The Darkest Warrior (Lords of the Underworld 14)

Worth the risk. He couldn't meet his goals if Indifference weakened him.

The deep freeze numbed him out, as expected, but not as quickly or densely as usual. The layers were too thin, his emotions too fervent to be denied, all on their own.

Fervent enough that he experienced an emotional hangover that left him with a headache and churning stomach.

He summoned more ice. More, still.

There. Better. Even the hangover vanished.

He might find the girl fascinating, but so what? She was a means to an end, nothing more.

Once Sin had been dethroned, Puck would wed someone else and, with his loving queen at his side, he would finally kill his brother, thus fulfilling both prophecies.

Gillian anchored her hands on her hips, breasts straining against her shirt. With the ice in place, Puck had no reaction. Excellent. "Whatever brand-new, shiny war you're hoping to start can wait," she told William.

The male offered her a mock growl. "You're not the boss of me."

"I beg to differ." Head high, she dug a crumpled piece of paper from the pocket of her jeans. "I'm redeeming one of my coupons. The right to--what? Boss you around for twenty-four consecutive hours."

William hunched his shoulders and heaved a defeated sigh. "Give her a coupon book, they said. It's fun and creative, they said."

She laughed an enchanting laugh, proving Puck's suspicions--and cracking his hard-won ice, just like that.

She might be human, but she is also an enchantress, and more dangerous than any foe I've ever faced.

Usually he eschewed distractions, but he needed one now and allowed his mind to wander...

What would his friends think of Gillian?

During his search for the shears, he'd met demon-possessed siblings. Cameron, keeper of Obsession, and Winter, keeper of Selfishness. They'd understood his plight and offered to help. Meaning, Cameron had obsessed over Puck's mission, and Winter had decided she could work the situation to her favor.

Every hardship they'd endured would soon pay off.

The doorbell rang, drawing Puck back to the present.

With a heady aura of innocence and wickedness, Gillian batted her long, black lashes at William. "Be a lamb and welcome our guests inside."

Mumbling under his breath, the Ever Randy strode to the door, opened up. Different immortals poured into the apartment. Among them, Harpies, a Sent One, a goddess and twelve demon-possessed warriors like Puck. Hugs were exchanged and gifts given to Gillian.

A birthday celebration?

"No, no, no," a petite blonde said as she breezed into the foyer. "Not yet. This is only a pre-celebration. Or is it post-pre-celebration since William already threw a pre-celebration? Anyway! The real party is tomorrow. Maybe. But probably definitely not."

"Keeleycael," William said with a nod of greeting. "Can you do me a solid and stow away the crazy today?"

She blew him a kiss. "But I'm speaking with your competition. Spoiler alert. He wins!"

"I'd be mad at you for daring to lie to me," William replied with an easy tone, "if I had competition."

Puck frowned. Keeleycael, the Red Queen? Suspicions danced inside his head, tension tightening each of his muscles--the ice cracking once again.

As Indifference snarled, Puck ignored his usual reluctance and summoned another layer of cold disinterest. So what if she was the same Keeleycael who'd given the small, bejeweled case to Sin. What did Puck care?

Keeleycael nipped at a warrior's ear--Torin, the keeper of Disease--before whispering something to William.

Puck picked up only a handful of words. "Danger...waiting...plan to eliminate..."

William frowned, his body going rigid. "You're sure?"

The blonde nodded, adamant. "Your enemies plan to kill her."

Her--Gillian?

Fury pulsed from William as he stalked to the girl's side and led her into a private corner. "Something dire has come up. I need to leave for an hour, maybe two. Let me go without protest or demanding details, despite the coupon, and I'll make it up to you. I swear it."

Disappointment flashed in her dark eyes, but she nodded. "Of course. Do what you need to do."

"Thank you." He tweaked her nose before flashing away--moving from one location to another with only a thought. Where had he gone?

Puck stayed put, observing Gillian. The allotted hours passed, but William never showed. Eventually, the others said their goodbyes and trickled out of the apartment, until only Keeleycael remained.

Should Puck approach? He might not get another chance to speak to Gillian without William nearby. But what would he say?

Centuries ago, I was told you are the key to dethroning my brother. Marry me?

"Quick question," Keeleycael said to Gillian.

"Keeley," the girl replied with a moan. "Must we do this now?"

Keeley. A nickname.

"We must," the pale-haired woman said. "What is your greatest wish?"

"Besides a female-ruled society where men are pets?"

"Obviously." Thoughtful, the blonde tapped a razor-sharp nail against her chin. "I'm going to save that particular wish for your eight-century birthday."

Gillian snorted. "Eight centuries? Please. But you know what I really want? To be more like you. So strong. So brave. So...free."

Puck stored every "wish" in a mental file labeled Wife. Ways to win her? Make her feel strong, brave and free.

"Ding, ding, ding. Absolute right answer, so go ahead and consider me your fairy godmother." Keeley yanked a small vial of liquid from a leather cord hanging from her neck. "Here. Drink this, and thank me later."

Gillian's brows knit together. "What is it?"

"Less talking, more drinking. Bottoms up. And happy eighteenth birthday, little one. This is going to make all your dreams come true...dreams you don't even know you have. You're so welcome." Keeley urged Gillian's hand to her mouth, even helped her tilt the vial, pouring the contents down the girl's throat. "You didn't refuse to drink, so you won't die, driving William to his death. Or did he already die? Wait. I'm confused."

"William's going to die?" Gillian croaked.

"Weren't you listening? He's not. Now. I might change my tune in another five hundred years or so."

Puck sniffed the air and frowned. He scented a powerful potion meant to turn a human into an immortal. A rare potion, thought to be extinct.

As Keeley continued to babble nonsense, Gillian grew still. The color drained from her cheeks. Sweat beaded on her brow, and she clutched her stomach. "Keeley, what did you give--" Her eyes widened as she gasped.

Whimpering now, she rushed out of the living room. Puck vaulted to the next window ledge, unwilling to let her out of his sight, even for a second. She stopped in the bathroom, where she vomited.

Too weak to stand, she collapsed to the floor. Groaning, she closed her eyes and curled into herself.

Keeley followed her, saying, "I'm one hundred percent certain that I'm ninety-three percent certain that I gave you the correct dose. Hmmm. Your symptoms are...well, I'm not pleased. Maybe we'll have to go with Plan B?"

The urge to crash through the wi

ndow bombarded Puck. He would gather the girl in his arms and...what? What could he do to help? How did one care for a sick mortal-almost-immortal?

Soldiers in Amaranthia were forced to tend to their own ailments and injuries with magic. If you weren't strong enough to recover without aid, you didn't deserve to live.

Never mind. No need to help her. Keeley flashed away just as William burst inside the bathroom.

Seeing Gillian, his concern was palpable. "What's wrong?"

Puck ran his tongue over his teeth as his butterfly tattoo moved, like a snake slithering to a new hiding place. From his chest, to his back, to his thigh. Just as he had wandered across Amaranthia, aimless, the demon wandered across the contours of his body anytime Puck experienced some kind of life-changing emotion.

What life-changing emotion did he experience now?

A quick peek beneath the surface of the ice revealed...compassion and envy?

Want nothing, need nothing.

Besides, William didn't measure up to Puck in any way. Despite Puck's handicap, he was stronger, faster and far more capable.

Truth was truth.

"S-sick," Gillian whispered in a broken voice. "Hurt."

"Don't worry," William said. "I'll take care of you. I'll take care of everything." He stretched out a hand suddenly glowing with power.

Puck did a double take. William had runes. Golden scrolls twined from his fingertips to his wrist, a conduit for whatever magic he possessed.

With a single wave, he cut a rift in the air, opening a doorway between two different realms. Through the doorway, Puck saw...a wall of stone?

"I will fix this, you have my word." Gentle, so gentle, the warrior scooped the dark-haired beauty into his arms and carried her through the doorway.

Just before it closed, Puck burst through the window, shattering glass, raced through the room and dove.

5

Puck rolled to a stop. As he straightened, he studied his new surroundings. A cave heavily guarded by wards--a type of protective magic derived from symbols. These particular wards were set to react to an invader's intentions. Purposely sneak into the realm? Lose your eyes. Have rape on your mind? Lose your shaft. Ready to commit murder? Say goodbye to your head.

There was also a ward set to alert William of a newcomer's arrival. For the first time, Indifference served Puck well; the wards treated him as they would a wild animal, ignoring him.

Outside the confines of the cave, he discovered a tropical paradise. Yellow palm trees, heavy with fruit. A white sky. Miles of pink water. Waves lapped at glistening white and purple sand, the scent of salt and coconut coating a gentle breeze.