Hunted by Darkness (Darkness #4) (6 page)

He hooked one arm through hers, keeping her pinned to him, and started to do a slow turn. Twenty in all. He’d seen similar creatures before. “You have to cut off their tails, not their heads.” Because otherwise two more heads would grow back in place.

He had no doubt he could take them on, but not with Nyx here.

“Uh, how the hell do we do that?”

The creatures moved closer, forty feet away now.

“We don’t. Unleash all of your power. Bring this place down. Then we run.” As plans went, it was shitty, but right now his only concern was getting Nyx to safety.

It raked against his instinct to turn from a fight, any fight, but he could shelve his warrior pride and run. For Nyx. Luckily he could run very, very fast.

“Okay.” Her voice was a low murmur.

He unleashed his own talons, extending them as concrete exploded around them, raining down on everything in a burst of chaos.

“Shit!” Turning, he grabbed Nyx and tossed her over his shoulder.

She yelped but wrapped her arms tight around his back as he draped an arm over her jeans-clad legs. Dodging a falling brick, he slashed out with his talons at one of the advancing creatures, slicing its tail off in one quick swoop.

It wailed in agony before turning to ash, but he wasn’t stopping to see his handiwork. There was an opening in the falling walls and he had to get through it before this place collapsed.

“Behind us!” Nyx shouted. “I can’t stop it!”

He glanced over his shoulder to see one of the walls teetering inward. His heartrate skyrocketed. It would crush them and while he was certain they’d survive, it would break a lot of bones. They’d be weak while they recovered; prey.

The creatures were all running now too, none of them focused on Bo and Nyx. On a burst of adrenaline, he raced faster, the muscles in his legs tightening as he jumped onto a pile of fallen concrete.

He jumped off it, using one of the creatures’ bodies as a springboard to leap to another pile. A rushing sound, like hail slamming against the earth echoed around them as they reached the opposite wall.

It was only eight feet high. “Hold on!” he shouted above the growing din of cries and rumbling.

Letting go of her legs, he jumped and latched onto the low wall. Using all the strength of his upper body, he barely felt the exertion of energy as he hoisted them up and over it. His feet landed on the hard earth on the other side with a thud.

Adrenaline punched through him like lightning as he surveyed their surroundings. A lush jungle spread out before them under the lavender sky. He had no idea what creatures waited for them here, but he had no choice except to find out.

A deafening boom sounded behind them, spurring him into action. He didn’t waste energy looking back. It wouldn’t matter if he saw how close the rushing avalanche of debris was. He couldn’t afford any distraction now.

Not when he was very aware of the peril they were in until they escaped the landslide of rubble. The ground rumbled beneath them as a few giant bricks slid past him.

Shit, shit, shit.

He sprinted for the line of trees, a thin film of sweat covering him as they breached the forest. The thick trunks of the high canopy trees were a bright red, the color streaking past him as he raced deeper into the unknown. Ducking low-hanging branches and jumping over protruding roots, he didn’t break pace.

“We can stop now.” Nyx dug her fingers into his flesh. She seemed that much more delicate when he was in this form. That alone triggered his most protective urges. Normally in his demon form he wasn’t protective of anything, his beast was more primal. But all he wanted to do was keep her safe. Claim her. Make her his forever.

The forest had started to thin, the thick trunks growing even smaller. Ahead he could see what looked like a clearing. He started to slow, when a blur of motion moved out from his left.

Three of the scorpion-hellhound creatures advanced. Without losing momentum, he dropped Nyx onto her feet and shoved her behind him.

His talons unsheathed again as he swiped at the first, slashing across one of its eyes.

Nyx screamed behind him. He turned at the sound, his first mistake. One of the beasts lunged, its talons tearing into Bo’s chest as he fell back.

Out of the corner of his eye Bo saw a hooded figure grab Nyx, toss her over his shoulder the same way Bo had done.

A savage roar ripped from his throat, and it wasn’t because of the fiery pain where the creature’s claws had sunk into his flesh.
No one
was taking his female.

He punched up at the underside of the creature on top of him, slicing right through its body. There was more than one way to kill these things, but he’d told Nyx the simplest.

Now he grasped its heart, ripped it from its body. Ash sprayed over him as another creature jumped on him.

He rolled quickly, punching the thing in the face even as it slashed at his arms, legs and torso.

Flesh tore from his body as the thing fought him, but he blocked the pain. Seconds mattered now. He had to get to Nyx.

With a twist, he turned the beast and sliced off its tail. More ash exploded everywhere as the third creature turned and ran into the woods.

He didn’t bother giving chase, but raced in the direction Nyx had gone. In his human form he might not have the same abilities as shifters, but in his demon form, in this realm, he could follow his female anywhere by tracking her scent. Though she couldn’t have gone far, he hated not having a visual of her.

Her scent, like roses and sunshine, was potent, calling to him on the most primal level. He wouldn’t stop hunting until he had her back.

Whoever had dared to take her was going to die. Slowly.

* * *

A heavy hand swatted Nyx’s butt as she punched against the solid mass. “Let me go!” Her fists stung from hitting the man’s back—this guy was like a rock.

“Calm down, you will be safe soon.” The male’s voice was deep and raspy with the hint of an accent.

She snarled in outrage even as fear ricocheted through her. But she wasn’t doing herself or Bo any good by thrashing around like a maniac when this male was unmovable. She couldn’t even see what kind of creature he was with the hood covering his head and body. She’d have to wait until he put her down.

She forced herself to remain still, to save her energy when all she wanted to do was scream and beat at this guy. The last thing she’d seen after a blur of hands had scooped her up was Bo lying on his back, fighting those freaky beasts.

Fear seized her throat, but she told herself he would be okay. He’d have to be okay. She refused to accept anything less. If he wasn’t, she was going to bring this entire realm down to rubble. Then raze it to nothing.

She was aware that this was probably an overreaction of violence but the thought of Bo hurt or worse made something dark flare to life inside her. Something she hadn’t known existed inside her. She might still be mad at him, but the male was honorable. He’d literally thrown himself over her body to protect her when they’d fallen into this realm. He’d wrapped himself around her tight to keep her safe. Then he’d done everything in his power to get them free from those weird animals.

“You’re safe now,” the male holding her said, his speed slowing from frighteningly fast to mere sprinting. The ground flew by under her at epic speed, making her wonder what kind of being this was. He was moving as fast as Bo had.

She was sure she’d find out soon enough. While she wasn’t a warrior by any stretch of the imagination and her powers were erratic on the best of days, she was going to go down swinging no matter what. If she couldn’t take this male in hand-to-hand combat—and that was doubtful considering she didn’t know how to fight—she’d try to use her powers to at least stun him and then run.

She had to get back to Bo.

His enraged roar still echoed in her mind. What if he was hurt? She swallowed hard, shelving those feelings. Breaking down wouldn’t do him any good. She just needed to get free and save him. Bo was strong. He would be okay—he
had
to be. Of course she needed to figure out what direction he’d taken her so she could find her way back to Bo.

The male slowed even more, his grip on her loosening just a fraction. His arm was like a titanium band over the back of her legs. Still not the time to attempt to break free. Soon though.

When he bounded up a set of steps, another burst of panic surged through her. Before she could figure out where they were a heavy door slammed shut and she found herself being placed on her feet—in a huge domed foyer with marble flooring.

She immediately stepped back a few feet, putting distance between herself and the hooded male figure.

He lifted his
blue
hands, palm up, before shoving his hood back to reveal amber eyes very similar to Bo’s. “I wish you no harm.”

The sound of hurried footsteps brought up another swell of worry. They weren’t alone. And she didn’t believe that this guy didn’t want to harm her. Not for a second. Even if it was weird that he was the same coloring and size as Bo.

Another male who had to be at least seven feet with smooth blue skin, no shirt and harem-style pants strode out from a hallway. His eyes widened as he looked at her, then at the male still half covered with his black cloak.

“Who the fuck is this?” His voice wasn’t as raspy, but he was clearly annoyed. He had a similar accent as his friend. Irish or Scottish maybe. She couldn’t tell and didn’t care much.

“We haven’t gotten that far in the introductions.”

“I don’t care who she is, get rid of her. We can’t have some…fae female here.” He looked at her again, derision written on the harsh planes of his face.

These two males looked so much like Bo it stunned her. The one with the bare chest even had similar tattoos covering his body and arms, the symbols seeming to swirl over his skin. But his eyes were a mossy green.

“I’m only half-fae,” she snapped, even though that wasn’t remotely the point. It just annoyed her that they were judging her heritage. A nearby vase exploded under the force of her emotions. She inwardly cringed when the two males looked at her now with more than just curiosity.

“What are you?” the second male asked.

“None of your business. Now let me go. I have to get back to my friend.” Even if deep down she thought of Bo than more than just a friend. Way more.

“The male who kidnapped you?”

“He didn’t kidnap me, you idiot!”

His amber eyes widened.

“Such language,” the other one with the smoother voice muttered, his sarcasm clear.

“You know what, you two can suck…” Her brain short circuited as the two watched her curiously.

“Suck?” The bare-chested one lifted an eyebrow, almost suggestively.

“A bag of dicks!” The words were out before she could stop herself. As soon as she said it, embarrassment welled inside her. She’d heard Cynara say it to a jerk customer before, but the insult was foreign on Nyx’s lips.

The one on the left laughed uproariously, as if what she’d said was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.

She took a small step for the door. They weren’t directly in front of it and if she could just get out, she was going to make a run for it.

A crack split the air, sending the door flying back as Bo stormed in, his razor sharp talons unleashed as deadly weapons.

Completely naked, covered in blood and ash, his eyes glowed like a supernova. Unless she’d completely lost her mind, he looked even bigger than he had in the ruins. When he looked at her briefly, sweeping her from head to toe, she saw the relief in his eyes before he turned to the other two males.

He snarled, baring teeth as he took a menacing step toward the two males. He didn’t say a word, but the intent written in every line of his body was clear.

He was going to kill these two males.

Chapter 6

“Bo, wait!” Nyx raced toward him as the other two males tensed, clearly anticipating a fight. When it was evident that none of them were going to listen to her—and an all-out battle to the death was about to take place, she did the only thing she could think of.

Vases and mirrors in the huge entryway all exploded at once, sending shards flying inward. She didn’t bother ducking, knowing the slivers wouldn’t touch her, not when she’d created the chaos. Belatedly she realized that she’d actually targeted her powers onto specific items, but she couldn’t focus on that now.

All three males froze, looking at her—and all the glass and ceramic froze midair as well.

She had to talk fast. “Bo, they didn’t hurt me. I don’t think they were going to, either. And…look.” Motioning to the tattoos on the one on the left, she took a step closer to Bo, but he held a hand out, blocking her from moving past him.

He turned to the males though, and she could see the awareness register as he saw the tattoos on the male with the bare chest. They were definitely the same as his own.

The one who’d taken her held up his palms in a peaceful gesture. “First, I’m going to put all the glass back in place,” he said even as everything shifted back together.

She’d thought Bo had been the one to freeze everything, but apparently not.