Devil May Cry (42 page)

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.”

 

HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK AT ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2008

ACHERON

A DARK-HUNTER NOVEL

BY SHERRILYN KENYON

NOW AVAILABLE FROM
ST. MARTIN'S PAPERBACKS

 

 

June 23, 9527 BC

Acheron
sat on the railing of his balcony completely drunk as he watched the elaborately dressed guests arriving for the birthday party in the palace below. His back was pressed against the building while his legs were stretched out before him in a precarious balance. He wasn't sure how much he'd imbibed at this point.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to kill him. But if he were lucky, he might yet tumble from his perch to the rocks a hundred feet below and die horribly there.

That would definitely fuck up his brother's birthday celebration. For the first time in weeks, he laughed at the thought of Styxx dropping dead in front of the gathered nobles and dignitaries.

It would serve them right.

“It's my birthday too,” he shouted, knowing no one could hear him. Even if they could, they wouldn't care.

Not even Artemis could be bothered to celebrate with him. Why? Because she was afraid someone would see her with him …

Gods forbid.

Acheron turned his head and winced as pain cut through him. He hated the fact that she alone could give him so much anguish. So careful he'd been to shield himself from the callousness of those around him. But Artemis, she cut him on a level no one else could touch.

And like everyone else, she didn't care how much she hurt him.

Then again, he should be grateful. At least this year he wasn't celebrating the anniversary of his birth in a prison …

Or a stew.

Ever alone. Even when he was in a crowd, surrounded by people, he was alone.

Truthfully, he was tired of it. No one wanted him. The only reason his so-called family cared whether he lived or died was because if he died, their beloved Styxx died, too.

“I've had enough.”

Even though he was only one and twenty, he was as tired as an old man. He'd lived beyond his years and wanted no more pain. No more loneliness.

It was time to end it.

The voices he heard in his head were louder now. They were calling him home …

Acheron stood up on the railing. The winds from below rushed up over him, fanning his hair out as he stared down at the black sea. He dropped his goblet and watched as it tumbled down below, vanishing from his sight.

One step.

No pain.

Everything would end.

“It's time,” he breathed. There was no one here to stop him this time. No Ryssa to pull him back. No father to tie him down and prevent it. No Estes to call for a physician.

Freedom.

Closing his eyes, he let go and stepped off.

Fear and relief whipped through him. In a moment, he'd have his long-sought-after peace.

Suddenly, something hard struck his stomach. Acheron gasped at the pain. He opened his eyes out of reflex.

Instead of falling, he was now rising, away from the sea. The sound of the waves crashing against rocks was replaced by the heavy fluttering of giant wings. He turned to see a demon holding him.

“Let me go!” he shouted, trying to free himself.

She didn't. Not until she'd returned him to the balcony where he'd been.

Acheron staggered back as she perched on the railing and watched him closely. She had long straight black hair that fell over skin that was marbled with white and red. Her eyes glowed in the darkness, white irises, surrounded by vivid red. Like her hair, her wings and horns were black.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice filled with venom.

“Akri should be more careful,” she whispered kindly. “Had Xiamara been a moment later, you would have died.”

“I wanted to die.”

She cocked her head in a gesture that reminded him of a bird. “But why, akri?” She looked over her shoulder to where the people were still arriving. “So many come to celebrate your human birth.”

“They don't come for me.”

Xiamara frowned at him. “But you are the prince. Heir.”