Page 40 of A Seduction Of Death (Umbra Hunters #4)
FORTY
Meyer
I shake my head, unsure of what to say as I watch him. Is this a trick? One of his fucked up mind games Nox says he enjoys playing? Jesthren suddenly groans, head snapping back as his teeth sharpen, and a snarl forms on his lips as he glares back down at me. The blue-green color of his eyes darkens in an instant as his head tilts predatorily to the side.
“Jes?” I whisper, my hand holding the Kalis trembling.
“Run,” he rasps, the word starting off as a warning and ending with a growl as his mouth widens, jaw unhinging unnaturally. Claws spring from his hands as I startle back, yanking my Kalis out of his stomach as I go.
“No,” I whisper, feeling sick as I recall what happened with Archer when he had uttered that same word of warning to me under the influence of Jesthren. There is no way… that can't be right!
I watch Jesthren curl in on himself as he shifts, his skin altering to a charcoal color as he grows in front of my eyes. “Meyer!” Jordan screams, and I turn and run, knowing I can't do anything for Jesthren right now. Wraiths swarm my friends, and they're barely holding on, fighting them off with skilled blows, but I can see the blood on them. Theo is limping, his thigh bloody, and Jordan has a hand pressed to his left shoulder, a grimace on his face as he spins and stabs a Wraith directly through the heart.
Looking up, Theo spots me running toward them, but the relief I see there is short-lived as he looks over my shoulder.
“Run faster!” he yells, driving his sword through the chest of a Wraith and shoving it out of the way in a desperate attempt to reach me. I can feel him then. The dark presence behind me moments before a hard body hits mine, knocking me off my feet and sending me to the ground hard. The air whooshes from my lungs as Jesthren’s giant Demon body covers mine, one big hand pinning my wrists above my head as he brings his other down, raking his claws over my chest. I scream, pain igniting every molecule as I feel his thick claws cut into my flesh and shred it like paper.
“Meyer!” Nox screams, the sound nearly crippling me at the amount of fear in it.
“Shall we let my baby brother see how it feels to lose his mate?” Jesthren asks with manic glee, his claws lifting from my now bleeding body, and I tremble, no doubt going into shock as I glare up at him. “Let him feel how numbing the pain can be? How he’ll wish for death, beg for it and be willing to sell his fucking soul in order to get you back?”
“Fuck you!” I shout and drive my Kalis back into his stomach, yank it out, and repeat it again, making Jesthren roar in pain, but that roar is cut short as Theo jumps on him, a blade in each hand, one dragging across his neck, the other stabbing into his chest. Seconds later, a giant black Beastia leaps on Jesthren, tearing him off me, making me roll over the floor, and sending a whole new wave of pain through me as my chest presses to the ground.
Through cracked eyes, I watch as Razar tears a chunk of Jesthren’s shoulder off and groan as Jesthren screams in agony, the sound so awful that I internally recoil.
“Father!” he shouts, begging for help with a weak voice, the slice in his throat so deep that it almost sounds like he’s drowning in his own blood. I tilt my head, finding Valen fighting Inanis, obviously showing up at some point while I was fighting Jesthren. Inanis shoots Jesthren a disgusted look and turns, dismissing his call for help, apparently okay with the fact that his son is about to die. Jesthren’s face falls, the red in his eyes fading as Razar strikes again, raking his massive claws over Jesthren’s chest, replicating the injury he gave me.
“Meyer! Meyer, look at me!” Nox begs, running and falling to his knees by my side. His hand grabs me gently and turns me until I can see his face.
“Get to Mom!” he roars, pointing in the other direction as I blink up at him.
“Holy fuck!” I hear Creed shout as green magic lights up the room.
“Tell me she’s okay!” Valen screams from where he fights Inanis, and Nox nods, hands pressing to my bloody and torn chest.
“Yep!” he lies, and I laugh then groan when the movement causes so much pain my vision starts to black out.
“What the hell are you laughing about?” Theo asks, kneeling on the other side and staring at my wounds in horror.
“He lied,” I whisper and smile up at Nox. “And I could tell it was a lie. He always tells me not to lie, making him a hypocrite,” I explain when they look at me like I’m going crazy.
“I did not lie,” Nox growls, his magic coursing through me, the warmth making me moan as I feel it starting to heal me. “I just have to get these closed before you lose too much blood,” he explains, and I nod, feeling light-headed. When something wet falls on my face, I look up and gasp, seeing a massive wound on Nox’s neck that starts at his jaw and carves down to the middle of his chest. The injury is bleeding profusely, and I can see bone.
“Y-you’re hurt!” I shout, shoving at his hand and trying to get up, making him snarl and press me back down. “I can heal faster than you can! I’m okay,” he reassures me. “Creed?” he yells, looking over his shoulder at his mom for just a moment before turning his attention back to me.
“She’s breathing. But It looks like most of her magic is drained!” Creed yells back.
“You need to go faster,” Theo prods Nox, and I turn to glare at him but find him staring at Inanis and Valen, both of whom have fallen to their knees, with Valen’s magic whipping around them like a small tornado. With a roar, Inanis brings his glowing red fists up and smashes them down at what looks like a shield Valen constructed around him. My Dream Man shouts in pain as his magic fractures, and Razar releases a snarl, flinging a limp Jesthren to the side and racing to help. Inanis glances behind him, spotting the Beastia, and grins, his sharp black teeth something of nightmares, and he laughs just as he disappears.
The throne room stills, and we all hold our breath as Valen whips his head in every direction and curses, hands outstretched, green magic gleaming so bright it's almost impossible to look at.
“Where did he go?” Creed asks.
“I think he teleported!” Valen growls as he closes his eyes. I hear him muttering a few words, his brow furrowed in concentration.
“Valen, no! You don’t know where he went!” Nox shouts, glancing at him just as Valen disappears.
“No!” I shout, pressing back up on my hands.
“Don’t,” Nox snaps, looking equally concerned but pressing me back to the ground. “I’m almost done!” I groan in pain as my head turns, finding Jesthren’s blue-green eyes on me, his face twisted in pain, hand pressed to his chest as he simply lies in a puddle of his own blood. Mom, he mouths, and I frown and shake my head, not understanding.
“Mom,” he gurgles, his eyes flicking up to Creed and Viviane, a deep-rooted fear in those odd eyes, and I feel his magic crawling over the floor, trying to get to Viviane. I tense, worried he’s about to attack again, but this magic doesn’t feel threatening.
“He’s going to reappear by Viv,” I whisper, and Jesthren nods.
“Creed, watch out!” I scream, but I’m already too late. Red magic erupts in the room, hitting Creed and tearing his mom from his hands as Inanis appears, his laugh echoing around the large throne room.
“Shit! Jordan!” Theo shouts, jumping to his feet and rushing out of sight as Nox throws himself over me, taking the brutal hit of magic so I don’t feel it.
“Fuck!” Nox rasps, pain etched on his face as his body shakes.
“This ends tonight!” Inanis snarls, reaching down and grabbing a limp and unconscious Viviane, pulling her into his arms. “Wake up!” he sneers, shaking Viviane, his magic winding around her until she moans, her eyes fluttering open. He grins as he presses his lips to hers as the flames in the room grow, the heat damn near stifling.
“Inanis!”
The single word has relief coursing through me as Orcus appears in the doorway, his hammer flying through the air. The massive weapon collides with Inanis’s cheek, whipping his face back from Viviane’s and sending teeth through the air as he falls to the ground.
“Help your Dad! I’m okay!” I shout at Nox, who looks at me for only a second. His magic runs through me once more before he nods and jumps to his feet as Orcus stalks into the throne room, dozens of Demons on his heel.
“Get your fucking lips off my mate,” he growls, launching himself at the Devil, black magic colliding with red as the two Kings fight. Green light explodes, and Valen appears behind the two Kings, his magic wrapping around Inanis, allowing Orcus to get the upper hand.
“How the fuck are you still alive?” Inanis snarls, lashing out and striking Orcus, drawing blood, before turning to block the blow from Nox as he joins the fight.
Creed crawls back to his mom, eyes on me for a split second and I nod, letting him know I’m okay as I search for the three people I haven't seen yet. Jordan and Theo are in the corner, fighting off the remaining two Wraiths, Orcus’ guards running to offer them aid, but it's the three guards who stand near an unmoving black Beastia, eyeing it warily, that has my heart sinking like a rock!
“Raz!” I shove to my feet, ignoring how my head spins as I run to Razar, pushing the guards out of the way as I kneel beside him. “Hey,” I whisper when black soulless eyes meet mine. Razar’s chest rises and falls with strained breath, and he growls when I reach forward and press my hand to his nose. “Nox will be right here to heal you,” I whisper when I see a flail lodged into his side, most of his black, poisoned tipped spines broken and snapped, black blood oozing from his thick skin.
The floor shakes beneath me as the Kings fight, Valen and Nox offering aid while I stay with Raz and Creed sticks with Viviane. But then the entire room trembles, the ceiling above cracking, and small chunks of marble fall, one nearly striking Raz and me.
Shit,” I whisper, moving closer to Raz and looking at the Kings, who look more monster than human right now. Orcus is in his full shifted form, but Inanis is nearly three feet taller than the massive Demon King, his gray skin reddish as he fights, taking one blow and delivering another. The fight looks almost equal, and I know there is no way Orcus would stand a chance without Valen and Nox's help.
My skin heats as I watch them fight, magic coursing through me and my heart skips a beat when Inanis roars and releases another brutal wave of magic, knocking all three Demons he’s fighting off their feet. I gasp as the magic hits me, my body tensing, my fingertips itching just as tiny black claws break painfully through my skin.
“M-Meyer,” I hear my name, the voice weak, and turn, finding Jesthren watching me, eyes barely open. He’s in bad shape, his shoulder a torn and a bloody mess, his arm hanging at an awkward angle at his side. The deep claw marks to his chest look even worse than the ones I received, cutting so deep I don't even want to look at what I can see that shouldn't be visible. I swallow hard as I watch him try to drag his broken body closer to us. He manages to climb to his hands and knees, but the wounds seem to be too much for him to bear as he falls back to the ground.
The need to protect Razar rushes through me, and I move my body between the brothers, earning a growl from Raz as his black eyes stay locked on the threat near us. I watch Jesthren, and I feel the hate for him burning in my belly. Knowing this man tried to take Razar and the others from me not once but several times sets my teeth on edge. Yet, there is that flicker of doubt that I can no longer ignore as I look into a pair of eyes I’ve never seen before today that tell me Jesthren, the true Jesthren, never wanted to hurt his family and that he was under the control of the Devil.
“Run,” he mouths and his head falls back to the floor below him. I shake my head, refusing to leave Razar’s side. Inanis stumbles back, one leg giving out under his weight as Orcus jumps back to his feet, hammer in hand as he grins at the evil Demon King.
“You will die today,” Orcus growls. I watch as the Devil snarls at him, eyes moving from Orcus to where Viviane slowly stands on shaky legs, Creed standing protectively at her side.
“You don't have enough magic to kill me!” he roars back, and Orcus shrugs and then looks at his son. “I don't, but they do.” Valen is back on his feet, the black hair of his Shade form looking almost blue with how dark it is. Green magic swirls around him, keeping the red magic from everyone in the room except Jesthren and Inanis. Keeping his eye on Inanis, Lennox moves with a lethal grace, stepping between me and the Devil, all while staying where he’s needed in order to help his Father.
“You know, you might have been able to win if you hadn't come here,” Orcus gloats, taking a step toward Inanis. If you had accepted that Viv didn't want you and that she chose me, this whole war could have been prevented.”
“She is mine!” Inanis bellows, as he shoves to his feet, red magic forming into a large sphere at the center of his hand.
“No.” The soft word echoes around the room as Inanis snaps his eyes back to Viviane and stares at her with a sneer on his thin lips. “I’m not, Inanis, and I never will be. I made my choice, and I chose him. No matter what you did or do, nothing will change that. I would rather follow Orcus into death than ever belong to you.” The bruise on her face looks awful as she reaches up and wipes the blood off her face with the back of her hand, staring at the Devil with no fear.
Inanis shakes his head like he refuses to believe her words as he bares his teeth at her and growls. “Fine, if that's your choice. You can die with them.” With a loud cry, he throws the bright magic in his hand up at the tall ceilings, making the castle tremble as his hands stay raised in the air. There is a pregnant pause where the sound of cracking marble is all that can be heard, and with a dark chuckle, he wrenches his arms down, the ceiling crumbling with his motion.
“Valen!” Orcus yells, rushing to where Viviane stands with Creed as pieces the size of boulders fall around them. Valen grunts as magic explodes from him, weaving together into a tight shield and catching the bulk of the ceiling moments before it can completely buckle in on us. The weight of the heavy stone makes him groan, legs buckling and sending him to his knees.
“Help Valen,” Viv growls at Orcus, who gapes up at the ceiling in awe and nods. His hands move in small circles as sparks of black magic float in the air, and then he curses.
“I don’t have enough!”
“I’ve got it!” Nox growls, hands glowing with black magic, adding to the green as he runs closer to Valen, trying to keep the ceiling from crushing us all. “Get them the hell out of here!” he yells at the guards, nodding to Theo and Jordan, who instantly start to argue and shout when the guards simply sling them over their shoulders and run from the room.
“Get your mother out!” Orcus instructs Creed who nods, then shouts, grabbing Viviane and yanking her back to him as a wall of flames erupts, wrapping around them and blocking their escape.
Inanis laughs as flames form in his hands, then run up his arms as he holds them out at his sides. “No, my darling love,” he hisses between gritted teeth. “You wanted to die with him, remember?” He asks as Orcus runs at the Devil, hammer held over his shoulder, swinging it at his ankles and connecting just as Inanis’ magic strikes, hitting Orcus in the chest and sending him crashing into a wall several feet away.
“You should have listened to me! Should have chosen me!” he screams like a madman, grimacing in pain as he limps a little to the side, Orcus’ blow causing enough damage that he’s in obvious pain. I race to help Orcus, but pause, looking back at Razar, who growls and looks at Orcus. My movement has Inanis’ head snapping toward me and his grin brightens.
“You’re next,” he says in excitement and Razar growls low, his big body trying to move to get in front of me.
“No!” Creed screams as Nox lunges toward me, trying to block the fire in Inanis’ hands, but he’s too far away. I glare at Inanis and step forward, not letting Raz put himself between us as bright red and orange flames are thrown my way. I hold my breath, knowing this is going to hurt as I raise my hands and close my eyes, bracing for the impact. But instead of the blistering pain I expect to feel the moment the fire touches my skin, I feel… nothing? No, I feel a warmth and something almost tingly.
Hmm, weird.
Cracking my eyes back open I almost giggle as the deadly flames dance around my fingers, spiraling over my skin, flickering in excitement when I slowly wiggle my fingers experimentally. But the rage plastered on Inanis’ face at my ability to catch his flame wipes all sense of shock and excitement away as his hand circles in the air, black and red smoke appearing around his fingers as a large, black onyx blade appears in his hand.
Oh, fuck. Okay, I might have been able to handle the fire, but there is no way I will be able to catch that. Inanis lifts the blade over his shoulder, aiming it at me, then releases it before I can even think of a way to avoid it. Suddenly, big arms wrap around me, spinning me around as Nox places his body in front of mine. A scream of protest tears from my throat, the sound, unlike anything I’ve ever made before as I try to drag him out of the way, knowing that if that onyx blade strikes him, it would very likely be a fatal blow.
“No!” I shove at Nox, trying to push him out of the way just as he tenses and Inanis releases a bellow of pure rage. I look up at my mate, at the man I first hated when I met him, then grew to love, bracing myself for the worst. Tears stream down my cheeks as I reach for that thing deep in my chest, tugging on it so damn hard that Nox stumbles but doesn't move his protective stance. But when I see his face, it’s not pain I see there but confusion as he looks down at me and blinks, then blinks again.
“Are you alright?” I scream at him, still hitting his chest, needing him to release me so I can make sure he’s not about to die. Nox's brows furrow, and he nods, then twists, looking over his shoulder, and his lips part in horror at what he sees.
“No!” Viviane screams, rushing at the wall of flames, Creed barely catching her in time to stop her from burning herself. I finally push from Nox’s arms, looking around him only to watch as Jesthren stumbles back, the large onyx blade protruding from his chest as his legs give out, and he falls to the ground on his knees a few feet from Inanis.
Inanis stares at his son in disgust, the room filling with smoke as the fires grow. “Pathetic,” Inanis sneers as he steps forward and kicks Jesthren in the chest. Nox growls, his body trembling as he lurches forward, his magic attacking with newfound vigor, making Inanis falter when he tries to defend himself. Like a blur, Nox attacks, spinning, kicking, lashing out, and hitting Inanis so many times I have difficulty keeping up.
Finally, Inanis stumbles and falls to his knees as Nox fists his hair and yanks his head back, looking at the Devil with so much hatred I can feel it coursing over my skin. “You will die for that,” he growls, and Inanis chuckles, blood streaming from his nose and mouth, dripping from his chin as he looks up at Nox and shakes his head.
“No, I won’t,” he scoffs before vanishing into thin air, Nox’s clawed hands gripping at nothing as he releases a bellow and turns at the crack of magic sparking to life in front of me. The red light blocks out Nox and shoves Razar’s Beast away as the Devil emerges, his eyes the color of freshly spilt blood.
“I need this,” he rasps, hand wrapping around my wrist and yanking me to him as he grabs the necklace around my neck and snaps the chain. Remembering Orcus’ warning, I snarl back at him, the red mark on my wrist lighting up as I lunge forward and grab the stone just as Inanis steps back into the red magic, pulling me into darkness.