Page 34 of A Seduction Of Death (Umbra Hunters #4)

THIRTY-FOUR

Valen

C reed holds the door of the Ranger Barracks open, letting me trail through it before he shuts it silently behind him, careful not to let it slam due to the late hour. The fire in the large common room is lit, casting a soft glow around the empty space as we make our way up the stairs.

“You think Raz will roast our balls if we try to climb into bed with him and Meyer?” Creed asks.

“Unfortunately,” I grumble, having thought of that as we walked through the castle. I can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong, but I’ve double-checked everything and triple-checked Arch, and there is nothing out of place. Arch is asleep in the dungeons, Father retired to his chambers over an hour ago, and the castle is asleep and quiet.

My head throbs from all the magic I’ve used today, from fighting off Jesthren, which I reported to Father about before double-checking the wards on the castle, to fighting that damn Dragon. My reserves are low, and all I want to do right now is sleep. But I know that sleep won't be restful without Mi Sol in bed with me. I don't want to intrude on Raz. He’s needed some time with Meyer, and I’m beyond glad he worked things out with her.

As a Legion, we are only as strong as our weakest link, something I’ve been stressing to Nox over the last few weeks, wanting to ensure he’s spending adequate time with Mi Sol. I know he’s stressed with Father here, determined to show him he has everything under control, but he needs to remember the important things in life as well, and nothing is more important than our mate.

“Great. Another night of no sleep,” Creed mutters, kicking the toe of his boot on the ground as he shoves his hands in his pockets and stomps down the hall like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I grin as he glares at Razar’s door before moving further down the hall. Slowing my pace, I reach out and grab the handle of Raz’s door and watch as Creed moves another three doors down to his room.

“I said he would roast our balls. Not that we weren't going in,” I whisper, and Creed freezes, looking at me with shock before a spark of excitement crosses his face, and he practically skips back to Raz’s door.

“You’re more fun when you're mated, you know that? You never would have stepped over Raz’s personal boundaries before,” Creed chirps, clapping his hands as I chuckle.

“Meyer is our mate, and I feel those boundaries still need to be upheld but maybe a little altered?” I suggest and Creed frowns as he gives me a funny look.

“In what way?”

“We’ve been living as separate people since our Legion was created, and now that we have someone at the center of it all, we need to live as a unit. After the day we had, we all need to be together, but that doesn't mean we get to make Raz uncomfortable. If they are in the middle of things,” I start to say, and Creed nods.

“Yep. Leave them be and come back later,” he says quickly, and I nod, pleased that he agrees with me.

“And we are probably going to end up sleeping in chairs. I don't want to push Raz too far. The fact that he just mated her means he’ll be even more territorial than normal, and I’m unsure if our Legion bond will be enough to allow us near her for the next twenty-four hours,” I admit, and Creed frowns.

“He let me hold her when they came out of the forest.” My eyebrows shoot up at that, and I purse my lips as a spark of hope glimmers to life. If Raz willingly allowed Creed to hold Meyer right after they mated, maybe the mate bond settled some of his bloodlust rather than adding to it? Nox said he’s not as bad with his normal day-to-day anger. That the mate bond with Mi Sol has calmed him in ways he’s never been able to accomplish on his own, but he also has a new trigger that he’s fighting to control. And that's not killing any male who comes within touching distance of Meyer—friend or not.

For me, it's almost the opposite. I never struggled with controlling my anger before now, but it's like a constant itch that never goes away. The urge to lock my mate up in a room and guard her until the danger of our lives goes away eats at me every moment of the day. I know it's absurd; if I act on those feelings, it would be unfair. But I also have no idea how to deal with the new surge of protective possessiveness I suddenly feel toward her.

I’ve known from the moment I saw Mi Sol she would be mine and that I would do anything to be hers. But I was ill-prepared for the mating haze and how it completely overwhelmed my every thought. I need to know she’s safe at all times, almost as much as I long to hold her, to kiss her… to sink deep into her wet heat, and never be without her again. I curse as my cock hardens in my pants and sigh.

Great. Now I’m going to sleep with an erection all night.

Opening the door, I keep my steps light, waving my hand and letting a brush of magic sweep over the floor, softening the sounds of our steps as Creed and I sneak into the room. Creed snorts, and I shoot him a glare as he points at the bed. I roll my eyes at the sight in front of me. Mi Sol is lying at the center of the large bed with Razar and Nox wrapped around her like giant, needy monkeys.

“Poor girl,” Creed whispers, and I nod, letting a smile cross my face at the sight before I frown and take a step closer to the bed as my magic rushes toward her in alarm. Squinting my eyes, I try to see her face pressed to Nox’s chest, my heart skipping a beat as my magic suddenly flairs, and I sprint toward the bed, knowing something is wrong.

“What? What is it?” Creed practically shouts in alarm, making Razar jerk up in the bed, knife in hand, as he growls at us. With a wave of my hand, I launch my brother out of the way and jump on the bed, yanking Mi Sol's cold body out of Nox’s arms, almost getting a knife to the gut for my actions.

“Valen?” Lennox groans, his knife pressed to my stomach, slicing through my shirt before he realizes who is taking Meyer from him.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Razar bellows, shoving to his feet.

“Mi Sol?” I whisper, ignoring everyone as I cup her pale face in my hands, shaking her a little as my magic circles around us, creating a protective shield.

“I swear to the gods if you two want to?—”

“Would you shut the hell up? Something’s wrong with Meyer,” Creed snaps, throwing a pillow at a raging and very naked Razar as he scrambles up on the bed.

“What?” Raz rasps as he stares at Meyer, eyes widening with fear. “No. No, she was in my arms, she’s fine. She’s sleeping,” he whispers to himself.

“Is she Dream Walking?” Nox asks, hand running over Meyers' stomach, then arms and legs, before resting on her forehead when she doesn't respond.

I nod but don't say anything else as I try to wake her. After several tries, pressing her magic to release her and then trying to manipulate it to listen, I curse and yank her into my arms.

“Wake her up!” Razar snarls, leaning over the bed, Kalis blade still in his hand as he keeps his eyes locked on Meyer’s face.

“I’m trying,” I grit out, not understanding why I can’t get her to wake up.

“Try harder!” Razar grinds out, and I glare at him as my magic continues to figure out what's happening.

“Shut up,” I growl, and he releases a short, loud roar that makes me flinch as he starts to pace at the end of the bed, eyes shifting black as time slowly ticks past, with Meyer still unresponsive.

“There aren’t any physical injuries,” Nox says, trying to calm Raz, but he only grunts in response.

“That's a good thing. Maybe she’s just in a deep sleep after using all that magic. I know it wipes you guys out,” Creed suggests, and as much as I want to believe his words, to nod and set his mind at ease, I know it's not true.

“No. She’s stuck in a dream. I would have been able to wake her otherwise.”

“Stuck? Stuck how? By who?” Razar snaps, and I sigh and look at Nox, trying to get him to help before Raz can go completely feral.

“Razar, calm down, or I’ll kick you out,” Nox snaps, and I groan. Great, now I have two idiots I have to worry about. I shoot Creed a desperate look, pleading with him to distract one of the imbeciles in the room, but he’s not taking his eyes off Meyer… or her wrist.

My eyes flash down to her wrist, and a surge of absolute panic washes through me as the mark on her wrist sparks to life. The dark red of the small symbol’s lines glows brighter with every shaky inhale Mi Sol takes.

“Valen!” Nox rasps.

“I see,” I reply and curse as Razar shoves Nox out of his way and leans over us, eyes on the mark, hands trembling as he looks from her to me.

“Inanis?” he growls, and I nod, unable to voice a confirmation as the scent of blood fills the room. I watch in horror as a deep cut suddenly appears on Meyer's right arm.

“Lennox!”

“Give her to me!” he shouts, shouldering past Razar and scooping Meyer into his arms.

“No,” he groans, hands on her arms just as another cut appears, a matching one on her left arm. Blood races over Mi Sol’s pale skin, but her face remains blank and impassive. Looking as if she’s simply sleeping rather than enduring a brutal attack. “No, no, no!” Nox shouts, his hands covered in her blood as he desperately tries to heal her wounds. “Valen, wake her up!”

“I'm trying!” I scream, my voice cracking as I watch my mate bleed in front of me, unable to do anything about it.

“Creed, wake Victor and Father! Get them here immediately!” Lennox demands, looking almost as pale as Meyer does. Creed nods and sprints for the door, nearly busting it off its hinges as he opens it and disappears.

“Valen?” Raz croaks, his hands shaking as he stares down at Mi Sol.

“I don’t know!” I nearly scream, my hands moving to her temples, trying to shove what magic I have left into her and figure out how to help. After a moment I feel it, the darkness that lingers on the edge of her consciousness and frown. Grabbing it, I allow myself to fall into the feeling, memorizing it before letting my magic extend and follow it as it moves through Meyer and then out of the room.

My eyes snap open as it moves with a speed that scares me, rushing through the barracks and into the castle.

“Razar,” I whisper, and he stills, hands on his pants as he steps into them. “Get to the dungeons.” Lennox curses as Raz yanks his pants around his hips, nods, and turns but hesitates, looking back to Meyer in Lennox’s arms.

“Arch?” he asks, and I nod. There is something down there with him. I’m not sure what, but it's not good. I can see him struggle with the idea of leaving, and I nod again, trying to ease some of his worries while knowing it won’t do shit. Meyers is trapped and now injured, and we are fucked to help.

“Nox and I have her. Father is coming. Get Arch now! Bring him here if you must,” I beg, and he growls, his face contorting with indecision before he nods and runs, the shadows in the room lightening as he leaves.

“Talk to me. Is Jes in the castle?”

“No?” I answer, but it's more like a question than an actual response, and Nox gives me a dark look. “I don’t believe so. The wards are in place. I can’t feel him here, but there is something.

“But he is in her dreams?” he asks, the cuts slowly healing under his palm and I nod.

“I believe so. I think he has her trapped in it and has locked me out.”

“Inanis as well?”

“I don’t know!” I admit, feeling so damn useless that my eyes heat with tears. Fuck!

“Something is happening in her dreams that’s slowing my magic’s ability to heal her. It’s almost like she’s resisting my aid, or something is preventing it from getting to her.” Just as the words leave his mouth, the room around us groans, the stone creaking, the floors shifting, and we freeze.

“What was that?” I shout as the entire mountainside starts to shake, making the roof above us crack and stone fall inward. Nox lunges over Meyer, his hand grabbing and yanking me next to him as he shifts into his Demon form, wings extending, horns growing, eyes turning into pools of death as he protects us.

“I don't know, but it can't be good,” Nox shouts over the loud cracks of the Ranger barracks crumbling around us. Just as fast as the shaking starts, it stops, and we hold our breath, both of our hands wrapped around Meyer.

“Wards?” he asks, and I close my eyes, reaching for the magic in the castle and gasping at the mangled mess I find. I shake my head, not believing what I see, and move from the walls to the interior of the castle, finding just as much destruction.

“Fuck!”

“What?’ Nox snaps, and I open my eyes.

“Part of the castle is gone,” I rasp, not truly believing my own words as Nox gapes at me like a fish out of water.

“What?!” he roars as Meyer’s back arches under our hold, and she releases a scream that chills me to the very bone. Her eyes snap open, and she gasps for breath. Her face turns a blue shade as she fights to sit up, blood trickling from her parted lips.

“Let her up!” I shout, shoving at Nox and pushing him back, helping her sit up. “Breathe,” I command, hands moving to her face as Lennox’s hands move to her chest. My magic runs over hers, and I almost flinch away when I brush against something new… and something extremely powerful.

“What the hell happened? Who hurt you?” Nox asks, and I can feel his magic press into her, healing whatever injuries he must have found. Meyer’s mouth falls open, and I watch her struggle for breath as Nox growls. “Almost there, hang on!” he begs, hands clinging to her as he looks into her eyes. “Watch me,” he whispers as her eyes flutter shut. “No! Watch me, Little Demon.” Her eyes crack open but are unfocused, moving slowly to the side as she tries to listen to Lennox.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper into her ear, and her fingers dig into my skin, clinging to me and something cold presses against my skin. Looking down, I feel my eyes nearly pop from my skull at the sight of the Onyx necklace clasped in her hand, the stone gleaming with dark magic that makes me shiver from being so close to it. I had seen her wear it in her dreams, had even mentioned it to her, but she didn't seem to know what it was and honestly, I had forgotten about it until this point. My magic hesitantly wraps back around her, searching for the new magic and finding it instantly, making the hairs on my arms rise. Why the hell does Meyer have a portion of Jesthren’s magic entwined with her own?

“On the count of ten, take a breath. I almost have your lungs healed!” Nox instructs.

“Her lungs?’ I whisper in horror, more blood falling from her pale lips as Nox begins to count down from ten. It feels like it takes an hour before he hits one, and suddenly, Meyer inhales, her eyes rolling back, and she slumps into my chest. “Nox!” I yell, clinging to her as he nods, his chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.

‘She’s okay now. Her lungs collapsed, and she has a fracture in her tibia and femur that I’m working on now. Give me a few more minutes.”

“O-or,” Meyer whispers something I can't understand, and I look to Nox, who gives her a puzzled look.

“Just breathe, baby. Breathe for me, then we can talk,” he whispers soothingly, leaning down and pressing his lips to her forehead. I can't help but be grateful that he’s keeping a level head because I feel like I’m about to lose all of my goddamned control. My Shade form presses against me, wanting out to protect our mate, and I have to push it down to avoid letting it gain control mentally.

“Her hand,” I whisper to Nox, making him pull back enough to look up at me. Look at her hand, I mouth and he frowns and looks down.

“Fuck!” he shouts, snatching the necklace from Meyer's hand and tossing it onto the small side table where he glares at it, shaking his hand at his side as if it hurt him to touch it.

“Nox,” she whimpers, eyes falling shut as tears start to run down her face, distracting us from the Devil’s stone. “O-Orcus. G-get to Orcus!” she finally manages to whisper, and Nox sits up, looking to the door.

“Creed is getting him, baby. He’ll be here in a moment,” Lennox reassures her, and I almost laugh as her eyes fly open. She glares at Nox, making him pull back even more, eyeing her cautiously.

“Go. To. Your. Father!” Mi Sol shoves at his chest with more strength than I thought she would have after the damage her body had just endured. “Inanis… he’s alive,” she whispers as the door to the room bursts open, Creed and Victor dragging in Father, who is slumped over their shoulders and not moving.

“Lennox! We need you!” Creed shouts, tears falling wet on his cheeks as he stumbles under Father's weight.

“Dammit!” Nox shouts, springing from the bed and rushing to him.

“Meyer, love. Walk me through what happened!” Nox demands as she tries to push herself up. I stiffen at another man being in my room with my naked mate, hating the possessive need to either snap Victor’s neck or scent mark Meyer. Instead, I shove all those ideas to the back of my mind and grab my shirt, yanking it over my head, before pulling it over Meyer’s. The black fabric covers her bare skin, granting me a fraction of relief while having a stranger near when she’s still so vulnerable.

“Is he… Is he alive?” she cries, her breathing starting to grow uneven as she watches Creed and Victor lower Father to the ground.

“Barely,” Victor responds.

“All I need is a heartbeat,” Nox rasps, falling to the ground, hands pressing to Father's chest. “Fuck, where is his magic?”

“We need to get to Archer!” Meyer tries to push out of my arms, but I hold her tight, refusing to let her go. There is no way in Hell she will be leaving my sight any time soon.

“Raz is getting him,” I whisper, eyes on my Father as I try to grasp what I’m seeing. Father is strong; even when he’s wounded, he doesn't stop. I have never seen him without that defiant look on his face and a stubborn tilt to his jaw.

“Shit,” Nox whispers, hands moving from Father's chest to his head as Creed presses himself back up on shaky legs and falls toward us, his hands reaching for Meyer as he watches Nox and Father. He looks as shocked as I do.

“He’s going to be okay, right?” Creed asks the question I’m too scared to voice aloud, and Nox nods.

“I think so. But I’m not sure where his magic is. I think I feel a little bit, but he has less than most Demon Warrior lines do.”

“How?” I croak out, and it's Mi Sol that answers me.

“Inanis. Jes used Orcus to raise Inanis.”