Hades’s warning played inside his head at full blast. The day you meet Axel, a part of you will die.
Air wheezed from between clenched teeth. What part of him was supposed to die this day?
He should send Axel away. Or leave. Yes. Leave. Just walk off without looking back. Now, now, now, damn it. For Hades. Yes. Hades would expect it, and rightfully so. William had vowed to avoid Axel at every possible turn. But...
The damage was already done, his feet rooted in place. No part of him wished to abandon his...brother. The moisture in his mouth dried, and he swallowed the lump growing in his throat. How many nights had he dreamed of this moment? How many times had he wondered about what could have been?
“Uncanny right?” Axel patted his stubble-darkened jaw. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re the most beautiful man ever to live, or is it just me?”
Their resemblance truly was extraordinary. They had the same dark hair, same electric blues and perfect nose. Same...everything. Heart racing, he asked, “Why are you here, Axel?”
“Why do you think I’m here? Or did I get the beauty and the brains?”
Okay. A halfway decent burn. But damn it! He didn’t want to admire this man. He’d only want to spend more time with him, something he absolutely could not do, not if he wanted to appease the only father he’d ever known.
“Obviously we’ve heard the same rumors. We look alike, and we might be brothers. You wanted to meet me. So. What do you think?” William extended his arms and performed a spin, crimson bubbles popping beneath his boots. A piece of demon liver fell out of his hair and plopped to the floor. “Am I everything you hoped or more?”
Axel hid his emotions behind a bland expression. “You assume I cared enough to wonder about the brother who never sought me out?”
A much better burn. One with bite. “Let me try this again. Are you here because of Fox?”
“I am, yes.” Pretending to wipe dust off a side table, Axel added, “As you may or may not know, I recently received a promotion to Elite.”
Soon, I will receive a promotion, as well. King William. No better name. “Why remind me? Trying to impress me?”
Axel’s cheeks reddened. I’ll take that as a yes. “I acted as one of the judges for Fox’s case. She is to be executed right away.”
William ran his tongue over his teeth. “Ah. I see. You went with retaliation, the demon way, versus forgiveness, the Sent One way.”
Now Axel scowled.
If the Sent Ones captured Fox, she would die screaming. No one unleashed wrath quite like Axel’s crew. William might have avoided Axel all these years, not even allowing himself to think about the male most days, but he’d also collected stories about his exploits. “Who did you appoint as her executioner?”
“Bjorn the Last True Dread.”
Not good. Not good at all. Bjorn wasn’t exactly right in the head, his mind filled with land mines ready to explode at any moment. Long ago, demons had captured, imprisoned and tortured him, along with his two closest friends. Centuries later, some kind of shadow queen had forced a mystical bond with him, draining his life force bit by bit. He would be difficult to manage.
“You should know Fox’s execution will be a declaration of war.” While William couldn’t afford to fight a second war right now, he really couldn’t ignore a slight against an ally. To do so would invite incursion by countless enemies.
Axel offered a cold smile. “I’m sure Bjorn will tremble—with laughter.” He waved a hand, dismissing the subject. “As for my second order of business. Armies of Sent Ones will be moving to Hell. We’ve decided to join your war against Lucifer. Now you can actually win.”
Fighting beside Axel...having him close...planning and scheming together...
William should protest. His world had just turned upside down and inside out. Worse, Hades would be upset. But, what if he could have Hades and Axel in his life?
Hope and worry collided. The day you meet Axel, a part of you will die.
What part, damn it? And why?
“Axel,” he began.
“No,” Axel snapped. “Whatever you’re going to say, don’t. I delivered my news. We’re done.” A second later, he vanished, flashing away. A surprise. Most Sent Ones didn’t possess the ability to flash.
William expelled a breath and rubbed the center of his chest. Had he ever felt so raw? So confused and unsure? So needy, but also defensive? Inside, William still carried pieces of the broken little boy he’d been.
He wondered if this was how his dual-natured unicorn felt all the time. Pulled in two different directions.
She deserves better.
His hand—a hand that had remained steady during countless battles and wars—trembled as he palmed his cell phone and typed a message to Hades. Better to confess as quickly as possible to mitigate any damage.
I met Axel. It was an accident, but it happened. You’ll be happy to know all parts of me survived.
All the while his inner little boy cried, Don’t be mad. Don’t stop loving me.
Hades’s response arrived a second later, the cell vibrating. Daddy Dearest: Then it has already begun.
His tremors worsened. And what is “it” exactly?
Daddy Dearest: The death of our relationship.
12
“I don’t do temptation. I am temptation.”
William pushed open the stable doors. As he stalked inside, morning sunlight framed his big body, creating a halo effect. Sunny’s heart kicked into a wild rhythm. With his head high and his shoulders back, he was the master of all he surveyed. Powerful. Beautiful. And pure temptation...
Blood wet his three-piece suit. Why so dressed up? And had he run into one of her traps? Using magic, she’d created invisible stakes along the outer walls of the stable.
“Where’s my sweet little tuna?” he bellowed. “You never texted me back.”
She lay on the bed, poring over the photos of his book for the bazillionth time, the code still a total and complete mystery. A first for her. She’d tossed and turned all night long, going over the swirls and points again and again, doing her best to ignore an increasingly intense sexual ache. One day closer to mating season.
“So we’re starting the new day with a complaint? How wonderful,” she grumbled, climbing to her feet. Knowing he would turn up sooner or later, she’d showered and dressed in a half shirt that revealed serious under-boob and a sexy, non-granny pair of panties. From shoulders to ankles she had incredibly detailed tattoos of thorny vines, dew-dotted leaves and blooming roses.
Let his next round of torment begin. You can look but you can’t touch...
William spotted her and stopped in his tracks. He raked his gaze over her, his irises catching fire. His shaft hardened in seconds, stretching the fly of his slacks, and she tried not to grin.
She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, asking, “Something wrong, sweet prince?”
He jolted as if she’d punched him, then scrubbed a hand over his mouth. “Yes, something’s wrong. You lied to me.”
What! “I never lied to you or anyone. I can’t.”
“Oh, really? I was promised geriatric chic, and I got stay-at-home-mom cozy.”
A husky laugh spilled from her. Would she ever be able to predict this man’s reactions? He was a mystery she couldn’t solve, and an aphrodisiac she shouldn’t want. But want him she did. He made her ache, turned her internal thermostat to white-hot, and caused flutters to tantalize her core.
Remember your purpose. Right. Sobering up in a hurry, she told him, “I have a list for you. The names of poachers and collectors on my trail. You said you’d kill them if they came after me, but why wait? I want their heads now.”
“Let’s see the list.”
She dropped the photos and lifted the appropriate page, but she didn’t close the distance—yet. Deep brea
th in, out. Good, that’s good. The aching, heating and throbbing eased.
She stood and strolled over. As his gaze tracked her every move, she rolled her hips with carnal indulgence. She might lack proper flirting skills, but she excelled at kinetic energy. She handed over the paper.
A muscle jumped beneath his eye. “Consider everyone on the list dead.”
“I’ll consider them dead when you bring me their heads.”
Features softening, he said, “Are you worried because of mating season?”
She went still. “How do you know about mating season?”
An-n-nd the muscle started jumping again. “Doesn’t matter. I will—” He pressed his lips together. “You will—” Again, he pressed his lips into a thin line. “We’ll discuss it later,” he repeated.
Red dotted her vision. What does he hide from me? “Later is what you told me last time, too. Now is later.”