Entwined

Chapter Nineteen

The shower did little to chill Zander out. A frenzied storm bubbled beneath the surface of his control, and every second he spent here at the colony wasting time only energized the lightning inside him.

He wrapped a white towel around his waist without bothering to dry himself off. When he stepped into the bedroom Nick had told him to use to get cleaned up, he found Titus leaning against the wall and Lena already setting out scissors, needles and medical crap on the coffee table in the sitting area.

Lovely. Titus was here to make sure Zander didn’t snarl at the half-breed and that the healer, who obviously didn’t give a rat’s ass about Zander, did her job.

He didn’t bother arguing. Instead, he crossed the floor and dropped into the chair the healer nodded toward. The sooner he got stitched up, the sooner he could haul ass back to the hunt and find his son. Fear and dread spread through his chest, condensed into rage. This time he had very definite, very gruesome plans for the next SOB he found.

Titus didn’t speak as Lena went to work, just crossed his arms over his chest and chewed on the toothpick sticking out of his mouth.

Lena pressed all around the edges of the wound with her fingertips. “It’s not too deep. This shouldn’t take long.”

He kept his eyes on the pale yellow wall while she went to work.

She glanced at his face. “Nick mentioned what happened.” When he didn’t answer, she stuck him with a needle—not, he noticed, gently. “Is it true? Does Atalanta really have your son?”

Just the mention of his son sent the firestorm swirling all over again. He clenched his jaw, worked hard not to let the rage overtake him here, curled his hands into fists and tried to think about…nothing.

Except it didn’t work.

She set the syringe on the table, reached for a needle and threaded it, her focus intent on the instruments in her hands. “Does she…does Callia know?”

He wasn’t in the mood to talk. Especially about Callia. But he also wasn’t in the mood to piss off one more person who could push him over the edge. “Yes.”

“And you’re here looking for him. Where is she?”

“Home.”

“In Argolea. Where she’s safe.”

The disapproval in her words was more than evident. He clenched his jaw to the point of pain so he didn’t let her have it.

She drew the needle into his skin and back up again, never meeting his gaze. “You underestimate her, Argonaut.”

Like he gave a rip what she thought.

She continued stitching. He went back to watching the wall. Silence descended as she worked. Finally, she tied off the ends of the threads, snipped and covered the wound with a clean dressing, then said, “That’s it. I’d tell you to be careful with it, but I have a feeling you’ll just do whatever the hell you want, so I won’t bother.”

She packed up the rest of her things, flicked a look at Titus still leaning against the wall. “I’m done.”

Titus nodded once and Zander had the distinct impression he was being babysat.

Which rankled. Big-time. That fury bubbled and swirled.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for.” Lena stopped with one hand on the door. “Just don’t be surprised if it’s not what you expected.”

Rankled? Shit, forget Titus. The healer knew how to irritate the fuck out of a person. He needed to get the hell out of here, like now, before he blew his lid.

Zander pushed to his feet.

“Hold up, old man.”

Titus ambled toward him, shifting the toothpick to the other side of his mouth and shoving his big hands into his pockets. His shoulders remained relaxed, but the intensity in his eyes was a big ol’ red flag that he had something on his mind.

I don’t have fucking time for this.

“Well, make time,” Titus muttered.

Zander heaved a sigh, because even in his mood he knew taking Titus on right now had bad news tattooed all over it. “What?”

“The healer had a point.”

Zander shot his kinsman a bored look.

“Callia has a right to be here.”

Not a fucking chance. “It’s too dangerous.”

Zander didn’t make it a foot away before Titus stepped in his path. “Too dangerous for whom? Her or you?”

Zander narrowed his eyes. “What the hell are you getting at?”

“I’m just saying. It should be her decision, Z, not yours. To hell with how it affects you.”

Zander’s eyes widened. Titus knew Callia was his vulnerability? Fucking fantastic. His mind skipped back over the connection Titus and Callia seemed to share and that rage worked its way in again. He clenched his jaw to tamp it down. “Screw how it affects me. You know it’ll be a thousand times worse if those daemons find her now. I’m not letting them touch her. Not letting anyone touch her. She’s been through enough. You don’t like my methods, don’t agree with my decision? Too fucking bad. She’s not your soul mate, so it’s not your damn call.”

One side of Titus’s lips curled, just a touch. A lame-ass grin that made Zander want to shove his fist through the wall…or through Titus’s face, he didn’t care which.

“Suspicion confirmed,” Titus muttered. Then louder, “Word to the wise, dude. You are officially fucked.”

Zander glared at Titus as the other Argonaut moved toward the door. “Tell me something I don’t already know.”

“Do yourself a favor, Z. Before you fuck this up any more than you already have. Tell Callia the truth.”

Zander stared after Titus as the guardian left the room, confused by what had just happened here. He’d never understood Titus, and now was no exception, but he had a strange feeling the guardian was trying to help him, not twist the knife. Outside in the hall, voices drifted to his ears, but he couldn’t make out the conversation. All he heard were Titus’s words pinging around in his head.

Tell Callia the truth? Yeah, right. That’d unleash a whole new set of problems he didn’t need. Being honest—truly honest with her—meant opening himself up to his humanity, something he’d been trained not to do. Could he do it now? Let go of that self-control, tear open his soul and give it to her once and for all? Consequences swirled in his mind. History and stories of Argonauts from Achilles’s line long dead. It would change him. Who and what he was. And the fundamental part of him that was a guardian. The immortal fighter he and the others had come to rely on. And then there was his son…

Footsteps drew close. A door slammed. Slowly his eyes lifted until he was staring at the very face he’d conjured in his mind. “Thea.”

“I trusted you.” Her eyes flashed. “‘I won’t shut you out.’ That’s what you said to me. I trusted you and you left me there while you ran off to play god.”

“Thea—”

“Don’t ‘thea’ me.” Callia advanced on him, shoved her index finger into his chest. Was as pissed as he’d ever seen her. And more gorgeous than he could have imagined. “You don’t ever get to call me that. He’s my son, Zander. Do you get that? Mine. You didn’t even know about him until recently.”

“Callia—”

She swatted at his hands. “Go to hell. I don’t need you, you know. I can get Theron or one of the others to help me get him back. I only came up here to warn you that you’re not going to push me out of this. I won’t let you.” Her eyes blazed as she turned for the door. “Stay clear of me, Zander.”

She had one hand on the door handle by the time he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and lifted her off the floor. “Wait.”

She struggled against his hold. “Let me go.”

“I can’t.” He pulled her back against his chest as words he hadn’t yet decided to speak bubbled up. “I’ve tried. Gods, I’ve tried but I haven’t been able to. I need you.”

“You never needed me. I was nothing more than a fling. A way to stick it to the Council. Something to pass your precious time.”

“That’s not true.” She squirmed against him, and though it wasn’t the reaction he wanted, he couldn’t help it. His blood ran hot and went due south. Being close to her always electrified him, especially when she was grinding her sweet ass into his hips like she was doing now. “You were everything. Are everything.”

“Liar.” She pushed back, jammed the heel of her boot into his shin. He winced as pain shot up his leg. “You believed the worst about me without hesitation.”

He had. She was right. And he’d never forgive himself for that fact. “I didn’t stop needing you. I never stopped wanting you.”

“Oh, yeah,” she scoffed. “I can feel how much you want me. That’s all you ever wanted from me, isn’t it, Zander? Sex. Yeah, we were good at that, weren’t we?”

A space in his chest went cold at the bite to her words. Instinctively, he let go.

She didn’t flee like he expected. Instead, she turned slowly, the fire brewing in her rivaling the rage he kept locked inside. “Why don’t you come and take me then, Zander? Since we both know that’s all I ever was to you.”

“Callia.” Something had shifted in her. Something fueled by revenge and that wicked attraction that had drawn them together the first time. “Stop.”

“Why?” One side of her mouth twitched, but there was no humor in her eyes. There was only anger and heat and malice. “I thought you said you needed me.”

“I do.” He backed up until he hit the couch. Held up his hands as she advanced, hoping to ward her off. Had no idea how things had turned so fast. “But not like this.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I think just like this. Come on, Zander. I’m just a weak female. You have all the power here.”

“No, I don’t.” Warning bells went off in his head. Even though this was wrong, even though he knew what she was doing had nothing to do with him and was all about making her point, he knew he wouldn’t be able to resist her for long. Not when she was the one person he’d never been able to resist. “You do. You always have.”

The muscles around her violet eyes tightened. She had her hand on the towel at his waist before he even saw her arm dart out. “You’re right. I do.”

She yanked the towel from his body and tossed it on the ground. Her eyes settled on his hips and his very—dammit—erect arousal. “You may be saying no, but your body is definitely saying yes.” She lifted her gaze. Pushed her hands against his chest and moved closer until the long lean length of her body was pressed tight against his. “Come on, Zander. Show me how much you need me.”

The blood pounded hard in his veins. Her sweet female scent surrounded him, enticed him, latched on and wouldn’t let go. The tips of her breasts pushing into his chest and the soft sway of her hips cradling his erection drove him wild. But the callousness of her tone was the one thing he couldn’t ignore.

“Callia,” he gripped her shoulders. “Don’t tempt me right now.”

“Why not?” She resisted his push, sank her teeth into the base of his neck. “You said you wanted to fuck me in that cave.” Her voice dropped to a husky whisper. “Now’s your chance.”

He closed his eyes, swallowed hard, knew he needed to get the hell out of here but couldn’t seem to move. She was angry and hurt and feeling self-destructive after everything she’d learned today, which was the only reason she was here doing this to him now. But even though he understood that, it didn’t change what he wanted. What he needed.

Heaven help him…

He let go of her shoulders, slid his arms around her waist. Tugged her close and buried his face in her hair. “Thea…”

“I knew it.” She lifted her head, dug her fingernails into his chest. “You son of a bitch.” As it had in the cave, an energy force shot from his body into her hands and straight back out again, hitting him square in the torso.

He gasped, the rush of power strong enough to knock him off balance. But this one wasn’t nearly as powerful as the one she’d thrown at him before, and he didn’t go down. Instead he reached for her shoulders again, but she twisted out of his grasp. “Go to hell, Zander.”

She made it three steps before he snagged her by the arm. “I’ve been there way too long. And I don’t want it anymore.”

“Zan—”

He yanked her close, covered her mouth with his. The kiss was hard and pointed and left no doubt as to what he wanted. When she pounded her fist against his chest, he didn’t let go. When she curled her fingers into his skin again, he drew her tighter, locked one arm around her waist and slid his other hand up into her silky hair so she couldn’t throw his own pain back at him again. He walked her backward toward the door. Her spine hit the wood. She mumbled something against his lips, but he didn’t loosen his grasp. Instead he changed the angle of the kiss, stroked his tongue over hers and pushed aside all the consequences of what he was about to do.

Her shocked violet eyes seared his when he pulled back, but he didn’t let it deter him. “You don’t need me?” he said. “I got that loud and clear. But you get this. I didn’t do anything to protect you when I should have, and I have to live with that, but I won’t make the same mistake twice. And if that means leaving you a hundred times in Argolea where you’re safe, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.”

“You—”

“As for this?” He nodded down to where he still held her tight against him. “It’s not at all what you think it is. Its eight hundred years of searching for you and ten trying to live without you. It’s being close to you and wanting something I can’t have. And that’s not sex, Callia. That’s you. Just you. The only thing I’ve ever wanted.”

He let go of her and moved back, but he kept his eyes on her in case she came at him again. A storm brewed in her violet irises. One he knew all too well. Her lips were plump and pink from his kiss. Her hair a tangled mess around her shoulders. She glared at him as her chest rose and fell with her deep breaths. When she took a step forward, he braced himself.

“You don’t fight fair,” she whispered.

“I never claimed to.”

“The soul-mate curse is bullshit.”

His eyes ran over her face. Her perfect, familiar, gorgeous face. “It’s my reality. Not yours.”

“It’s a cop-out. I don’t belong to you, Zander. I don’t belong to anyone.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I make my own choices now.”

She pressed her mouth to his so fast he barely had time to suck in a breath. Her kiss was as forceful and bruising as his had just been, and full of heat and passion and desire. And gods help him, it didn’t matter if the move was made in anger or frustration or even self-destruction. Because this was her. His soul mate. His life. His heart.

“Callia—”

“Don’t talk.” She let go of him, grasped the hem of her sweater and pulled it over her head. The garment hit the floor at their feet. He caught a flash of fabric and skin before she kissed him again and her hands slid into his hair.

Her full breasts pressed against his bare chest, her tongue slid into his mouth. Her erect fabric-covered nipples abraded his skin as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back.

He wished she’d jerked the camisole off along with her sweater, wished she’d ditched the pants at the same time. Wished he weren’t so delirious from the taste of her so he could slow things down and savor this moment like he should. “Callia—”

“Uh-uh.” She let go again, popped the buttons on her pants and shimmied out of them. Before he had a chance to look, she was pressed up tight against him again, naked from the waist down and his for the taking. “No talking.”

Oh, holy gods…

Her tongue tangled with his and her fingers knotted in his hair. She tugged his head where she wanted it and kissed him deeper. Moaned into his mouth and pulled harder. Drugged from the dark, erotic taste of her, he groaned against her mouth and didn’t realize she’d turned him around until he pressed against her and found resistance where she hit the back of the couch.

“Pick me up,” she mouthed against his lips.

He was powerless to do anything but what she wanted. His hands rushed to her backside and he lifted her easily to set her on the back of the couch, all the while stroking her lips, her tongue, her mouth with his own. Her legs parted, wrapped around his hips, pulled him in. When the tip of his cock grazed her soft, wet slit, he realized this was going to be over way faster than he wanted.

“Callia, I—”

“No talking, Zander.” Her teeth latched on to his earlobe. She bit down just as her hand found his cock. A lick of pain shot across his ear, but he groaned when she closed her fingers around his length. Slowly she drew her hand up, let the hard cylinder of flesh glide through her grip. When she reached the underside of the tip, she squeezed, drew his earlobe deep into her sultry mouth and sucked.

Every muscle in his body tightened. Rational thought flew out of his mind. He had one coherent need, and that was to get inside his soul mate right now.

A growl rumbled in his chest as he pulled his ear from her lips and drove his tongue into her mouth, kissing her with a rabid desire he hadn’t felt in years. She mumbled “Yes” against his lips and drew his cock to her opening. Instinct ruled as her burning, slick wetness surrounded him, and he thrust hard at the first touch until he was seated deep inside her.

She moaned, shifted her hips and took him even deeper when he thought there was nowhere left to go. “Yes, yes, gods yes, Zander.”

Frantic for more, he slid out and back in. Her arms locked around his shoulders, her legs around his back. Her silky camisole rubbed against his chest as she licked into his mouth, not the skin-on-skin sensation he wanted, but just as erotic when he thought of the fact she was still half-clothed and hanging on to him for dear life while he pushed into her and their coupling picked up speed.

Electricity shot down his spine. Sweat slicked his skin. She didn’t stop kissing him, wouldn’t give him a chance to talk. Every time he tried to slow down she held on tighter, pressed back, urging him faster. His breaths came fast and hard as he moved inside her and she tipped his head with her hands and kissed him crazy again and again.

He was pretty sure he could die right now and be happy for all eternity. The feel of her tight, moist sheath surrounding him, the taste of her dark, spicy essence on his tongue, the scent of his one perfect female aroused and wanting nothing but him…This was better than any heaven he could imagine.

She tightened around him, dug her fingernails into his shoulders, moaned against his lips. He moved quicker, kissed her harder, knew her climax was building—knew every one of her tells. Desperate to give her exactly what she needed, he plunged deeper, pulled her hips tighter to his, angled her body so the tip of his cock hit her sweetest spot over and over and over again.

She pushed against him, lifted herself in his arms, tore her mouth from his and groaned long and low as her body pulsed around him. And in that moment, he didn’t hesitate. He latched on to her neck as she rode him, licked the sweet, tender flesh with his tongue and sucked. Then gave himself over to the sensations enveloping his cock and came harder than he had in his whole life.

Spent, she collapsed against his chest, rested her forehead on his shoulder. Her torso rose and fell with her rapid breaths, her pulse pounded in time with his. And his heart swelled as he drank her in inch by inch because this—this—was a moment he thought he’d never experience again.

“Thea…”

“I…oh, gods. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

He slid his hands up in to her hair, massaged the nape of her neck, ran his fingers over the mark he now knew was there. “I don’t hear anyone complaining.”

“I…” She tipped her head so her temple rested against his chest. Was clearly trying to slow her own racing heart. “I won’t get pregnant. It’s not the right time. You don’t have to worry.”

Worry? How could she think that?

“I’m not worried,” he said. “I’d love to see you swollen with my child. I missed it the last time. I…” He pressed his lips to the top of her head as his throat grew thick and that space inside him warmed with just the thought of a family. A real family. And when they found their son…“Tell me when and I’ll make sure we hit the right time.”

She stilled against him. Her head slowly lifted until her violet eyes rested on his, searching his face. In the silence he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Then she pushed against his chest and broke free. “I have to go.”

“Callia—”

She maneuvered away from him and dropped to the ground, leaving him cold after the loss of her heat. She reached for her pants from the floor. “This was a mistake.”

His chest tightened at her words. But before she could get away he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the floor. “It’s not a mistake. You and I are never a mistake.”

“Zander. Let me go.”

Not a chance. Not ever again.

He walked them to the bed and laid her out on the comforter, covering her body with his. “I already told you, I can’t.” He lowered his head, pressed his lips to the hollow of her throat.

“Please don’t,” she whispered.

He shifted higher, kissed first her right cheek, then her left. “Do you remember”—his lips trailed kisses to her ear—“that night I waited for you in the woods behind your father’s house?”

“Zander. Don’t.”

He kissed her earlobe, drew it into his mouth, breathed hot against her skin. “I didn’t think you’d show.”

She shuddered beneath him, and he felt the fight slide out of her body. Felt all those years of avoidance and misunderstanding shrink to this one moment. Felt that empty space in his chest fill to bursting.

“Your father wasn’t happy when he saw me at the clinic earlier that day. But I had to see you. I needed you then, thea.”

Her eyes squeezed tight, and he knew she was remembering that night. The same one that still played in his mind like a scene from a movie. One lone tear gathered at the corner of her lashes. “It…it wasn’t you. He never wanted me helping the Argonauts or the king. I didn’t understand then. But now…”

Now he understood too. “He knew about us then.”

“He suspected,” she whispered. “He didn’t know for sure.”

He kissed her jaw, her throat, licked his way to that sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. She trembled at the touch, the reaction encouraging him, exciting him. “You were all I could think about. Do you know how hard it was not to tell the world you were mine? To keep what was happening between us secret? I wanted you in that clinic. I wanted to climb the trellis to your veranda and take you in your bed. I went a little mad that night when you didn’t show.”

She drew in a shaky breath when he kissed his way across her collarbone, when he slid the strap of her camisole down and pressed his lips to the rise of her breast. “I…I couldn’t get away. He kept me up late, reading passages from Homer, talking about the Council. He suspected. I…I had to wait until he was asleep before I could sneak out.”

He’d hoped that was the reason she’d kept him waiting that night. But hearing her say the words after all this time…

He slipped the other strap off her shoulder, drew the camisole down so her perfect breasts came into view. He cupped one heavy mass, breathed hot over the tip. “You have no idea how I felt when I saw you run through the trees toward me. Do you remember what happened that night, thea?”

“You…you kissed me.” Tentatively, her hands slid up his shoulders, into his hair.

“Where?”

“Here.” She arched her back and brought her breast to his lips. Whether the move was instinctive or persuasive, he didn’t care. He drew her nipple into his mouth. Sucked until she quivered. A low moan escaped her lips, the sound so erotic he grew hard all over again. He moved to her other breast, repeated the stroke, the suck, the way his tongue traced the tip of her nipple and his teeth scraped the edge. She arched against him again, spread her legs. He sank down into the vee of her body until his heavy erection rested against her sleek, hot center.

“Then what?” he whispered.

“You…oh…” She moved her hips so the tip of his cock rubbed against her tight knot. “You lowered me to the ground and pulled off my clothes.”

He had. Right there in the small clearing. Hadn’t been able to get at her fast enough. “What did you do?”

“I helped you,” she whispered.

“You wanted me.”

“Yes.” She groaned as he trailed his mouth over the bunched-up fabric of her camisole.

“You wanted me to kiss you here, didn’t you?” He pressed his mouth against her toned belly, slipped his lips lower.

“Yes.”

“How about here?” He moved to the pressure point between her leg and torso.

“Yes,” she groaned, straining against him.

“And what about here?” Gently, he kissed the top of her naked mound.

“Oh, yes.”

“And now, thea? Do you want my mouth here now?” He brushed his fingers over her center, traced the line of her slit. Her body shook against him and the heady scent of her arousal drifted all the way into his soul.

“Yes,” she breathed.

He made a long sweep of her cleft, settled on her clit, flicked the tip and sucked until she moaned and writhed beneath him. He didn’t let up, taking her to the edge again and again. The sweet honey of her arousal made him lightheaded. Shattered his resistance. Called to that part of him that was linked tightly to her.

His lips found her hip, her stomach, her breast. Her eyes were still closed tight as he sucked her nipple deep, as he pushed her legs wide with his knees and braced himself on his hands above her. His mouth moved back to her neck, and he latched onto her dewy skin, sucked, then lowered his hips so his pounding erection was cradled right where he wanted it most.

He lifted his head, pressed his mouth to her ear, pushed, gently, until he just barely entered her. She groaned. Her hands found his ass, tugged, tried to pull him in deeper, but he held back.

“Then was happened?” he whispered in her ear.

“You made love to me.”

“No, thea. I loved you. Open your eyes.”

Her dark lashes lifted, and her shimmering violet eyes focused on his. Eyes he wanted to lose himself in forever. Eyes that told him even if she never felt the same way about him, opening himself to her and his humanity was not a mistake.

“I loved you then, Callia. I knew that night in the meadow. When the rain fell around us. When you came apart in my arms. Only I didn’t tell you because I was afraid it would push you away. That it was too soon. That you didn’t feel the same. I thought…” Emotions closed his throat, but he gritted his teeth, knew he had to get this out. “I thought I had all the time in the world to make you fall in love with me. I was wrong. If I could go back and change one thing about the past it would be that.”

Tears gathered in her eyes, and he lowered to his elbows, used his fingers to brush the wetness away from her cheek. Felt the last shred of his resistance melt away. “If I could go back, I’d tell you that I loved you. And it’s not because you’re my soul mate. If the Fates had pushed me toward someone else, I’d still have loved you.”

“Zander.” She closed her eyes tight, pulled his mouth to hers, lifted her hips and drew him in to her silky heat.

Their joining was slow and sultry. Not the frantic coupling of before, but deeper, hotter, a thousand times more intense. As he moved inside her, he threaded his fingers through hers, watched her face, kissed her lips, her nose, her cheeks, couldn’t tear his eyes away as her pleasure mounted. He’d thought he was condemned to spending eternity without his heart, and here it was, beating inside him all over again. In her.

She moaned his name, arched her back. Her slick channel tightened around him, signaling her release was coming. He drove harder, pushed deeper, strained to give her what she needed. And when she peaked, when her body contracted with her release, he went with her. Let go of the battle he’d been fighting inside himself for so long. And finally turned everything over to her.

Max’s legs burned. His lungs were on fire. He darted around and through trees, twisted his ankle on a root sticking out of the ground but kept running. Behind him he heard the daemons closing in, but he didn’t turn to see how close they were. Knew if he saw them…

He hit a patch of ice and slid, arms darting out to the side to steady himself. Just before he went down, he slammed into the base of a tree. Pain shot through his torso and legs. He grabbed on and pulled himself up.

A growl echoed at his back.

Swallowing a gulp of frigid air, he pushed off the tree and tore off to his right, sliding down a snow-covered slope on his hands and butt toward what looked like a logging road below.

He slipped and slid to his side, righted himself with his arms, desperate for any way he could get to the bottom. A rush of water met his ears. If he could get to that stream and jump in, it could carry him away from this horror. He might freeze, but at least he wouldn’t be lunch.

Heart pumping, he hit the bottom of the hill, jolted his legs. Above, thrashing and roars echoed in the trees. He scrambled to his feet and ran as hard as he could toward what he hoped was a big, swirling river.

Just as he reached the far side of the logging road, a daemon dropped in his path.

He tried to stop, lost his balance, fell back to smack his head against the hard frozen ground. Stars flashed in front of his eyes. He cried out in pain, but the face above scared the sound out of him.

Phrice. Only he was a helluva lot bigger than the last time Max had seen him, and way more powerful.

“That’s right,” Phrice said, leaning down. “I’m your own worst nightmare.”

Max scrambled backward. Phrice was the archdaemon?

Panic and fear wedged their way into Max’s chest. He crab-walked backward until he ran into a boot. Horror shook his body, made him lift his head. Dripping fangs and glowing green eyes peered down at him.

Phrice caught Max by the scruff of his shirt and lifted him high in the air.

Max yelped, kicked his legs. Claws punctured his shirt and dug into his skin. Pain shot through his torso.

“You’ve been a bad boy, Maximus. What should we do with him?” Phrice asked the other daemon.

“I can think of a few things,” the second daemon said.

“So can I.” Phrice pulled Max so close, the daemon’s vile stench filled Max’s nose and throat, causing him to gag. “Before this night is over, boy, you’re going to wish you’d never been born.”

Tears burned Max’s eyes as he struggled. His humanity hadn’t saved him like that old woman had implied it would, but he hoped at least it had saved Jeb. “Just make it fast,” he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Phrice laughed. “That I can’t guarantee.” He hefted Max over his shoulder and stomped off into the trees with the other daemon on his heels. “Your fate is in Atalanta’s hands now.”