The Dark-Hunters, page 366
Please don’t let this hurt her. Don’t let her regret her love the way I regret mine. Please …
Taking a deep breath, he spoke. “Give him your powers, Kat.”
She scowled at him. “What? I don’t have the power to heal myself.”
“I know. But your powers are from the Atlantean and Greek pantheons. They’re not Sumerian. Those powers will negate the sword blade. It will save him. Trust me. But you’ll have to give away your powers permanently.”
Kat couldn’t breathe as she heard those words. She’d never been without her powers … it would leave her defenseless. Vulnerable.
“Don’t, Kat,” Sin said, his teeth chattering from the pain of his wound. “Don’t weaken yourself for me.”
Those words cemented her conviction. Her heart pounding, she leaned over and kissed him. And as she did so, she summoned her powers from deep inside and let them leave her to fill his body.
Sin’s head swam from the sensation of her gentle lips and from the power that suddenly filled him. He lay there unable to breathe as every sight and sound was amplified. He’d known Kat was powerful, but the magnitude of her powers hit him hard.
What she’d given up …
For him.
The fact that she’d never abused so much power or hurt anyone with it. It was mind-blowing and it made him love her all the more.
She pulled back to look at him.
Sin cupped her face in his hands as he stared at her in wonder. She was truly the most beautiful soul he’d ever encountered. “I love you, Kat.”
Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “I know.”
Invigorated, Sin pushed himself up. Kat stood to his right and Ash to his left. The instant they were on their feet, the demons retreated. All those who were able to vanished.
“Oh come on,” Sin taunted. “You cowards.”
But there was no sign of them now.
Deimos wiped his hand over his cheek as his comrades finished off the demons who were wounded or dead. “Did anyone happen to see where that Dimme went?”
No one had an answer. One by one, they all had to admit no one had seen her leave.
Deimos let out a heavy breath. “Well, this sucks, huh?”
Kish scoffed. “Not from where I’m standing. If we lived, it’s a damn good day.”
Xypher nodded. “He does have a point. Trust the one person in the room who is currently dead.”
Sin moved to Zakar who was still trembling and sweating even though he was standing.
“The demon is still in me,” he whispered.
“I know.” Sin pulled his brother against him. “And we’re not going to let it win.”
Kat looked around at the damage. There were demon bodies everywhere. The Dolophoni who were wounded were cauterizing their wounds. She was grateful they’d been able to confine their battle to this cavern.
But would they be able to do it the next time? “Can one Dimme end the world?”
Sin stepped back from Zakar. “Not as easily as seven could. Besides, she should be easy to spot. She won’t have any social skills and she’s hungry.”
Kat hoped he was right. “When they attack do they convert those they bite?”
Sin shook his head. “No. They just kill.”
“Well, that’s one thing, I guess.”
M’Adoc came forward to address Sin. “We’ll patrol dreams, watching for the gallu to turn up.”
“And I’ll warn the Dark-Hunters, Chthonians, and Squires to watch for them,” Ash said.
Kat sighed at the carnage. “I guess that’s all we can do. That and clean our wounds.”
“Yeah,” Kish said, “but we saved the world just now. You have to feel good about that.”
Sin agreed. “I do. But I’ll feel a whole lot better when we find Kessar and his crew and the Dimme and eliminate that threat entirely.”
“Believe me,” Kat said, leaning against him, “we’ll all feel better.”
Sin laced his fingers with hers before he spoke to Ash. “Can you locate them?”
“No. They’re off my radar. The best defense we have against them is you.”
Without thinking, Sin put his arm around Kat. As soon as he did, he saw the look of warning from Ash.
Ash crossed his arms as he approached them slowly. “You ever hurt her, god or no god, I’m going to kick your ass.”
Sin laughed. “Don’t worry. I’d die before I let anything happen to her.”
“You remember that, and you’ll have a long and pain-free life.”
Kat smiled as love for both of them welled up inside her.
One by one, the Dream-Hunters and Dolophoni left.
“Xypher?” Kat called as he started to leave too.
He turned toward her.
“I’ll speak with Hades immediately to get you your freedom.”
Xypher curled his lip. “Human for a month. I can’t wait.” But buried in that disgusted tone, she heard the underlying hope and anticipation.
With a nod to them, he vanished.
Ash held his hand out to Xirena. “You ready to return to Kalosis?”
“Am I ever. The human world just has too many humans in it for me, which wouldn’t be bad if I could eat some. As it is, it’s just too cruel to be taunted this way. Let me go back to my shopping room.”
Ash paused. “I’ll check in with you guys when I can. In the meantime, you know where to find me.”
Sin turned to Zakar. “C’mon, Brother. Let’s go home.”
Zakar shook his head. “I think I need some time alone.”
Sin frowned. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know. The world’s changed … and so have I. I need to find my place in it again. Don’t worry. I’ll be in touch.”
Kat felt the sadness in Sin as his brother vanished. “He meant what he said. He’s not out to do harm.”
“I know. It’s just hard to see him leave like this.” He leaned his head against hers. “I only hope he finds what he needs.”
Kat patted his ribs before she left his side to retrieve the sfora. She closed her fingers around it. It looked so small and insignificant, yet it had held back the destruction of the world. “Well, we averted this crisis. I can’t wait to see what comes next.”
Kish stepped out from the shadows. “Um, guys, can we go home now?”
Sin took her hand. “Yeah, we’re going home.”
* * *
Kessar stood back as he watched the remnants of his people. They’d suffered an atrocious blow today. But they weren’t defeated. Even though this was a hard situation, there was still hope.
And hope had seen him through worse times than this.
Leaving his people to tend their wounds and set up their homes, he wandered through the new caverns they’d found to use in just such a case.
But honestly, he was tired of hiding. If they were to venture out, they would need an ally. One they could depend on who was just as angry and bloodthirsty as he was.
One who hated humans as much, if not more.…
As Kessar paused in the lowest part of the cavern, the old adage played through his head. My enemy’s enemy is my friend.
Drawing a circle on the ground, he filled it with the image of a dragon … an ancient symbol of a cursed race who had once been their enemies.
War made such strange bedfellows.
“Strykerius!” he shouted, summoning a different kind of demon from its home.
A thick smoke appeared from the circle to form the image of a man Kessar hadn’t seen in centuries. Tall and well-muscled, he had short black hair and a nasty attitude that more than matched Kessar’s.
Stryker looked at him with cold disdain. “I thought you were dead.”
Kessar laughed before he removed his sunglasses to show Stryker his red glowing eyes. “I’m alive … and we need to talk.”
EPILOGUE
One month later.
Kat snuggled closer to Sin as they lay entwined in bed. There was nothing she adored more than feeling his hard muscles against her naked body. If she could, she’d spend eternity right here.
But they’d been in bed for almost fourteen hours and sooner or later, they’d have to get up to attend to business in the casino … and the business of patrolling for gallu.
They still hadn’t found the location of the Dimme. But so far, the demon hadn’t gone on a rampage. Kat wasn’t sure if that was good or not. She was glad the lone Dimme wasn’t killing humans willy-nilly, but it must be killing someone in order to survive. And it would continue to do so until they located it.
Sighing, she heard Sin’s cell phone going off again. “Damien,” she said, recognizing the ring tone.
“Probably.” Sin rolled over to rub noses with her.
She wrapped her body around his and moaned at the wonderful sensation of him on top of her. “Aren’t you going to answer it?”
“Eventually. First I have something I want to do.”
She gave him a wicked grin. “I thought you already did that.”
His gold eyes burned into hers as he stared at her as if he could eat her up. “Not yet.” He pressed his lips to hers.
Kat sighed at the taste of him until she felt the electric surge of powers moving from him to her again. She tried to pull away, but Sin held her close until she felt every bit of her old power.
Only then did he release her. His gaze searched her face and body as if afraid he’d harmed her. “Did it work? Are all your powers back?”
She nodded.
He let out a relieved breath. “Good. I’ve been trying to figure out how to do that since you gave them to me. You know it’s not easy to control all that power.”
“Yes, I do know.” She cupped his cheek in her hand. “It’s how I accidentally depleted a certain Sumerian as a young woman and almost killed him.”
“That was what I was afraid of doing with you. I didn’t want to hurt you, but I want you back as you were.”
“Why?”
“Because I love that about you and I don’t want to take anything from you. I only want to make your life as great as you make mine.”
Warmth filled her at his words. “So I guess this means that you’ve abandoned all your quests to get back at Artemis, huh?”
A devilish glint appeared in his eyes. He only looked like that when he was plotting something. “No, not entirely.”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged before he nipped at her lips. “I’ve just found a better form of vengeance than killing her.”
“And that is?”
His eyes glowed warmly as he locked gazes with her. “I want to see the look on her face when you tell her she’s going to be a grandma.”
Kat laughed. He was absolutely evil, but that was what she loved most about him. “Then get dressed, my sweet, and we’ll go make your day.”
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
DEVIL MAY CRY
Copyright © 2007 by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Excerpt from Acheron copyright © 2008 by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 0-312-94686-4
EAN: 978-0-312-94686-9
St. Martin’s Press hardcover edition / August 2007
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / April 2008
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
eISBN 9781429917421
First eBook edition: February 2014
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UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR
SHERRILYN KENYON
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue
A Special Holiday Word from Sherrilyn Kenyon
Holiday Gatherings
Copyright
To Monique for going above and beyond the call of duty. You are the absolute best! And to all my friends for being there when I needed you most. To the RBL’s for their never-ending dedication and support.
Most of all, for you, the reader. Thank you for taking this trip with me.
The way to overcome the angry man is with gentleness, the evil man with goodness, the miser with generosity and the liar with truth.
—An Indian proverb
It sounds good, doesn’t it? If only people and life were that effing easy. Trust me, it takes more than a friendly biscuit to tame a hungry lion. And it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Then it’s war.
—Savitar, Chthonian god
PROLOGUE
Dolor smiled as he finally felt the call of his summoning ring. For countless centuries he’d been asleep—cursed to wait for another human to grow enough testicles to awaken him. How he hated the dream goddess, Leta, for her abilities to trap him to this fate. To make him the lapdog of a mere mortal.
Now the bitch would pay.
But first he’d have to deal with this pathetic mortal who had temporary power over him.
Leaning his head back, he allowed the conscious part of himself to travel through the darkness until he appeared as an apparition before his summoner.
“See! I told you it would work!”
Dolor frowned at the small, round male who had beady blue eyes, glasses, and a bald scalp that gleamed under the grueling fluorescent lights. He stood next to a taller human whose blond hair was cut close to his head. His green eyes were feral with madness and anger.
And those green eyes narrowed suspiciously on Dolor. “Who are you?”
Dolor snorted at the asinine question. “You summoned me. Don’t you know?”
The human gaped as the smaller man pushed his glasses back onto his nose with his forefinger. His jowls flapped as he looked up at the taller man. “See, I told you, Donnie. The book of spells and ring worked just like Mark said it would. I told you Mark was a genius about all that weird occult stuff. He’s never been wrong before. Now you tell the pain god who you want punished and he’ll do it.”
“For a price,” Dolor added, reminding them that there was more to bringing him back from stasis than just reading the lines from his book and wearing his binding ring. Right now, most of his powers were still bound by Leta’s curse.
The blond man crossed his arms over his chest and gave him a tough, smug grimace. “What price?”
Dolor shrugged nonchalantly as if the steep price was nothing at all. “The price of all vengeance—blood sacrifice. I will need you to kill someone in order to awaken me from my slumber.”
The one called Donnie nodded as if he agreed to the terms. An instant later, he pulled a small shiv from his back pocket and cut the throat of the man beside him. The smaller man tried to scream, but the cut was too deep to allow it.
Dolor lifted an eyebrow as the shorter man fell to the floor, clasping his neck and jerking until death finally claimed him. Donnie merely watched him die without a single sign of remorse or feeling for the person who’d been his cellmate for the last two years.
Good. Dolor needed someone this soulless to help him.
Smiling, he applauded the human. “Nice gesture, but not what I needed.”
Donnie curled his lip. “What do you mean?”
“There is a ritual, you fool. I don’t come back without…” Dolor hesitated at revealing too much lest he frighten the human away, “certain requirements.”
“And they are?”
Again, Dolor hesitated, but there was no other way for the human to awaken Dolor’s powers. Hopefully the human would continue to be heartless and cold. “The blood of a loved one. You must offer me someone important to you and you must utter my curse while you bleed them. When the words are spoken and they lie dead, my powers will be unbound and I’ll be able to enter this world.”
There was a little more to it than that, but the human didn’t need to know the rest until the time came for it.
First things first. If Dolor could get this sacrifice, the rest would be easier … provided the human was serious about his vengeance.
Donnie scowled as if skeptical. “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”
“Why would I lie?”
“Because everyone does.”
And he would know. It was lies and deception that had landed this piece of trash in prison. Dolor gave him a soothing, if not insincere, smile. “True, but I want my freedom as much as you do.”
Donnie scoffed. “And I’ve seen this movie a few times. You’ll kill me once you’re free, won’t you?”
Dolor laughed. “My venom isn’t for you, little human. I have my own person to bleed. Because of her, I have to do what you order me to first. Then and only then will I be free to exact my own revenge. Trust me, you’ll live a long time once I’m gone.”
Because living with the actions he’d have to take to free Dolor was the worst thing Dolor could do for this human and since he was the god of pain …
Dolor smiled and this time he meant it.
Donnie stepped over the body to approach his shimmering ghost form. “I’ve been waiting for this for far too long. Since the day I was first arrested, I’ve been trying any- and everything I could and nothing has worked. What I want more than anything else in this world is my kid brother dead and I want him to suffer unimaginable misery before he dies. We’re talking pain of Biblical proportions. The kind that has him screaming out for mercy and begging me to kill him to end it while I laugh at his agony. Can you do that?”
