The Darkest King (Lords of the Underworld 15)

He readied the spear. Just need Lucy to come closer...

Cocky as he was, Lucifer took the bait. Twirling his sword, he did it: he closed the distance. As he raised the weapon, preparing to swing, William rotated to his back, met his ex-brother’s gaze and grinned.

The bastard paled, because he knew. It was too late.

Lucifer screamed as William shoved the spear up, up through his groin and torso, the tip coming out through his throat.

Panting, sweating from exertion, William maintained a tight hold on the base of the spear. He felt no joy—yet. Lucifer couldn’t escape and wouldn’t want to try, any movement increasing his pain a thousandfold, but still he lived. No death, no celebration. Only sadness?

He frowned. Sadness? Because he mourned what could have been? An unbreakable bond. Friendship. Trust. Exactly what he would have with Axel; he was determined.

“Do not render a death blow,” Hades bellowed at William. “Somehow, he’s made himself deathless, like a Phoenix. If you slay him, he’ll only reanimate stronger. I know this beyond any doubt, because I’ve killed him a dozen times.”

More secrets Hades had kept. William seethed.

“We’ll leave the piece of shit on the spear, locked in the dungeon, then surround him with mystical blocks. Just until we figure out a more permanent solution.”

And Lilith? What would he do about her?

His gaze roamed over the throne room, but he found no sign of her. Had she run off during the fight? Probably, but so what? William had no desire to go after her. The woman had tormented him for centuries, yes, but she’d also ensured he met Sunny. For that alone, he would forgive her every crime.

“Take a bow!” Anya called.

“I did it!” Keeley shouted. “I won for us!”

Gripping the end of the spear, he lifted Lucifer above his head and executed a perfect bow. The crowd cheered wildly as blood trickled from the corners of Lucifer’s mouth.

“The Sent Ones thank you, William,” Axel said, his brethren bowing their heads in a show of respect.

“I’m so proud of you!” A grinning Gillian jumped up and clapped.

Like the Sent Ones, the kings of Hell bowed their heads.

Sunny, the one he cared about most, watched him, her red eyes unsure.

Unsure? Why? He handed the spear to Axel and flashed over to nuzzle her snout and pet her hair. The more he petted her, the more she glowed. Fur and hooves disappeared. She began to shrink, and soon his perfect ray of sunshine stood before him, a golden ring remaining on her forehead, brighter than before. That glow wouldn’t go away, would it? From now on, he would be able to draw forth the horn with or without her approval.

Wait. She was naked. “Turn around or die!” he shouted at the others.

Of course, no one obeyed. Rathbone tossed him an extralarge T-shirt. A shirt saturated with the king’s scent. William gritted his teeth.

After he’d maneuvered Sunny’s arms through the appropriate slots, he drew her close. She melted against him, their bodies seeming to fuse together.

He kissed the glowing ring and told her, “I love you, Sunny. I love you so damn much. If you leave me again...never leave me again.”

“I love you, too. And I never wanted to leave. I only wanted to protect you.” She rubbed two fingers around the light. “You see it now. You’ll always see it, so you’ll always know where to cut, if ever you wish to remove my horn.”

He kissed the bright ring again, the rest of the world fading from his awareness. “Darling, I’ve seen the faint outline from the beginning. It’s one of the reasons I guessed what you were.”

“You did? Truly?”

“Truly.”

Her eyes widened. “Then the Wrathlings must have used Fae or unicorn as one of your DNA components. Or both!”

“If I’m part unicorn, I guess that makes me your new king.” He might not ever know what all he was made of, but he didn’t care anymore. He was what he was—Sunny’s man, Axel’s brother. Hades’s son?

“Actually, that makes me your queen, a much more exalted position” she said with a toothy grin. “But I wonder if you’re the king of other species, too, making me their queen, too, of course. We’ve got to find out! More kingdoms, more places for our animals to live. Congrats! We’re having a menagerie! And sage! I wish you’d told me you saw an outline of the horn. I might have shown you my unicorn self sooner.”

Please. He knew his unicorn. “You would have run for the hills, love.”

She shrugged. “Yeah. Probably.”

They shared a happy smile, until her amusement fled. Pupils enlarged, she stepped away from him, severing contact. Roses bloomed in her cheeks.

“What’s wrong, sundae?” he asked, confused and concerned. Everyone else stared at him in the same way. And why the hell was the upper part of his scalp burning...burning, hotter and hotter?

“Fetch a mirror,” Sunny commanded anyone and everyone.

Someone obeyed. Footsteps. Silence. Everyone continued to stare at him, and he scowled. More footsteps. Sunny shoved a handheld mirror in his direction, and he clasped the handle. In the glass, his reflection revealed...

What the hell? He saw a crown. A crown had appeared atop his head, made of brimstone and bone. All around it, different-size spikes stuck out, creating a buck-like horn effect.

To his shock, Hades was the first to bow. The others quickly followed suit. Actually, everyone but Sunny followed suit. She remained at his side, her head high.

“How?” he demanded of Hades.

Hades’s voice filled his head. —The legends you’ve heard about needing to find a crown are false. In actuality, the kings of Hell choose who rules at their sides. The moment we are in accord, a coronation occurs. If you wish to reject this honor, you have only to destroy the crown.—

So, Lucifer’s crown had not been hidden but destroyed. Mind reeling. Anger and hurt rising. The hidden crown was another childhood lie on Hades’s part, and the death blow to their relationship. “You and I are finished. Done.” Bitterness coated his words. Ignore the sadness in the undertone. “I want nothing more to do with you. Yet you want me, your fated killer, ruling at your side?” Now the bitterness escaped on a laugh, an-n-nd, yes, there was still an undertone of sadness. Damn it!

Hades raised his chin, eyes narrowing, upper and lower lashes fusing. He demonstrated no guilt, no remorse of any kind. “I did what I thought was necessary to survive. I didn’t know I would grow to love you.”

Fury shoved his next words out of his mouth at warp speed. “If you loved me, you would never have kept me from Axel. You would have saved Axel, too.”

“I did save Axel. I gave him to the Sent Ones. And I kept the two of you apart, not just to survive, but to keep you in my life.” His chin dipped ever so slightly, as if...as if... No. As if he did feel guilty. But Hades never entertained guilt. Not for any reason. “I did not wish to give you up.”

“And yet you did give me up,” William snapped. “Since Axel’s arrival in Hell, you have avoided me.”

“Yes. I gave you time with him, without interference.”

“And your reaction over the medallion?”

Hades closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “I knew you could use it against me. I would have given it back once we’d reached an understanding. I admit I handled things...poorly.”

As much of an apology as he’d ever given.

William gazed around the room, seeing the people he loved and protected. His pack. Could he hate his father for a life well lived? No. In the end, he announced, “I will not choose between you and Axel. If you insist I do, that is your choice, and your loss. Eject yourself from my life or not. I’ll carry on regardless, as I’ve proven.”

Hades peered at him, silent, for a long while. Ultimately, he offered a brusque nod.

Something inside W

illiam loosened, almost like a net splitting open to release a great weight. “I’m going home with my unicorn to celebrate our victory.”

“And my coronation.”

“And our upcoming marriage.”

“Marriage?” With a squeal of happiness she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. “You want to marry me?” Her smile quickly faded. “What about the curse? The book—”

“The book was poisoning you, love. Every time you studied the symbols, you were hit with another dose of mystical poison, warping your mind against me. Without the book, you’ll only want to kill me when I’m withholding orgasms, just to hear you scream. Also, the word want is an understatement. I demand marriage. I’m a king, so I can do that now. But first, you get a spanking for leaving me.”

She laughed, the sound warming him. “Sure, but you get a spanking for being injured.”

“Deal.” He faced the crowd, catching smile after smile. “Everyone is invited to my home for the first annual Ball and Chain Celebration in an hour...no, three days...no, a week...no, two weeks. The spanking takes time.” Without another word, he flashed Sunny to their bedroom and tossed her on the bed.

As she bounced, her grin returned, those purple eyes sparkling brighter than ever. “Since I’m going to honor you with my hand in marriage and become your queen, you have to meet my list of demands. I expect a throne the same size as yours, and none of that ridiculous the queen gets a smaller one business. And I believe there should be a national pajama day. And—”