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  Betrayal pricked her heart. He had allowed his new pet to do something to her. Not once in the last three years of their relationship had Damian allowed any harm come to her, if he could prevent it. One time, a year ago, he had been offered a disgusting amount of money to deceive her, and he had refused. Treachery over money, she could almost understand, but this, to this woman, she could not and would not comprehend.

  Almost at the edge of the wood, Hades stopped and hunkered down. Kat followed the lead and crawled up to his position. He touched his eyes and pointed to the small clearing. Kat squinted into the dark. The full moon illuminated the area and she could clearly see two figures lying in the grassy meadow. Damian was on his back, his pants pushed to his ankles. Darquiel knelt over him seductively.

  “You see, I was right,” Hades whispered.

  Kat didn’t answer but kept watch on the couple. Darquiel bent forward and put her head between his legs. Kat could hear Damian moan.

  Hades turned to her and winked. “Give you any ideas?”

  “Fuck you,” she mouthed.

  “That’s the idea.”

  Kat punched him in the arm. It had no effect. It was like punching a wall. Her hand stung, but wasn’t about to let him know. Her dignity stood in the way.

  Hades leaned in close to her, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Let’s leave them, and go back and have our own fun.”

  This close, she could smell him. Sweat, leather, and male. A delicious combination. She cringed and tried to pull away, but landed on her ass. He moved closer and touched her leg. Even through the leather of her pants, she could feel his heat. If she didn’t move soon, she’d be in trouble.

  The moans that drifted across the clearing didn’t help in squashing her libido. In fact, the erotic sounds revved it up. She felt her insides tighten. She could not deny her attraction to Hades. He was just the type of guy she liked. Big, strong, and mean. But there was just one problem – he would not be her toy. In fact, they would struggle in the bed for supremacy. She was not quite sure if she wanted to win. And that fact kept her from taking him right here, right now.

  “Don’t.” She scooted away from him.

  “I know you want me.” He cupped her cheek and rubbed a thumb over her quivering lips. “And I want you, too, more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.”

  Kat took in a deep breath as Hades leaned forward. They were inches apart. She could feel his hot breath on her face. She didn’t pull back when he pressed his lips to hers. Kat’s restraint broke, and she accepted what he offered.

  Grabbing his jacket, she pulled him closer. Savagely they kissed, nipping playfully at each other’s lips. She groaned low in her throat as he moved his hand down to her breast, squeezing her through the fabric of her shirt.

  A cry rang out in the night.

  Kat pushed Hades away and turned toward the clearing.

  “What was that?” Hades asked.

  “Damian.”

  Kneeling between Damian’s legs, Darquiel nestled into his groin. Clearly in pain, Damian’s bowed his back and shook his head from side to side.

  “What is she doing?” Hades queried.

  Kat shook her head and continued to watch. Damian began to scream. In two seconds flat, Kat pushed to her feet and ran across the field. Slinging the shotgun forward, she pumped a round into the chamber.

  As Kat neared their forms, Darquiel raised her head. Blood glistened on her lips and chin in the pale moonlight. Her eyes widened as she saw Kat barreling toward her with the weapon aimed. Jumping to her feet, Darquiel held out her hands in defense. Kat ran right into her, ramming the other woman’s gut.

  They fell to the ground, Kat on top, the gun jammed between them. Kat glowered down at Darquiel, rage making her see red, her finger twitching on the trigger.

  Sneering, Darquiel pushed with her arms. Kat lifted in the air and flew backwards, landing hard on her ass about seven feet away.

  Kat shook her head and got to her feet. The impact knocked the breath from her lungs. It felt like she had fallen out a two-story window. Lifting her head, she stared at Darquiel. The girl was freakishly strong.

  Damian was now up and kneeling at Darquiel’s feet, his arms wrapped around her legs. Cowering next to her, protecting her with his body.

  Kat raised the gun. “Move, Damian.”

  He shook his head, but refused to look at her.

  Hades took a step toward Kat. “Don’t kill her.”

  “She was going to kill him.”

  Hades glanced at Darquiel, his brow crinkled in thought. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “She was feeding from me,” Damian sputtered. “She needs blood to sustain her life.”

  “Move!” Kat’s hands shook with rage. She’d never been this fueled by anger before. Most times, she handled situations with calm, cool precision. But not this time. This time it was way too personal.

  Damian stood and shielded Darquiel with his own body, his pants still bunched at his ankles. Blood dripped down his leg from two small holes in his upper thigh.

  “She’s inhuman, Damian. She’s trapped you.”

  Darquiel stepped from behind Damian, placing a pale hand on his shoulder seeming to comfort. “I’m a vampyre. I’m allergic to the sun, and I need blood to live. Without it I would eventually starve to death no matter how much food I ate.”

  Kat stared at her, the gun steady and sure in her hands. She just needed one clean shot, but Damian was too close. He would jump in front the bullet, she was sure.

  “What did you do to my head?” Kat demanded.

  “I clouded it. It’s a trick I learned.”

  Damian pleaded, reaching out to Kat. “Put the gun down. I can explain this.”

  “Maybe if you pulled your pants up, she’d listen,” Hades said while his hand fell to the knife sheath strapped to his thigh.

  Struggling to pull his pants up, Damian winced as the fabric brushed over his bite marks. When he had them fastened, he started toward Kat.

  “Stay where you are,” Kat advised, her voice calm despite the quivers racing through her body.

  Damian flinched at her cold voice but stilled in midstride. “Why? You have nothing to fear from me.”

  “But I do from her? Is that what you’re saying?” Kat prompted.

  “No. That’s not what I meant. Kat, you don’t understand. If I, if we, could explain you would see that this…that this was nothing.”

  “I’m listening. And it better be good or I’ll blow her fucking head off.”

  “Could we go back to camp and sit down and talk?” Damian suggested.

  “No,” Kat commanded. “We do this here, now. I won’t give her a chance to overpower me.”

  Damian stumbled sideways. “Well I’m sitting. I feel a little faint.” He dropped to the ground, landing smartly on his ass.

  Darquiel rushed to him, concern furrowing her brow.

  “You might as well sit with him,” Kat growled, gesturing with her weapon.

  Darquiel sat cross-legged beside Damian, putting her arm around him as he leaned into her. Kat found the act more possessive than comforting.

  Kat nodded to her. “Talk.”

  “When I was fifteen, I went to The Vanquished City with my mom and dad and little brother. My dad was a real archaeologist. He located and excavated lost technology. To study what went wrong the first time around.” Her voice was cold and calm as she spoke. “We made camp at the perimeter of the city. That first night, we were attacked. Our guide was the first to be slaughtered. His heart was ripped from his body. They put it in a plastic bag and took it with them. I know,” she paused, “…because I held it in my hands later that night.”

  Kat could only imagine the girl’s horror at what she experienced. Just hearing about it, made Kat’s skin crawl.

  “My mom and dad were next. They had their throats torn out, and their bodily fluids were consumed. My dear little brother was the last to die. You see, he had hidden at the first sign of vio
lence. But they soon found him. They could smell his fear.” She shivered slightly and Damian placed his hand on her leg. “They made me watch as the leader, Baruch, slit his throat with a small razor he had imbedded in his thumb. He did it slowly, and I watched as every spasm of pain flashed across Tom’s face. They took me with them to their lair beneath the city. Baruch took a liking to me. He thought my pain looked exquisite etched across my pale innocent face.” She hugged Damian closer to her, but kept Kat’s gaze. Although her story was filled with horrors, her voice was even and calm, cold even. “You see, I know what hell looks like. It’s the face of my brother as he slowly died from blood loss, pain and suffering swimming in his clear blue eyes. You can point whatever you like at me, but I have already died and been to hell. There is nothing you can do to me that would be worse.”

  Kat continued to watch Darquiel, the gun still raised. She had heard stories about cannibals living in the wastelands, blood rituals, and human sacrifices. She didn’t believe them. She couldn’t believe that humans could do that to each other. But, obviously, they could do a lot worse.

  She felt sorry for Darquiel’s plight, but still didn’t trust her. She’d been made into something unnatural and tainted. Could her mind have sustained such torture and torment without becoming twisted and corrupted? That was the question Kat was not sure she could risk finding the answer. It might kill them all.

  “If your story is true, then how could we possibly trust you? You could be leading us into a trap. An ambush for your blood-sucking friends.”

  Damian jumped to his feet and charged toward her. “You bitch! How can you say such a thing?”

  Hades grabbed him before he could reach Kat and the shotgun she still held steady and firm. “Don’t be stupid. If the blood wasn’t pumping elsewhere in your body, you’d realize she has a sound point.”

  “Damian, I’d put you down if I knew you weren’t under her influence,” Kat hissed between clenched teeth. Damian slumped against Hades.

  Darquiel stood. “Damian, it’s okay. Her question is valid.” She turned toward Kat. “You have no reason to trust me, and there is no guarantee I can give you that you’ll accept. So it seems we are at an impasse.”

  Kat turned her gaze to Damian. His face was drawn and tired. He met her stare, his eyes pleading, begging her. She ignored them.

  Her attention returned to Darquiel. “As soon as we reach the city’s border, you’ll leave. If you don’t, I’ll blow you away. We’ll be picking off your remains for days.”

  Darquiel nodded. “Agreed.”

  “No!” Damian shouted.

  Kat ignored his plea. “The rest of the time, you’ll be bound. I won’t take any chances.”

  Darquiel nodded again.

  Kat lowered her gun, and glanced up into the sky. “Let’s break camp and get on our way. It will be dawn soon.”

  When Hades let go of Damian, he rushed to Darquiel and hugged her hard.

  “You two, go first.” She motioned with her weapon towards the woods.

  Darquiel and Damian trudged forward. Kat followed with Hades close behind. They returned to camp without incident and started to pack up to get back on the road. The wastelands were only a day away, and who knew what was waiting for them there.

  Eyeing Damian and Darquiel, Kat rolled up her tent and shoved it into the canvas bag. Damian was reluctantly putting away their food and water supplies while watching Darquiel slumped up against a tree, her wrists tied tight. Kat could feel her well-laid plans unraveling thread by thread.

  She had not counted on trouble from their guide, or the fact that Darquiel enthralled Damian, to the point where Kat felt him slipping away from her. Something she thought would never happen. She wasn’t overly conceited to think that he would never find someone else, but she hadn’t expected it this way or with this girl. After the hunt, Kat assumed that she and Damian would be hooting it up somewhere with the money they got from the treasure. It was obvious now that wasn’t going to happen.

  As she strapped bags to her bike, Kat’s gaze swayed to Hades. He, too, fastened gear onto his saddlebags. Hades was another unexpected problem, and the last person she thought she’d ever team up with. For more years than she could remember, the two of them had been battling, unseen and apart, for treasure hunts. Although invisible, his presence continually pressed down on her. Always, she felt like she had to compete with him, outdo him, and impress him. Now that she ended up here, face to face with him, she felt other unwelcome emotions.

  She was starting to like him.

  Certainly, he pulled at her carnally. The man possessed a sexy, dark and dangerous aura that made her mouth water and her lower parts boil. But there were other qualities about him that were starting to eat at her insides. He was charming in a wolfish way – which of course turned her on even more – and made her laugh. Life didn’t bring her much to laugh about. So she found his easygoing manner refreshing.

  With Damian slowly pulling away, Hades’ presence was welcoming. It was just that Kat had no idea what to do with the sensation and with the feelings creeping up on her. Emotions didn’t work for her. They hadn’t helped her in the past, and she couldn’t imagine what good they would be in the future. They would get in her way, especially on the most dangerous hunt of her life.

  While she shoved another pack into her saddlebag, she did the same with her emotions. Pushing them deep inside where she hoped the feelings would stay. The last thing she needed was to get involved with Hades. He was trouble in more ways than she wanted to consider.

  Chapter Six

  After another grueling twelve hours on the road, the group pulled over into a boggy clearing surrounded by a clump of bushes and several huge boulders. It wasn’t the most pleasant spot to camp, with the soft ground and putrid smell, but at least it had water. Not clean clear water, but enough to wash up in and siphon off for drinking.

  Kat unpacked her tent, and pitched it near the boulders to block out the increasing wind and to protect her back. Hades, Damian and Darquiel did their own house keeping and then settled down to eat. Since they were occupied, Kat thought it would be an opportune time for her to change clothes and wash. Taking her pack, she ducked behind the scraggily bushes.

  Stripping off her sodden and dirty t-shirt, Kat crouched down next to the swamp and dipped the fabric into the water. Her skin felt gritty and grimy after the long ride. Even with her jacket on, dirt managed to coat her skin. She stood and rubbed her wet t-shirt over her torso and under her arms. What she wouldn’t give for a bath right about now. A nice, long, hot bath with scented soap.

  Closing her eyes, she indulged in her fantasy, and continued to trail the wet cloth over her skin.

  “How’s the water?”

  As Kat’s eyes sprang open, she brought the t-shirt up to her breasts. But by the look in Hades eyes, she knew he’d been watching her. Covering herself now, didn’t make a difference. He’d already seen the goods.

  Turning, she gave him her back, and continued to wash her arms and shoulders. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her blush. She was surprised to find that she almost had.

  “It’s wet,” she commented trying to sound casual, as if his presence didn’t affect her. In reality though, her heart had picked up a few beats and shivers of anticipation tingled over her flesh. When he stepped up behind her, close enough to touch, Kat had to stop herself from spinning around and embracing him.

  “Want me to wash you?”

  She could hear the sexual proposition in his question. And she was more than tempted to take it. More than she wanted to admit.

  “I got it, thanks,” she said as she rubbed the cloth up her neck.

  Suddenly, cool liquid dribbled down her back bringing instant relief to the sweltering heat. A low moan escaped her lips before she could stop it. She glanced over her shoulder as Hades, his sexy dimple winking at her, wrung out his bandana above her again.

  “How’s that feel?”

  She smiled, reluctant
ly charmed by the rogue. “Fantastic.”

  “Good, because you’re doing me later.”

  Kat burst out laughing, unable to stop herself. The man had magnetism; that was for sure. She found it impossible to dislike him.

  “Do women really fall for your wit and charm?”

  “No. It’s my body that they can’t resist.” He flexed his brawny arm. His bicep bulged like a rock under his skin. Impressive. But Kat’s gaze traveled lower. She imagined he had interesting bulges all over his powerful frame.

  He smiled when he noticed her wandering eyes and took a step closer to her. Kat turned her head around and braced herself for what she knew was coming.

  He touched her shoulder first, caressing her skin with the gentle stroke of his thumb. She sucked in a breath as he moved his hands down her back, rubbing her tight sore muscles in little circles.

  Another groan escaped her lips.

  Hades chuckled. “Enjoying this?”

  “Hell, yeah. I can’t remember the last time I had a good back massage,” Kat confessed.

  Positioning his palms near her shoulders, he started to massage, pushing his thumbs up under her hair along the back of her neck. “Damian’s neglecting his duties?”

  Although his words were said casually, Kat could hear the tension in his timber. Was he jealous? He had no claim on her. His jealousy was misplaced. Damian and she had an open relationship. If Kat wanted to pursue something more with Hades, she would.

  “None of your business,” Kat said as she rotated her neck enjoying his strong hands on her flesh. She wanted to fall into him, and let his hands roam lower in more needy places.

  “Hmm, what if I want to make it my business?” He nuzzled his face into her hair, and started to slide his hands down over her chest.

  Pushing aside her hair with his nose, Hades pressed his lips to the side of her throat. “I love the smell of your skin.” He trailed his tongue up and down her neck, stopping to suck on a particular sensitive spot just below her ear.