think she risked her soul to come save your sorry ass?”

Katherine’s mouth fell open. “She’s my mom?”

I heaved a sigh as I slowly loosed my grip on the snake. “Yes, Katherine. Her nettle was your father’s image. He abandoned her, and your grandparents pretended to be your parents. You can’t let your mom get knocked down, Katherine. There’s no telling how many levels she’ll drop.”

She frowned, swatting my hand. “I can’t reach her. Let me go.”

I looked at Ash and Boner, who both slowly nodded. I was taking a huge risk in letting her go. Much to my relief and amazement, Katherine leaned over, spitting in her mother’s wound. I watched with awe as the blister festered and then healed.

Mar’s eyes fluttered open. She smiled up at Katherine, stroking her cheek. “I knew there was goodness in you.”

Katherine smiled back, covering Mar’s hand with her own. “Thanks for believing in me.”

Ash sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. I never thought I’d see the day when Katherine actually showed feelings for anyone save herself. Maybe Mar was right. Maybe she was redeemable.

Boner said not a word as he galloped toward the avalanche. He climbed up the slope of rocks toward the top where a torn tapestry had fallen. He bent down, pulling out a shiny metal rod. At first I thought the rod had been used to hold up the tapestry, but I did a double take when I recognized the compact bronze handle. My scythe!

Boner puffed up his chest, jutting the scythe above his head. “Found it!” He clomped back down the slope and handed it to me.

I couldn’t believe our good fortune as I clutched the rod, running my thumb down its familiar smooth surface. “How did it get here?”

His grin nearly stretching ear-to-ear. “I caught it when Goliath hit the spider. I thought I’d lost it.”

I didn’t remember seeing him catch it during the confrontation, but I had been preoccupied with deflecting a horde of venomous spiders. It suddenly dawned on me how useful Boner had become on this mission, and not just as a means to transport our demon hostage.

“It seems I’ve misjudged you.” I slapped him on the back. “Nice work, man.”

If it was at all possible, Boner’s grin stretched wider. “Thanks.”

I had the answer to our worries in my hands, and I wasn’t going to waste any more time.

“Get Mar and Katherine,” I said to Boner, but the girls were already lining up beside him.

I hit the button on the bottom, extending the scythe to its full length before banging it on the floor, the sound echoing across the cavern, extending up the walls and into the black abyss.

“Aedan,” Ash asked. “What are you doing?”

“I’m getting you the hell out of here.” I pulled her as the walls began to tremble. We moved out of the way as a gleaming red elevator large enough to fit Jack and the others came crashing to the floor. Pressing a hand on Ash’s back, I pushed her forward. “Go, sweetheart.” I threw a glance at Boner. “Take the girls. Alert the Nephilim their kin are trapped.”

Ash planted her fists on her hips. “I’m not leaving without you.”

“Like hell you’re not.” I grabbed her by the wrist as the doors slid open with a hiss. We had no time to argue. The dragon could return home any moment.

Jack raced up to us, barking wildly, skidding to a halt in front of Ash.

“Go!” I yelled as I pushed her forward. Jack blocked her path right before a gust of wind threw us to the ground, knocking the scythe out of my hand. Jack yelped as the elevator crashed down on top of him.

“Jack!” Ash screamed, but I jerked her to the floor, providing a full-body shield just as a plume of fire hit us. I heard Mar scream and the clomping of Boner’s hooves somewhere in the distance as an enormous black shadow landed beside us.

“Mmm. A feast for Zahaka,” a dark voice rumbled.

Ash sat up and crawled behind me as the dragon’s jowls came dangerously close to the top of my head.

The monster breathed in deeply before exhaling a plume of smoke. “You smell like him, but you are not a hatchling. What are you?” She breathed in again, inhaling my hair into her wide nostril. “Wait. Don’t tell me.” Her fanged jowls broke into a devious grin. “You are an angel.”

I eyed her warily, unable to respond. A fear like I’d never known made me unable to utter a sound, for deep within the well of her pupil I saw the shadowy soul of Sergeant Sanchez pounding against the reflective surface of her eye, begging me to free him.

Dear God in Heaven.

The beast passed over my head, a deep chuckle resounding from her thick, scaly chest. “This one is frightened for you. She must be your mate.”

“Leave her be!” I struggled to stand as the dragon’s serpentine neck coiled around us.

“Do not worry.” She purred like an ominous feline. “You shall both be joined in my belly.”

I looked over my shoulder to see the elevator resting on top of Jack’s prone body. The door was still open. If I distracted the dragon long enough, Ash could get inside.

I nodded at the elevator. “Run!” I screamed.

Ash clutched my arm, crying against my back. “I’m not leaving you.”

What was wrong with her? Didn’t she know she’d perish if she stayed?

A dark thought came over me that the woman I loved would forever be locked in a pit of despair. I couldn’t let that happen. I transformed my shield into a silver sword and drove it against the dragon’s neck with all my might, but it scraped down her thick scales, barely leaving a scratch.

The beast turned on me with a snarl, holding up a silver talon twice as thick as my sword. “Do you think Zahaka is afraid of your little toy?”

I made another wish, though it was so grand I didn’t know if the star would grant it. My skin rippled like waves as my bones expanded, and I shot up like a backward bolt of lightning. It had worked! I was at least triple the height of a Nephilim. I breathed a sigh of relief as Ash screamed before flying to the elevator. The dragon rose up to full height, and our eyes locked for one eternal heartbeat.

“How about now?” I asked, slicing off her head with one fluid thrust.

Her head splattered against the tapestry depicting the dragon eating a knight and rolled to the ground with the tapestry wrapped around it. The dragon’s body fell with a bone-jarring thud, and blood and souls spilled out onto the marble floor.

I raised my sword as a horde of winged creatures fell from the ceiling. I did a double take when I realized my brother was at the helm, followed by the Nephilim army.

Callum landed on my shoulder. “Brother, you’ve grown.” He waved a hand. “I suppose you don’t need my reinforcements.”

“Yes, we need them.” I pointed to the mouth of the tunnel. “The giants are trapped.”

King Og flew down to the ground. “We will save kin.”

The others followed, landing with thuds that weren’t quite as powerful as I remembered. It was odd looking down at the Nephilim, who now resembled winged toddlers.

I crooked my neck, peering down at Callum who still sat on my shoulder, chest heaving as his wings drooped. “You found a way to the top?”

“Not me. Shadow.” He jutted a thumb in the air before massaging the membranes in his wings. “That tunnel leads us to the top dimension, to the pit where Scorpius kept his blood slaves. Luckily, it was too narrow for the dragon to follow.”

I squeezed the hilt of my sword as a dark blur flew by me. “Shadow?”

“Don’t worry,” Callum laughed. “He’s on our side now.” He made an
X
across his chest. “Cross my heart.” His mouth tilted in an impish grin. “For what it’s worth in this place.”

Ash MacLeod

After the Nephilim landed, I bolted into the sky, dodging souls until I reached eye level with my ginormous boyfriend. I briefly wondered if those souls would find their bodies or if it was too late since the dragon had eaten them. They didn’t seem to be too worried about it, though, their creepy laughter ringing in my ears as they flew around Aedan’s feet like a swarm of bees.

“Thank you!” many of them echoed. “Our savior!”

My wings stopped flapping, and I nearly tumbled to the floor when I saw Sarge was among their number. “Sarge!” I caught the air with my wings. Hot tears flowed down my cheeks as he hovered next to me. “We will find your body,” I promised, though I didn’t know how.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m sure I will regenerate when I get to Purgatory.” He smiled before casting his gaze toward the top of Aedan’s head. “Go to him.”

I wanted to hug Sarge, but I obviously couldn’t. Besides, I had a more pressing matter that needed to be dealt with immediately.

I flew up until I was eye-level with Aedan’s gigantic head. “Aedan! Please help!” I thrust a finger toward the ground. What the hell? Had he forgotten my dog was being turned into a pooch pancake by a giant elevator?

“Ash.” He looked momentarily startled. “I told you to go in the elevator.”

“And leave you and Jack behind? I don’t think so.” I waved my hands wildly at him. “Do you not see the giant elevator still on the ground crushing my dog?”

Aedan bent over and lifted the hunk of metal off Jack. I screeched and flew down when I saw what it had done to my doggie. One of his heads had been severed from his body and completely flattened, and I meant it was practically turned to mush. Gross. I repressed the urge to vomit as I hugged Jack’s chest.

Poor Jack. He must be in so much pain
.

Tears streamed down my face as the Nephilim, Garf, stomped up to me.

His grey forehead sagged low, nearly obscuring his eyes. “Doggie hurt.”

Jack’s tail flapped once and then stilled. Okay, he was still somewhat alive. That was good, right?

Garf uncorked a vial of holy water and sprinkled it on Jack’s squished head. Amazingly, it fused back onto his neck. His head was still squished but not as bad. He lifted his good head, whimpering as he licked the injured one.

Tears clouded my vision, as I turned pleading eyes to Garf. “Pour more water on him.”

He ended up dumping the entire bottle on Jack’s head, but nothing happened.

King Og joined us, looking down at Jack while shaking his head. “Holy water not strong enough. Must take doggie to Heaven. Only angels can save him.”

Aedan sheathed his sword and knelt beside us, patting Jack on the back. Then Jack laid both heads down and closed his eyes. Omigod! Was he dying another death?

“Please,” I begged Aedan though a sob. “We need to get him to Heaven.”

“Peace, angel.” King Og poured more holy water on Jack, and again, nothing happened. Jack’s whining had stopped. I didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing.

I looked into my boyfriend’s eyes as a knot hardened in my throat. “Aedan? Please.” I sniffled. I couldn’t lose my guardian. Not now. Not ever. If he hadn’t pushed me out of the way, the elevator would have come crashing down on me, yet he sacrificed himself instead.

Aedan motioned to the pile of rubble behind us. “You got it from here, King Og?”

The Nephilim were heaving stones out of the way. Callum, Shadow, and Boner were helping in the recovery efforts by removing the smaller rocks while Mar held Katherine in the corner, looking like a trapped mouse as she eyed the giants. I was surprised the giants hadn’t pummeled Katherine with their clubs.

“Yah,” King Og said with a prideful grin. He clutched his star, turning his club into a huge shovel. “We see you in pyramid tomorrow.”

Aedan stood, hoisting Jack into his arms. Then he whistled to Boner. “Get the girls. It’s time to go!” His gaze swept the room. “I lost my scythe when the dragon attacked us.”

“No worries,” King Og said. “Nephilim find it.”

Aedan released a slow breath. “Thanks.” His brow furrowed. “Be careful,” he said to the king. “There’s a dangerous spider down there. Her armor deflects magic, and she has an army of smaller poisonous spiders.”