Pride of the Lion: Hades' Carnival, Book 3 (13 page)

“Then that’s my problem, isn’t it?”

Leander raked his hands through his hair and his elbow hit the window. He started to swear but swallowed the foul language, not wanting to upset Araminta any more than she already was. He was jammed in here so tight he wasn’t certain he’d be able to get out. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm.

What was it about Araminta that made him crazy? His lion roared inside him, a sharp reminder of what he knew to be true. She made him nuts, scared him to death, because she belonged to him.

Never in his tens of thousands of years of living had he had something to lose. He and his fellow warriors were friends, brothers even. But they were all battle-hardened warriors and knew they might fall one day in the service of the Lady. This was different. Araminta belonged to him. And he belonged to her.

He reached out and touched the side of her face. His fingers were rough against her petal-soft skin. She shuddered and briefly closed her eyes before glaring at him again. She truly was a worthy mate for him. Suddenly, he wanted to smile and laugh but refrained because she truly looked angry with him.

He leaned forward and brushed his mouth over hers. Her lips tasted sweet, but they also tasted of remembered fear. Her skin was salty and musky with the remnants of terror. She’d faced four demons and hadn’t run, hadn’t left him.

“You scared me.” It was the closest he could come to an apology because he still believed she should have left him behind to fight on his own. Her safety was everything to him. It was a stark realization to come to, that this human’s well-being meant more to him than anything else. More than freeing his goddess, more than his fellow warriors, more than his own safety.

“I don’t understand you.” The anger seemed to drain out of her, leaving only fatigue and wariness behind.

“I know.” He brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He could lose himself in her beautiful misty-gray eyes.

“You don’t look very comfortable. There’s a lever under the front of your seat. Just pull it up and push and your seat will shift back.”

He did as she told him and the seat slid, giving him more legroom. He still couldn’t say he was comfortable, but at least he didn’t feel quite so hemmed in.

He faced her, knowing he had to be fully honest with her. “The next day is going to be harder than anything you’ve ever experienced. The demons back at the garage were only the beginning.”

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. “What were they?”

“They are Arrocks, vicious fighting demons. Not too smart but built for endurance.”

Araminta drew back and rested her head against her seat. “I don’t understand. Why doesn’t Hades simply attack and kill us? He has the power.”

Leander frowned. “I thought you knew the story of the Lady and the curse.”

“I dreamed it and wrote about it, but I have no idea what’s fact and what’s fiction.” She turned her head and faced him once more. “So Hades doesn’t want to attract the attention of his brothers or the other gods and goddesses. And his being in this realm for too long or sending too many of his minions to one spot would do that.”

“Yes. That much power in one area would bring some god or goddess poking around. There is no trust in the court of the Greek gods.”

“But you and your fellow warriors are already here and have existed in this realm for thousands of years.”

Leander thought she looked tired and longed to take her into his arms. But this was neither the time nor place. “We should keep driving.”

She shot him a look of frustration and released a long sigh. “Of course.” Araminta put the car in gear again and eased out into traffic. He studied how she moved and handled the vehicle. He understood what a car was and the mechanics of driving, but seeing it was something else altogether.

“And, yes, we have been here for so long we do not attract the attention of the other gods and goddesses.” Araminta was involved in this fight and she deserved to know the truth. She hadn’t asked for this, but she was a pawn in a war between gods.

“So what is Hades’ plan?”

Leander shook his head. “I’m not sure. I think he wants us to lead his armies. If we were stationed in strategic points around the world, it wouldn’t be hard for Hades to open portals and have his demons stream out. While his demons were taking this world, my brethren and I could engage the other gods. The war would be over before it began. The Greek gods are much weaker now than they were in ancient times.”

Araminta started to turn toward an off ramp to head toward the highway, but at the last second she turned the car down another road. This one had two lanes of traffic and seemed quiet. “Because they gain power when people worship them. And people don’t worship ancient Greek gods and goddesses anymore.”

He inclined his head. “Exactly.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe I dreamed all of this and wrote about it. I mean Tiger’s Curse is the first book in my Demon’s Wrath series. I’ve already written a second book about the bear warrior. Was that real? Where did the ideas come from?”

Leander shrugged, but the idea of Hades invading Araminta’s dreams bothered him greatly. “I don’t know if it was Hades manipulating you so you’d be more likely to accept me, or if it was a gift from the Lady herself.”

“I guess it doesn’t really matter.” Dawn was breaking on the horizon and Leander knew she was right. It didn’t really matter how she knew these things, only that she did. The next few hours would decide their fate. Once it was over, if they were still alive, they could figure out their next move.

Leander stared out the window, soaking in the sight of the world after being trapped for thousands of years. He was used to seeing it all secondhand, taking memories from the demons who’d attended them for all those years. This was real and it was incredible.

The colors and sights were astounding. The occasional vehicle whizzed by them, heading in the opposite direction. He saw fast-food restaurants, gas stations and a Wal-Mart in the distance. Imagine being able to walk into a building and buy all manner of ready-made clothes, food and so much more. He longed to visit them all and experience them firsthand in a leisurely manner.

But nothing caught and held his attention like the woman sitting next to him. Araminta was the greatest treasure this world had to offer, and he would protect her with his life.

He reached out and settled his hand on her thigh. After a moment’s hesitation, she rested her hand on top of his. For now, it was enough.

Hades reclined on a black velvet sofa wearing a pair of loose black pants. He was feeling much better about things since he’d viewed the Lady through the magic of the mirror he’d bartered from a powerful sorceress two thousand years ago. The goddess was naked, powerless and alone in the middle of a vast untamed forest. She was no threat to him.

He, on the other hand, was doing quite well. He had a drink in his hand, his armies preparing for war and a deliciously nude Luna at his feet. He was still angry with Luna but needed her. He’d punish her later for her earlier transgression when her part in this was done.

He was just finishing watching the warrior and the woman as they fled from the city. The scene on the mirror faded away and he wished he could watch for longer. But when the action happened outside his realm he was limited to a mere hour a day, so he used the power sparingly. He’d already used most of his allotted time watching the lion fight his demons.

It was interesting to see one of the warriors at odds with the woman who freed him. She’d actually tried to get rid of him, ordering him out of her car. Hades could use this to his advantage.

He crooked his finger at Luna and she climbed up his body, naked and ready to do whatever he asked of her. She settled on his thighs and he admired the way her ample breasts swayed as she moved. “This situation could be good for me. Araminta seems to be fighting the warrior.”

“She’s a mouse.” Luna rubbed his erect cock through the fine silk of his pants. “All she wants is to be left alone in her pitiful little home writing her silly books.”

“Hmm.” Hades considered his options. He’d thought about attacking and not giving either of them any opportunity to make a deal. After all, that hadn’t worked out well the last time he’d tried it.

The warrior seemed loyal. He could have cut and run, leaving the woman to her fate at the hands of the demons. But he’d stayed and fought. Hades hated the warriors for their honor even as he wanted it pledged to him.

But the woman was different. She seemed ripe for a deal. He discounted the fact Araminta had run down one of the demons. She was frightened and thought she needed the warrior to protect her. Look at how fast she’d tried to kick him out of her car once she was safe.

He’d take the warrior off her hands in exchange for a more interesting life. After all, no one could be satisfied with such a pitiful existence. He’d read the reports on Araminta and studied her strengths and weaknesses. After all, that was the best way to discover what someone wanted, what would tempt them to make a deal.

And if there was one thing he was good at, it was making deals.

Luna tugged down his zipper and licked her lips. Hades waved his hand, feeling rather magnanimous again. “Go ahead and have your fun. Then you’ll go back and visit Araminta and offer her the deal of a lifetime.”

Chapter Eight

Araminta drove by rote, paying more attention to the man beside her than to the road in front of her. She’d avoided the highway, not wanting to have to deal with extra traffic. Not that it really mattered. It was a fairly short drive home anyway and traffic was light at this early hour of the morning. She wasn’t looking forward to facing the break-in at her home or whatever Hades was going to throw at them in the next eighteen or so hours.

Dawn would break in the distance soon, golden with promise for most folks. But her own future was looking pretty bleak at the moment. Being attacked by demons had made the entire situation all too real.

Her stomach growled, reminding her that no matter how crazy life got there were still some things that didn’t change—she was hungry and she had to pee. And if there was a chance she might die today she might as well eat everything she wanted.

“I’m going to stop and get something to eat. Do you want anything?”

She sensed his interest pick up. “Can we stop here?” He pointed at a popular fast-food chain just up ahead on the right.

“Sure.” She turned on her signal light, pulled into the parking lot and found an empty spot near the door. “Okay, here are the rules. No swords allowed and you need to put on a shirt, something that covers more of you than that vest does. No bare chests allowed in the restaurant.”

He frowned, but a second later the vest disappeared and his magnificent chest was covered by a sleeveless leather tunic with ties in the front. She swallowed hard at the casual display of power. The guy was magic, in more ways than one.

Don’t think about it, she admonished herself. Yes, he was sex on a stick, but he was also immortal and his time with her was temporary. Plus, he had a mission that was more important to him than anything. If she let herself have feelings for him she’d only be hurt when he left. That’s assuming they both survived the next few hours.

“Will this do?” He frowned at her and she realized she’d been sitting there like an idiot staring at him.

She grabbed her purse and shoved open her door. “That’s fine.”

He was beside her before she reached the door to the restaurant, opening it and holding it for her. Head held high and shoulders back, she started to march up to the counter but suddenly changed directions. “I’m going to the ladies room.”

She was about to push open the door to the bathroom when she realized he was right behind her. She whirled around and slapped her hand on Leander’s chest, stopping him in his tracks. “You can’t come in here.”

“Why not?” His frown got darker and his gaze narrowed.

She pointed to the little sign of the stick-figure woman on the door. “Ladies only. If you need to use the bathroom, you go there.” She pointed at the other door.

“I do not want to leave you alone.” He started to muscle past her, but she planted her feet and refused to budge.

“You can’t go in there. You’re going to get us in trouble if you keep this up.” Already she could see several patrons watching, a couple of them with frowns on their faces. Not good. They were attracting attention, something they didn’t need, not with demons chasing them. “I’ll only be a minute. If it makes you feel any better, stand guard by the door.”

“I will do that.” He crossed his massive arms over his chest and stood with legs braced apart next to the entrance to the ladies’ room. Araminta only hoped that no other woman needed to pee in a hurry. She didn’t think Leander would let them in.

She hurried to the first stall and took care of business. When she was done, she washed her hands and tucked some stray ends of hair behind her ears. She really needed to brush and braid it again but didn’t want to take the time. There was no telling how long Leander’s patience would hold.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, studying it and searching for changes in herself. Surely everything she’d gone through should have left its mark. Her eyes were tired and slightly bloodshot, but she didn’t look bad for a woman who’d been dragged into a war between a god and goddess, slept with an immortal warrior and been attacked by demons. She looked like herself, only exhausted and slightly shell-shocked.