glove compartment to snoop for more weapons.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m sure you have weapons, right?” She leaned over and looked into the backseat. Totally clean. Great. She had to hook up with a total OCD neat freak when she bloody needed weapons. No way was she going into Hades with only one little blade. It wasn’t even the power-packed one she’d used before.
One poke with that blade, and they were toast. With this one, she had to chop off heads. Gross.
“Relax. I have some more in the trunk.” He smiled.
She sagged against the leather seat. Her tummy rumbled, but it felt more like hunger, and she hadn’t been hungry in days.
“There’s food in the cooler back there, you see it?”
“You carry food?”
“I’ve been following you around, and I need snacks to keep this body going.” He shrugged. “Well, not really, but it helps to stay fueled. We’re at our strongest when fueled.”
“And why don’t you get a fun Mavet dagger like Theo?”
“Can’t touch that thing. Burns anyone but the Gatekeeper.”
She reached back and grabbed a small red-and-white cooler. “Obviously, that’s not true. I used it—and kicked ass with it, I might add.”
“That you did. Hit me with one of those sandwiches.”
She dug out two sandwiches and Cokes. After a few minutes of silent eating, she asked, “So, you’re his brother but can’t touch his weapon?”
“Only Mates can.”
“There’s that word again.” She shook her head. Despite the action, she felt the truth of the word deep down. No way would she admit it, but she couldn’t deny it. Why else would she be ready to face Hades to get Theo out?
Her life just morphed into a sick rendition of The Twilight Zone .
“The funny thing is, you haven’t mated yet. You shouldn’t be able to touch that weapon, either. But your being his Mate will help us find him once we get down there.”
She swallowed her last bite of sandwich, and it nearly got lodged. A quick swig of the sugary soda, and she was ready to go. “Just tell me what I have to do.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Look how fast that grows back.” A raspy voice on the left side of Theo sounded like a megaphone in his ears.
He’d lost track of how long he’d been secured to this slab of steaming-hot granite. His flesh couldn’t heal, at least the parts touching it. If he arched his back enough some would heal. But fatigue wore him down.
Sadie. Dear Great One, please let her be safe.
Another slice.
Theo burrowed deep into himself. He turned out the lights of consciousness and meditated on two things. The Great One and Sadie. Those were all that could comfort him now. It blocked out the tugging, pain, and burning those minions inflicted.
He’d gotten to hold his Mate. To witness a tender moment while he watched her sleep. She’d dreamed of their almost-kiss on the bike, but in her dream, they’d kissed.
If only he could have felt her warm lips and firm body against him. He knew he’d eventually get out of this. He hadn’t seen his opportunity yet, but it would come. And knowing Justin had his Mate tucked safe and sound at the compound calmed him.
His mind wandered through options of how to free himself from this granite prison.
Aggie had outdone himself with the restraints. Not much could keep Theo down, but cursed chains evidently could.
Cursed with the blood of angels of darkness. Theo knew he’d sensed the evil of those who once served The Great One but turned their backs. And when the minions cutting on him confirmed it, he knew he’d have trouble getting out of this. His Mavets would break through, but they were in the corner. Set there by the demons as if to taunt him.
The sounds of shuffling sifted through the darkness. A strong scent of vanilla filtered into his nostrils.
Then he heard a grunt.
A female grunt.
With a roar, he opened his eyes and sat up as far as the restraints allowed, which wasn’t much.
One eye was swollen shut, still mending from the
“What are you doing?”
“I’m sure you have weapons, right?” She leaned over and looked into the backseat. Totally clean. Great. She had to hook up with a total OCD neat freak when she bloody needed weapons. No way was she going into Hades with only one little blade. It wasn’t even the power-packed one she’d used before.
One poke with that blade, and they were toast. With this one, she had to chop off heads. Gross.
“Relax. I have some more in the trunk.” He smiled.
She sagged against the leather seat. Her tummy rumbled, but it felt more like hunger, and she hadn’t been hungry in days.
“There’s food in the cooler back there, you see it?”
“You carry food?”
“I’ve been following you around, and I need snacks to keep this body going.” He shrugged. “Well, not really, but it helps to stay fueled. We’re at our strongest when fueled.”
“And why don’t you get a fun Mavet dagger like Theo?”
“Can’t touch that thing. Burns anyone but the Gatekeeper.”
She reached back and grabbed a small red-and-white cooler. “Obviously, that’s not true. I used it—and kicked ass with it, I might add.”
“That you did. Hit me with one of those sandwiches.”
She dug out two sandwiches and Cokes. After a few minutes of silent eating, she asked, “So, you’re his brother but can’t touch his weapon?”
“Only Mates can.”
“There’s that word again.” She shook her head. Despite the action, she felt the truth of the word deep down. No way would she admit it, but she couldn’t deny it. Why else would she be ready to face Hades to get Theo out?
Her life just morphed into a sick rendition of The Twilight Zone .
“The funny thing is, you haven’t mated yet. You shouldn’t be able to touch that weapon, either. But your being his Mate will help us find him once we get down there.”
She swallowed her last bite of sandwich, and it nearly got lodged. A quick swig of the sugary soda, and she was ready to go. “Just tell me what I have to do.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Look how fast that grows back.” A raspy voice on the left side of Theo sounded like a megaphone in his ears.
He’d lost track of how long he’d been secured to this slab of steaming-hot granite. His flesh couldn’t heal, at least the parts touching it. If he arched his back enough some would heal. But fatigue wore him down.
Sadie. Dear Great One, please let her be safe.
Another slice.
Theo burrowed deep into himself. He turned out the lights of consciousness and meditated on two things. The Great One and Sadie. Those were all that could comfort him now. It blocked out the tugging, pain, and burning those minions inflicted.
He’d gotten to hold his Mate. To witness a tender moment while he watched her sleep. She’d dreamed of their almost-kiss on the bike, but in her dream, they’d kissed.
If only he could have felt her warm lips and firm body against him. He knew he’d eventually get out of this. He hadn’t seen his opportunity yet, but it would come. And knowing Justin had his Mate tucked safe and sound at the compound calmed him.
His mind wandered through options of how to free himself from this granite prison.
Aggie had outdone himself with the restraints. Not much could keep Theo down, but cursed chains evidently could.
Cursed with the blood of angels of darkness. Theo knew he’d sensed the evil of those who once served The Great One but turned their backs. And when the minions cutting on him confirmed it, he knew he’d have trouble getting out of this. His Mavets would break through, but they were in the corner. Set there by the demons as if to taunt him.
The sounds of shuffling sifted through the darkness. A strong scent of vanilla filtered into his nostrils.
Then he heard a grunt.
A female grunt.
With a roar, he opened his eyes and sat up as far as the restraints allowed, which wasn’t much.
One eye was swollen shut, still mending from the
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