Hellbound Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book Five) (19 page)

The five goons snarled and brandished large swords. She took a step back, putting more space between her and them. She wasn’t giving up on Rhys and his friends, she’d seen them do too much, but she didn’t want to be in their way.

In a flurry of movement and growling, Rhys charged his father while Lemuel and his soldiers did the same. Rhys elbowed one demon who fell to his backside in the dirt and kicked him before continuing on to his father.

Dante swooped down and grabbed the fallen soldier’s sword, swinging it as he ran. Black blood sprayed from the injuries he left in his wake. He hadn’t killed them, she was sad to see, but he had managed to injure three.

“Come on, motherfuckers,” Kellen taunted when the other two turned to help Lemuel. He walked in a circle with them, but none of them made a move.

The demons would feign movement, trying to trick Kellen, but he was quicker. One soldier finally got tired of the game and charged Kellen. At the last minute, the demon pulled his sword from his back and tried to remove Kellen’s head with it.

Illianna screamed, distracting the demon enough that Kellen managed to evade the blade. He snuck under the demon’s arm and ended up behind him with his arm wrapped around his neck. One quick twist and the demon crumpled to the ground with a broken neck.

The move cost Kellen when the silver tip of a sword sliced through his shoulder. Red blood flowed down the front of his chest and Illianna was struck by the difference between these cambions and the demons she had been associating them with. Their blood wasn’t black like full demons. It wasn’t even discolored, but she didn’t have time to ponder that as one of the injured soldiers headed her way.

“You won’t escape this time, bitch,” the goon snarled, revealing yellow teeth. “And, the one who captures you gets to have his way with you. I’m going to enjoy this.”

She was frozen in place for several heartbeats until the tip of his sword neared her abdomen. She jumped back and nearly tripped into the fire.

Glancing around for a weapon of her own, the only thing she saw was a black limb sticking out of the fire. She grabbed it and felt the heat of the blazing end. Not expecting her to fight back, the soldier came close enough for her to shove the burning wood beneath his shirt.

She let go of her weapon when he dropped his sword and jumped around, patting at his chest. She picked up his weapon and watched as he ran to the river. There was a sizzle and smoke when the water extinguished the flames. Within seconds, he was pulled beneath the water and disappeared. Gripping the sword, she held her breath and waited, but he didn’t come back to the surface.

Rhys cried out and she turned to see a sword stuck through his side. One of the three remaining demons had snuck up behind him while the other two were fighting Kellen and Dante. Lemuel sauntered toward her while Rhys continued to fight with steel sticking out of his side. Rhys’ strength rivaled that of her brothers.

Her attention was so focused on Rhys that she was forced to dance around, dodging a blow meant for Dante.

“Damn, female. Stay back,” Dante chided as he stalked around her. Her head spun as she watched Dante’s power create an illusion. At least she assumed it was an illusion because she saw herself chained to a bed covered with silky, red sheets.

She patted her arms and turned in a circle. It was definitely a mirage. The scene was playing out around her and doing its job of distracting the demon because he released his weapon, taking a couple steps toward the image of her on the bed. Dante didn’t hesitate to swing the sword and slice clean through muscle, tendon and bone. She gagged as she watched the head fly into the fire followed by the body falling with a thud and splash of black blood.

“Sorry about that,” Dante said as the illusion disappeared, leaving her surrounded by carnage. “You won’t take her,” Dante snarled at Lemuel.

“Don’t be silly. You three don’t stand a chance against me,” Lemuel spat.

Where was Rhys? Illianna thought, glancing around in a panic. He was fighting close to the water’s edge and she made her way close to him as quickly as she could.

The sword was still in his side and she could see that he was tiring. She wondered how much more he could take. Strong hands clamped over her shoulders and dug in. Her heart tripped when she glanced over her shoulder at Lemuel. Running on instinct, she shoved her elbow into his gut and darted out of his reach.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Dante pinned in the dirt by a sword and Kellen engaged with a soldier. “I will never go back with you. You’ve had the last of my blood,” she spat vehemently.

“There’s where you are wrong, Illianna. You belong to me, not my son, and I will take you back, in pieces if I have to. You don’t need your legs for what I have planned. Then you will never run away again,” Lemuel sneered, his face transforming from handsome to sadistic in the blink of an eye.

Refusing to let him manipulate and control her with fear, she stood her ground. “I don’t belong to anyone and I will be free of you and this place.”

A sword flew past her face, making both her and Lemuel jump back and away from each other. She watched the weapon fly to Rhys’ outstretched hand. With vicious finality, he cut the head from the demon he’d been fighting and in the next breath made his way to her side.

Sweating and panting, Rhys looked like he’d been beaten with a sledgehammer. His face was bruised and bloody and the sword still stuck out of his side. Gritting his teeth, he reached behind him and grabbed the blade of the sword and pulled. Blood dripped from his hand to the dirt, making it sizzle.

Why was the dirt reacting to his blood? She couldn’t help but wonder if it had anything to do with Rhys’ angelic heritage. That thought was startling. He was as much a creature of the heavens as he was of Hell, she realized for the first time.

“I don’t know how you discovered she was mine, but you will pay for what you’ve done to her,” Rhys promised his father. The man could barely stand and had a severe injury, yet she knew he would die trying to protect her.

Finally pulling the weapon from his side, Rhys dropped it to the ground and staggered before catching himself. She couldn’t understand what was keeping him upright any longer. He’d lost a lot of blood and his golden skin had gone pale.

“And, who’s going to stop me? You? You can hardly stand up, son. I had hoped mating with one of the Goddess’ handmaidens would create a demon that could overthrow Lucifer himself. I hate being wrong,” Lemuel said, shaking his head in disappointment.

“He’s not going to stop you. I am!” Illianna cried out. Allowing the rage and vengeance she felt toward this man come full force, she lifted the arm holding the sword and swung with all her might. She felt his flesh part around the sharp weapon before his blood burned her skin. Then she shoved with all her force and Lemuel flew backwards, landing in the river with a splash.

The phantoms fighting on the surface roared and clamored to his side when he entered. Hands rose from beneath the surface, trying to reach him as those on top held him immobile. She wondered what Lemuel had done to those poor souls to make them react so violently. Perhaps the violence inherent in his demonic soul was the reason they wanted him so badly. The sight was a chilling reminder that the same thing could have happened to Rhys when he’d saved her and yet, it hadn’t. He was proving how good and pure his heart was.

“Will he get out of there?” she asked Rhys as he came up behind her.

He placed an arm around her shoulders and leaned on her more than she expected. He’d need to have sex to heal soon. Strangely, the idea was at all repellent anymore. In fact, her skin heated with anticipation.

“I surely hope not. I don’t want to ever see that male again. You have avenged yourself and my mother. I’d tell you how that was my job, but I’m so damn proud of you right now. Goddess you’re amazing,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head.

Kellen had dispatched his enemy and was pulling the sword from Dante. The process wasn’t very pleasant if Dante’s cursing was anything to go by. All of the cambions would need to heal soon, but there was only one of them she was willing to help. She owed Rhys more than she could ever repay.

He and his friends had once again saved her from Lemuel. Well, this time she had helped, and was pretty proud of that fact. Rhys said she had avenged herself and his mother, but she had wanted to avenge him, too. He was a victim of Lemuel’s torture just as much as she had been.

She glanced up, deciding to take matters into her own hands, rather than wait for him and placed a tender kiss to his lips. “We need to find some privacy so I can heal you.”

His eyes glowed brightly and he smiled the brightest smile she’d ever seen on his face. “I knew I was growing on you,” Rhys teased, deepening the kiss. She felt when some of his energy returned as he stood more on his own.

“Like mold,” she agreed, allowing her passion to take control.

Rhys stretched and twisted his torso, amazed at how quickly he had healed after having a sword thrust through his side. Sex with his Fated Mate had not only given him strength beyond anything he’d ever experienced, but it had also healed his wound completely. Sex had never done that for him and it proved what his fellow warriors had told him about the impact of mates.

He watched the female who had given him so much as she searched for her shirt. Illianna had come to him under the most unlikely of circumstances and he couldn’t be more grateful.

He had initially questioned the wisdom of the Goddess in giving a sex-demon an angel as a mate, but they were perfect for each other, even if Illianna didn’t agree. His angel had denied him from the beginning and he wondered what had made her give him what he needed so willingly.

There hadn’t been a moment during their interlude that he questioned if she wanted to be with him. Actually, once things got going between them, he had never questioned her desire. There was explosive chemistry that couldn’t be denied, but for him there were no guarantees in his mating. His Fated Mate wasn’t tied to him like he was to her. Illianna had to choose him and had made it abundantly clear that she would never do that, but he wasn’t giving up hope.

She may not be driven by the same mating compulsions, but she was attracted to him and he could work with that. Still, he had to admit that it sucked not having a mate with the same instincts. He had watched the couples in the compound. Had envied how they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, and, more than once, had looked forward to that aspect of finding his Fated Mate. He was the only cambion in their compound and it was beyond cruel to be dealt this fate.

Although, at the moment, he couldn’t complain. His mate was topless and had just given him some of the best sex of his life, even if it had been fast and furious up against a tree in the Fifth Circle of Hell.

Running his hand over his chin, he was anxious to leave the Underworld and reluctantly picked up the shirt she’d been looking for, knowing they needed to get moving. “Here you go, Angel,” he murmured, handing it to her.

A slight stain flushed her cheeks and she looked away, shyly. “Thanks,” she muttered and pulled the fabric over her head, covering her pert breasts. He didn’t know why she was so self-conscious about her body. She was perfect. He knew she didn’t feel complete without her hair and wings, and, while she was beautiful now, he’d bet she was magnificent when she had her wings.

He waited until she’d pulled his jacket on before leading her to the gate where Dante and Kellen waited. He winced when he saw the males and the conditions they were in. Dante was bleeding profusely and limping on his injured leg. Kellen was in marginally better shape, but still battered and bruised.

“I’ve never wished for my Fated Mate,” Kellen observed as they joined them, “but, right now I would give almost anything to have her at my side. You look remarkable.”

Rhys couldn’t help but smile as they came to a stop by the males. “Yes I am. I thank the Goddess for bringing me Illianna,” he acknowledged, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Have you figured out how to get through the gate yet?”

Dante coughed and shifted his weight as he dug through his bag. “Not yet. But we haven’t approached yet. We weren’t sure what the Fury demons reactions were going to be.”

Rhys followed Dante’s gaze and noticed there were four full-blooded Furies on the top of the wall.

“Why did it have to be Furies? These fuckers are way uglier than their offspring on earth. What I want to know is how the hell they convinced human males to mate with them,” Rhys wondered aloud.

The creatures before him were a cross between a bat and a demon, with hundreds of sharp teeth and huge black wings. Its face was a decayed mess and the smell was vile. Any male should have run screaming. Thankfully for their hybrid daughters, they took after their father, and, aside from the wings, they looked human. Most of them were very good looking.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know. It wasn’t a pleasant time in human history. Thankfully, my dad and brothers managed to cast the Furies back to hell and I picked up the pieces with the pregnant women,” Illianna shared with sadness in her voice. She had a sensitive soul that was caged in steel, Rhys thought. It was easy at times for him to forget that his mate was a millennia-old angel and had a million different experiences that he couldn’t comprehend.