Wicked (Eternal Guardians #9) - Elisabeth Naughton Page 0,16

He pulled her into him and kissed her forehead. “I’m still ticked you crossed into the human realm without telling me, but if you hadn’t gone with Max, we’d never know he and Talisa were in trouble. And we wouldn’t have any chance of finding them now.”

She met his gaze as he drew back. “Does that mean I’m not getting locked in a tower after all?”

“Hell yes, you’re getting locked in that tower. As soon as everything’s back to normal, I’m locking you in there myself and tying you up. Naked. Until you’re begging me to let you go, and I’m absolutely convinced you’ve learned your lesson.”

Pushing to her toes, she lifted her lips to his and smiled. “We both know that will never happen.”

He kissed her gently. “Thank the Fates for that.”

She lowered to her heels and released him. “Go.”

His humor faded. “Stay in this realm. Please. So I don’t have a freakin’ heart attack.”

She smiled and nodded, and as she watched him rush down the hall to go after her father and the other Argonauts, she leaned against the doorjamb and told herself they’d find Talisa. And Max. And bring them both home.

They had to. Because she’d never be able to live with herself if they didn’t.

Chapter Four

Stinking daemons. They smelled like the rot of the Underworld. A place Zagreus hated almost as much as he hated his fucking father.

He watched the flesh melt on the third daemon as flames engulfed its body. At one point it had been human, though you’d never know now by looking at it. A human soul trapped in the Fields of Asphodel who’d traded himself to the forces of evil for one more chance at life.

Part of him pitied the daemons. Most made that bargain not knowing they’d return in the body of a monster. But a bigger part knew they got exactly what they deserved. Nothing good came from making deals with the devil. Zagreus knew that better than most.

“Get up,” he said to the female at his back, taking one last look at the beast already turning to ash on the ground. “We’re leaving now.”

No sound echoed behind him. No rustling or shuffling indicating she’d listened.

He turned and looked back toward the tree where he’d left her, only to find the area empty.

“Motherfucker.” He was not in the mood to play cat-and-mouse tonight.

Tuning into his enhanced senses, he scanned the dark forest, squinted, and peered through the trees, searching for heat and movement.

There. Roughly two hundred yards from his location. Zig-zagging around tree trunks and brush, her hands still bound in front of her.

He flashed directly in her path.

She opened her mouth the second she spotted him but no sound escaped, and she was too close to slam on her brakes. Her body smashed into his chest, ricocheted back, and crashed to the ground.

She twisted over to her side. Shaking his head, Zagreus leaned over her, grasped her arms, and hauled her to her feet.

“Thorn in my ass,” he muttered. “You were never this much trouble before.” When she winced as if she were in pain, he loosened his grip and reached for a twig stuck in her hair.

She jerked back from his hand and opened her mouth to tear into him, but the spell was still keeping her silent. Realizing that for herself, her eyes flew wide, and fire flared in their violet depths.

Her mouth snapped shut. She made a feeble attempt to yank back farther to free herself, but he held on tighter.

With her gifts bound, she wasn’t strong enough to break his hold, and the moment she realized that, he saw something else creep into her violet eyes. Not just anger and rage, but a hint of fear as she glanced from the hand at her arm to the one hanging at his side.

The one he’d used to torch those daemons.

His jaw clenched at her reaction. He still didn’t release her, but contempt brewed inside him just the same.

Did she honestly think he was going to roast her as he’d roasted those daemons?

Yes, a voice whispered in the back of his mind. Why wouldn’t she think that? All she knows about you is what she learned from the people of her realm. From the Argonauts. From Cynna...

It wasn’t in his nature to offer olive branches, but in this case, he knew he was not going to get what he wanted if she continued to fight him. He waved his hand in front of her face and muttered