The Darkest Promise (Lords of the Underworld 13)

"And what will I receive in return?"

The question hung between them, a noose around her neck. After everything he'd done, how dare he try to bargain with her?

Knock, knock, knock.

"Go away," Lazarus shouted, never looking away from her. "Well?"

Needing time to think, she ducked underneath his arm to open the door, expecting to find Torin. William and Hades stood before her, armed for war and unsmiling.

"We want the mirror." William was steady on his feet. Actually, he'd never looked steadier. Determination cloaked him. Had he found Gilly, or a new reason to live? "We're willing to trade for it."

Can't deal with this right now. "No, thanks," she replied, and tried to shut the door.

Neither male flinched at the sound of her voice. Both slammed a hand on the ancient wood, ensuring the entryway stayed open.

Lazarus moved directly behind her, his heat enveloping her. She had never been so furious with another being. Not even Galen, after he'd removed her tongue. The man she'd accepted into her bed, her body, and her now decimated heart, had betrayed her. Had kept secrets from her. Had let her worry for nothing.

"What do you offer?" Lazarus asked.

Hades arched a brow, his mien as beautiful and sardonic as it was deadly. "What you desire most. Two round-trip tickets to Hera's secret temple."

Cameo inhaled sharply. The one thing Lazarus couldn't refuse. His vengeance.

He stiffened, seconds eking by in silence. Finally, he said, "No. You want the mirror, you have to release me from your service. I'm done with war, done with vengeance. I wish to spend the rest of my days with Cameo."

What? No! He was giving up, preparing to die? "The mirror is mine, not his," she said through clenched teeth. "He gifted it to me. You guys want it, fine. It's yours." The cursed thing had given her hope. Had misled her as thoroughly as Lazarus. Laughing while butterflies flew overhead? Like hell! "But you will release Lazarus from your service, just like he asked--" he wasn't in any condition to fight "--and you will give him Hera's head on a pike."

If Lazarus was the one to kill the former queen, Cameo would die. Somehow. If she had Hades see to the task, she would survive. Possibly. Plus, she would vengeance-block Lazarus, a prospect that came with two perks. One, she would teach him the error of his ways. Mess with the Mother of Melancholy and suffer. Two, he would grow to hate her and leave her. Then she could forget him, and he could live a long life without being hunted by the former queen.

Even as furious as Cameo was, she wanted him to live forever.

"In war, you pick a side. That hasn't changed. So," Hades said, "I will not release him from my service. Victory is too important. Also, I will not give him Hera's head. She and I have an understanding. My offer stands as is. Two tickets to her realm."

Playing hardball? "No, thanks," she repeated, and tried once again to shut the door in his face.

"Okay," he said in a rush, holding the entrance open with more force. "I can add a sweetener. I'll give you the tools to defeat her on your own." His gaze lowered to the necklace around Lazarus's neck. He frowned, reached out.

Lazarus knocked his hand away, and the two males glared at each other.

"Just one ticket, then," she said. "For me." She would use her ticket to kill Hera without Lazarus and hopefully reap the same benefits. "And the tools."

Misery started laughing again. Going to regret this...

Feeling as if she were dying inside, Cameo wrapped her arms around herself.

Hades smiled at her. "Sorry, poppet, but I won't send you into the lion's den without a lion. You're getting two tickets." He waved his hand in the direction of her vanity.

She glanced over her shoulder, wide-eyed when the mirror vanished from the wall.

"While I can't get you past the blocks inside Hera's temple," he continued, "I can put you a few miles outside it. But be careful. There are traps everywhere. Oh. And remember. You can't spell funeral without the word fun."

There was no time to respond. Like the mirror, the bedroom vanished. A second later, a golden paradise appeared.

26

"Do what's right today or suffer the consequences tomorrow."

--The Secret to Survival

--Memoir of a Maddened King

No one could flash Lazarus to a new location when he had no desire to flash. Today, he'd had no desire to flash, and yet the king of the underworld had managed it, anyway.

His weakness must be manifesting in other ways. Would he have the strength to defeat Hera, even with the proper tools?

Maybe. Maybe not. But he couldn't bring himself to regret a second spent with Cameo. There was no greater misery than being without her. He only regretted her presence here. If he failed to protect her...

Fool! She can protect herself. She'd proved her skill time and time again. He would pick her over a queen with an army any day of the week; he could ask for no better partner.

Unfortunately, his partner currently hated his guts.

And why wouldn't she? He'd placed her directly in Death's sights. If he killed Hera, Cameo died.

Only a possibility. One he'd planned to prevent...somehow. Perhaps he could use the Paring Rod to enslave the queen?

Except the Paring Rod was back at the fortress.

Fine. He would find another way. He hadn't earned the moniker "Unusual" without due course. He could do anything. Today, he and Cameo had become one. In body...in soul. She had clung to him, welcomed him, while he'd pounded inside her, had shouted his name in passion and supplication, and begged him for just one more kiss, just one more touch, just one more everything. Her lust for him could not be denied.

Lust means nothing. Only love matters.

He stiffened. He wanted her love, he realized, but he couldn't fight for it. To do so would be cruel and unusual, and for once, he wanted to be more...to be better. Because one way or another, life as he knew it was going to end. Did he really want to leave her with a broken heart?

Going to do so, anyway. Might have done so already.

His hands fisted as he scrutinized the terrain. This was Hera's secret realm? An overgrown forest with gold trees, gold birds and gold monkeys.

The ground shook beneath his feet. Danger approached? He opened his mind but sensed no foe. He listened but heard no footsteps. Then he looked down. He stood within a small circle of cut grass, Cameo at his side. Behind them, tall grass was interspersed with multicolored wildflowers, the petals dotted with dew. He sniffed. Poisoned dew.

Hades had flashed Lazarus and Cameo into the middle of a trap. A land mine, to be exact. It had been an accident, no doubt--otherwise the male would have flashed them onto the end of a pike--but it was still irritating.

"What's happening?" Cameo demanded. "Earthquake?"

"Worse." Lazarus grabbed the go bags resting at their feet and snaked an arm around her waist. Inside had to be the tools they'd need to defeat Hera. "We activated a land mine."

She went rigid, as if he'd just turned her to stone. He tightened his hold, lest she try to escape him and lose a limb.

"No worries, love. I'll flash us to safety before it blows." He attempted to flash...and failed. His irritation sharpened. Another weakness? Or had the realm negated his abilities? To his knowledge, only a handful of realms possessed the power to do so.

There was only one other way to clear the land mine; they'd have to dive through the poisoned wildflowers.

"Well?" Cameo demanded.

"New plan." He removed the ring from its chain and slipped it on and waved his hand through the air, intending to open a portal to safety. Nothing happened. Damn it! They weren't in a spirit realm. "New new plan." He lifted Cameo, cradling her against his chest. Even as light as she was, the action challenged his stamina, and he grimaced. "Curl into me and cover as much of your skin as possible. The dew will burn holes in you."

"Put me down. I'm hurting you. The crystals are strengthening, aren't they? You shouldn't--"

He liked that Cameo still c

ared about his well-being, but another quake had just rocked the ground at his feet, the vibration like a giant second hand on the countdown clock. Running out of time. With no other recourse, he jumped.

Boom!

Rocks and dirt exploded as the white-hot blast flung him through the air. Fire and acid licked at him, quickly burning through his clothing and shoes. A tree stopped his flight. He curled inward, protecting Cameo as his shoulder slammed into the trunk. Bone shattered. Muscles tore. His lungs emptied and flattened. He crashed into the ground, pain and dizziness assaulting him. His vision blackened.

When the world finally came back into focus, a loud chime wailed in his ears.

Cameo crouched at his side, shaking him. Concern had turned her cheeks pale and waxen.

He searched her and found no acid burns in her clothing or on her skin. However, soot streaked her face and arms.

"--okay?" Her voice penetrated his awareness as the chime faded. "Where do you hurt? What can I do?"

"I think...I think I strained my cock. Kiss it and make it better?"

Concern gave way to relief and annoyance, and she slapped his chest.

"You're not funny." She turned away from him and dug through the bags.

"I kinda am."

"Let's check out our supplies. We've got--Yes! Hades packed the Paring Rod," she said.

Beautiful bastard. He'd solved Lazarus's biggest problem. "What else?" He eased into a sitting position and rolled his healing shoulder to pop the joint back into place.