through the cave, she snapped up her head and saw how Aiden’s hand reared toward his shoulder, covering a large gash.
“Got ‘em!” she heard Hamish shout an instant later, making her whirl her head in his direction.
Hamish had just defeated his opponent and was free to engage another one.
“Hamish! Help Aiden!” she yelled and caught his attention.
His head snapped in her direction, and he rushed toward Aiden and Zoltan. The demon noticed him approaching instantly, his eyes quickly assessing the fight in the cave. Only three other demons were still alive, and they would be dead soon too, considering how well the Stealth Guardians fought.
Clearly realizing the hopelessness of the situation, Zoltan dealt another blow at Aiden, then disengaged and lunged for the portal. In midflight, he reached for her ankle, trying to pull her with him.
Oh God, no, he’d get her after all!
Panic seared through her, and she closed her eyes, her damp hands cramping over the ridge, her fingers loosening.
Come with me. I’ll give you everything you desire, she heard his voice in her mind. Your parents. I’ll give you back your parents. Isn’t that what you desire most?
A sob escaped her.
“NOOOO!”
Aiden’s scream was followed by several hands gripping her arms, pulling her. She felt as if she were being stretched on a rack, her body being torn in two opposite directions. Then suddenly, she was catapulted forward, the pull from the vortex ceasing from one moment to the next, the grip on her ankle gone.
Breathing hard, she opened her eyes.
Aiden drew her into his arms. Hamish next to him let out a sigh of relief.
“Oh, baby, I thought I’d lost you.”
She didn’t get a chance to answer, because Aiden’s lips were on hers an instant later. His kiss was brief, but searing. When he released her lips, he turned his head back to the fighting. She followed his gaze and saw how Hamish jumped back into the melee, relieving Manus’s opponent of his head.
Then the two charged toward Enya and Logan, making short work of the two demons they were fighting. With the last demon dead, quiet settled over the cave.
“You came for me,” she whispered to Aiden.
He gazed into her eyes. “I would have gone to the underworld to get you back.” He pressed her against him.
As she looked over his shoulder, she suddenly saw two men she didn’t know enter the cave. She stiffened.
“What did we miss?” the elder of the two asked.
Aiden released her and turned. “A pretty good fight.”
“Ah, that sucks,” the younger one commented.
The older man smiled, and Leila instantly saw the similarity between him and Aiden.
“Well, knowing your mother, I’m sure she’s glad I missed it. Even though—” He looked at the dead bodies of the demons. “—I wouldn’t have minded a bit of demon killing myself.”
Aiden nodded. “Don’t worry, father, there are more where they came from. We haven’t seen the last of them.”
Leila shivered. “Zoltan will come back, won’t he?”
He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “And I’ll always be with you to protect you.”
THIRTY-NINE
No human had ever set foot into the council chambers, yet at this emergency meeting of the Council of Nine, where only seven members sat at their designated seats, Leila was present, standing by Aiden’s side as he held her hand in his.
“What are they going to do?” she whispered to him.
He turned his head, giving her a reassuring smile, drinking in her scent at the same time. They hadn’t been apart for more than a few minutes since the confrontation with the demons in the cave, and he wanted nothing more than to be alone with her and shut the rest of the world out.
“Everything will be all right.”
He heard the gavel drop and straightened, bringing his attention back to the council. To his other side, Hamish stood relaxed. They exchanged a quick look.
“The Council of Nine is convened,” his father said and stood. “Today’s business brings great sadness to all of us. Our brother Finlay succumbed to the demons’ pull and paid the ultimate price. It was foolish of him to turn away from us and give into temptations that destroyed him.”
He looked into the round before continuing, “We all have to fight temptations, but our collective strength will help us not to succumb. May virta be with all of us.”
“Aye,” Cinead answered.
Primus nodded. “Cinead asked earlier to make a request. Please speak.”
The Scotsman rose, casting a long look at the council members, then training his eyes on Hamish. “I am