The Darkest Warrior (Lords of the Underworld 14)

He said nothing, simply glared.

Wind swept through the dungeon, whistling through the metal bars and rustling the length of her azure hair as she drew closer to him. "The day will come, the day will come soon, riding on the wings of fury. Vengeance against you will be meted. Finally you'll find your ladylove, but you will be unable to claim her, for you will be without your head."

*

Being one of nine kings of the underworld came with far too many responsibilities, but the health-care benefits package couldn't be beat. If Hades wanted you to live, you lived.

He stalked through the halls of the Great Temple, a backup meeting place for Sent Ones. His hand rested in his pants pocket, a casual pose, his fingers wrapped around a small sliver of glass. Nowadays, he never left home without it. A piece of her. An enemy, but also a coveted ally. One day, he would win her over. He had to, or all he'd fought for would be lost.

But he wasn't going to think about her.

Like any good chameleon, he changed his "look" depending on whomever he would be facing. Today he'd chosen a fitted black tee, black leather pants and mud-caked combat boots. Exactly what was expected of him. Let the Sent Ones assume they knew him.

Better to ambush them later.

He rarely visited the third level of the heavens, despite its reputation for carnal depravity, and never visited this second level, where Sent Ones tended to congregate.

Never--until today. Desperate times, desperate measures.

The winged demon assassins didn't like him, and the feeling was very mutual. He wouldn't be here if his son's life wasn't in peril.

William of the Dark had no idea of the danger headed his way.

At least Hades's view was nice. The temple had the largest stained-glass windows ever made, shafts of colored light filtering into the building, illuminating his path.

Behind him marched an army. Eight other kings of the underworld, plus Hades's son and daughter, Baden the Terrible, and Pandora the Tasty Treat. A moniker she despised, which was why everyone used it liberally.

Among the eight: Rathbone the Only, Hades's right-hand man, and a shapeshifter unlike any other. Achilles the First, a terror most legends knew nothing about. Nero, who preferred no title, making him the Cher or Madonna of the underworld. Baron the Widow Maker. Gabriel the Maddened One. Falon the Forgotten. Hunter the Scourge and Bastian the Uninvited, who were brothers.

Each male bore Hades's brand: two daggers flanking a much longer sword in the center.

Together, they warred against another male who called himself King of All Kings: Lucifer the Destroyer. The Wily One. Sovereign of the Dead. The Great Deceiver. He had many names, none of them good. He used to be Hades's oldest son, adopted like William.

No longer recognize the connection.

Once broken, some ties could not be mended.

Hades came to a pair of double doors, shoved them open with a single kick and stalked inside a massive great room. Countless Sent Ones stood in rows, ready for battle. From the best of the best--Lysander and Zacharel--to newly elected Elite Seven with their golden wings, to the generals with their white and gold wings, to the warriors with their pure white wings. There were no Messengers or Healers in the bunch, not today. Also absent? Their leader, the Most High, aka The One True Deity--at least, Hades couldn't see him.

Raising his chin, Hades announced, "I have heard of your plan to attack the realm of Amaranthia."

One of the Elite Seven stepped forward, saying, "Do you know who I am?"

A nod. "Axel the something or other, recently promoted to Elite." Hades offered a cold smile. "I know all. Except the details too unimportant to remember." He even knew the reason Axel had the same dark hair, symmetrical features and crystalline eyes as William.

Axel was found as a baby, abandoned, and raised by a loving family of Sent Ones.

Hades had found William as a young boy--abandoned--and had taken him in.

The two were never to meet.

"I gotta say. You and your band of merry men are--" Axel took a moment to wink at Pandora "--hot. If we don't kill each other, I'd like the chance to get to know you better." She glared, and he blew her a kiss. "We've been watching Abracadabra or whatever for a long time. Serious evil mojo there. As proven by the bomb one of its kings set off in our temple." His tone hardened there at the end.

He had William's irreverence, as well.

A tall, muscular Sent One with white hair, scarred alabaster skin and neon red eyes stepped beside him. His name was Xerxes, and secrets seethed inside those eyes. Horrors he'd kept from his comrades.

"We have kept the bombing quiet, have told no one," Xerxes said, his voice deep and hoarse. At some point before he'd reached full-blown immortality, he'd damaged his vocal cords. "Half of our Elite were slain. Others were promoted, tasked with only one goal. The elimination of Taliesin Anwell Kunsgnos Connacht. He alone is responsible for our tragic loss. Perhaps he knew we watched his home and thought to deter us. There is much demon activity there. But whatever his reason, he must pay."

Taliesin. Puck's younger brother.

Through secret communications, William had kept Hades informed of everything that happened in Amaranthia, and how they were stuck inside a maze. If the Sent Ones struck now, William would be injured, or worse. Puck and the girl, too.

If something happened to the girl, William would blame Hades.

Also, Hades wanted Puck--and all of Amaranthia--on his side in the war against Lucifer. Soon the Great Deceiver would have no allies.

"You cannot destroy an entire realm based on one man's actions," Hades announced...despite the fact that he himself had, in fact, destroyed entire realms based on one man's actions. Twice.

For William's sake, he happily changed his tune. His son deserved happiness. Which meant Amaranthia had to thrive, Puck had to remain wed to Gillian, and William had to give the match his blessing. Working on it.

"We can do so," Xerxes said, his hands fisted. "We will. We have been unable to reach Taliesin any other way. He must be stopped before he bombs another temple, or even another species."

A blonde stepped forward. Thane of the Three. "There are impenetrable force fields surrounding Sin. If we destroy the realm, we destroy him. End of story."

"Yes. The end of one story," Hades said, "but the beginning of another. One of war, pain, death and loss, because I will stop at nothing to punish all those who chose to act against me in this manner. And let's not forget the innocents you will be killing. Hypocrite much?"

Hisses of disapproval sounded. Growls of aggression.

"You don't need to face Taliesin," Hades added. "William of the Dark has vowed to punish the warrior. He's inside the force field, making his way to Taliesin now, and his word is as good as gold. He just needs more time."

"Time is not something we are willing to grant." The grated comment came from another Elite named Bjorn, a male with dark hair, bronzed skin and rainbow-colored eyes. "Our revenge must be swift, and days have already passed as we've done our best to recover."

As other Sent Ones chanted "Kill him!" Rathbone shifted into a black panther, his favorite form.

The crowd went silent as the other kings of the underworld prepared for battle. Silver armor replaced Achilles's skin. A club with powers beyond imagining appeared in Nero's hand. Baron flashed his teeth--poison dripping from his incisors. A double-pronged ax appeared in each of Gabriel's fists--one strike could break every bone in a person's body. The tattoos on Falon's chest came alive, misting from his skin, surrounding him in shadows. Hunter and Bastian vanished, suddenly invisible to the naked eye.

Hades grinned. "You'll give my son two weeks, or we war now. Decide." He purposely omitted whether he meant mortal time or Amaranthian. After they agreed, he would inform them of the time zone.

"You already war with Lucifer," Xerxes said, his teeth clenched. "Do you truly wish to take us on, as well?"

"What I wish and what I will do are rarely the same." He did wh

at he must, when he must, always. No matter how distasteful. There was no line he wouldn't cross.

The two sides faced off, taking each other's measure. The Sent Ones would find out the scrappers from the underworld backed down never. They would rather die for what they believed than live with regret.

Silence reigned...but only on the outside.

Like Sent Ones, his people had the ability to communicate inside their minds.

Nero: The longer we wait, the weaker they believe we are. Let's prove our strength.

Pandora: Always so desperate to act, Nero. But then, you do like to overcompensate.

Rathbone: What do you have against action, Tasty Treat? Not getting enough lately?

Pandora: Screw you.

Rathbone: Here or when we return home? I'm game either way.

Baden: Children, please.

Achilles: Which one of you drank my latte this morning? Tell me before I start splitting open bellies to check.

Bastian: The Sent Ones have sixty seconds to make up their minds, or I'm killing everyone and going home. I left a woman tied to my bed--and her husband nailed to my wall.

Hunter: Isn't her husband our father and the woman our stepmother? And haven't you been doing this for nearly a hundred years?

Bastian: Some games are always fun.

Gabriel: Remind me to RSVP hell, no to your next family gathering.

Falon: Remind me to RSVP hell, yes to your next family gathering.

Baron: Anyone want to grab a burger after this?

Baden: My woman awaits me. If someone doesn't act soon--

"Very well," Xerxes finally announced. "William has two weeks to kill Taliesin the Demented."

"Two weeks Amaranthian time," Thane added, and Hades expelled a breath--his omission had been noted. "If he succeeds, Amaranthia lives on. If he fails, we destroy the realm and all its citizens."

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