The Darkest Torment (Lords of the Underworld 12)

As he straightened, his gaze locked on Pandora. The eye he’d daggered was still in the process of healing. The more vulnerable parts of the body required more time. But at least she was regenerating, despite being a spirit.

Growing new limbs might be possible. But only with the bands?

She wore a black tank, revealing the marks of Corruption on her arm.

In terms of humans they’d killed, they were even. Baden had six other points, not counting the points they shared for killing Lucifer’s minion. How many others did she have? And why did he feel no desire to slay her, despite her actions this day?

“Hello, Baden.” She flashed her teeth in a parody of a grin, reloaded and took aim. Aleksander was anchored to her waist, a rope tied to the end of the chain and wrapped around her wrist. A handicap. Perfect. “Your little trap failed, as you can see. I found the key in the rubble.”

“You have something that belongs to me,” Baden said as Destruction snarled.

“He’s mine!”

Baden launched a dagger, aiming for the rope.

Pandora must have thought he meant to kill the bastard rather than allow her to leave with him because she leaped, taking the hit in her thigh. She cringed, lifting her semiautomatic and firing off two more shots.

The bullets slammed into his torso, shredding his stomach. He leaked black goo and hemorrhaged strength.

“If he’s dead, he can’t tell us where to find the coin.” She kept her gun trained on Baden, her arm trembling as she leaked her own river of black.

Could she not bring herself to injure him further? She must feel the connection, too.

“He’ll never tell us,” Baden said. “And the coin isn’t why I want him.” He addressed the male. “Voice your divorce from Katarina.”

“Never,” Aleksander vowed.

Thinks to deny me?

Rage...

“The girl again.” Pandora shook her head with disgust. “Only the coin matters. It will force Hades to grant my greatest wish.”

Her certainty... “I know that, but how do you?”

“You’re not the only one with friends, Baddy Boy.”

His head canted to the side as he studied her. “You plan to use the coin to buy the kingdom for yourself, do you not?”

“Yes! Don’t you?”

“No.” But at least she was honest. “You’ve never been possessed. You don’t know the horrors of living with a demon.”

“I’m host to shadows and a being with memories I’ve never lived. I can handle demons.”

Wrong. You didn’t handle demons. You starved them.

“Besides, an army is an army,” she added. “I’ll never be helpless again!”

A sentiment he shared. To a point. “There are other ways. Pandy.”

She gave a violent shake of her head. “Leave now, and live. Stay, and we’ll fight to your next death.”

Destruction ran his hooves through his mind, ready to charge her. A threat was a threat, no matter the connection.

Katarina would disagree. As long as there’s breath, there’s hope.

“Do you truly want to forfeit freedom from the bands?” Hades could forgive a few bumps and bruises, but not a murder.

Eyes wild, she said, “The coin will buy my kingdom and my freedom. Perhaps I’ll spare you today and take you as my slave tomorrow.”

That was her grand plan? “You think Hades doesn’t already have kings under his control? I’ve seen them. You’ve seen them.” The warriors who’d tossed him across the throne room as if he were as light as a feather. “You might have a kingdom, but you sure as shit won’t have your freedom.”

“I will.” How desperate she sounded. “I can’t go on like this.”

Compassion nicked him, an emotion he’d rarely felt for this woman. He blamed Katarina. Her softer side must have rubbed off on him.

Aleksander smirked at him over Pandora’s shoulder, and the beast bang, banged against Baden’s skull in an effort to reach the male.

His temples throbbed. Focus. “I won’t let you—”

“Give me one night with him, and I’ll vow never to harm your human.”

Pandora’s words shut down his threat and even quieted Destruction. She’d just offered the one thing he couldn’t refuse. “I’ll give you one night.” A calculated risk. If she found the coin, she would gain another point. And even if she failed, the male would be away from Baden’s strict control.

“Tomorrow,” he added, “I will come for him.”