“She’s in a dark cavern, streaks of fire in the walls.” Dagan’s brow furrowed, then his citrine eyes lifted to Nik. “This demon wants the powers she supposedly has.”
Power?
Except for her heightened senses, Shadow didn’t possess any other abilities. Did she?
“There’s something else.” Dagan handed the top over. “That demon wants her as his.”
“I will kill him first.” Rage fisting him by the balls, Nik pressed the fabric to his nose, inhaling his mate’s alluring wildflowers scent. His chest tightened. As long as he breathed, no one would dare touch a single strand of her hair—
Everything in him went dead still. Amidst the myriad odors clinging to her shirt, one stood out, burning his nose—the gut-churning stench of sulfur with a hint of moldy spice. “I know his stink now. He will regret coming after her.”
Aethan took the shirt, sniffed. “Local demons don’t possess this reek.”
“I know. We’re dealing with someone directly from the Dark Realm, posing as a gang leader. The bastard must have a portal somewhere underground.” Nik glanced around the dank, silent tunnels again.
“You think he could be behind the abduction of the women and children?”
“We will know when we find the fucker.” Nik retrieved Shadow’s top and pushed it into his back pocket.
“I think I might be able to locate where the demon’s lair is,” Dagan said. “I have a vision of the outside of the cavern Shadow saw before she disappeared into darkness.
“Then let’s go get the fucker,” Aethan snapped.
They dematerialized and coasted through the dank tunnels, tracking…
Every time Nik felt as if they were on a wild goose hunt, Dagan telepathed, This way.
An hour later, he mind-linked with Nik, Here, it looks familiar.
Nik reformed near a bricked-off, gloomy passage. The stench of dampness and decay hung dense and heavy. Decomposing brick pillars rose, supporting the water-stained underground ceiling. On his left, grimy, mold-covered walls meandered on, and to his right, a granite barrier loomed.
Nik checked the stonework wall for a hidden doorway, then he trailed his fingers on the cold, rugged surface, feeling for a chink—a seam. A zing shot through him—
“I sense something…” Aethan ran his palm over the damp granite.
“Yeah, I do, too. The fucking ward’s abrading my psyche like razors,” Nik snarled. “I will make the fucker wish he’d never set foot on this realm.” Frost coated the walls in front of him.
The ground shuddered beneath their feet.
Nik spun around as dark fog slithered out from the ground.
“What the fuck?” Aethan swore. Dagan cursed.
Several hellfire bolts rained toward them. Nik ducked, barely evading a hit when a piercing pain speared his right biceps. Cold fury tore through him.
The emerging skeletal demons with leathery black skin hissed, “You dare to trespass on our lord’s territory?
Chapter 21
Nik? Shadow yelled through their telepathic pathway again. But she hit a wall, and the sensation of rage and pain flashing through her vanished as fast as it appeared.
“Please, please,” she breathed, trying to concentrate on where he was, to find out if he was okay.
The terrace swirled in a dizzying speed.
“Oh, crap—” she groaned, collapsing against the wrought-iron table. She squeezed her eyes tight. What was wrong with her?
“Shadow!” Kira’s voice came from afar as the rushing air roared in her ears. Terror snatching her breath, she reached out for her friend, straining to hold onto anything—
And crashed into a rock-hard body. A cacophony of noise, exploding her ears.
“What the fuck?” a male voice snarled.
A brutally strong hand grabbed her, her back slamming into a granite chest, cold steel pressing against her throat. The sting of the blade had her eyes snapping open. Fiery bolts flew in the darkness, curses and screeches grew.
The man spun her around.
“Nik?” she gasped, blinking in confusion, a familiar damp stench crowding her nose.
“Shadow?” Nik’s eyes widened, then they blazed like an out-of-control furnace. “I could have fucking killed you!” he yelled. “What the hell were you thinking?”
She shook her head, too disorientated to speak. Somehow, she’d flashed—
Oh, shit. She’d freaking flashed herself to Nik underground, where he was in the middle of a demon fight. She pressed a hand over her thrashing heart. The symbionts throbbed wildly on her chest, no doubt sensing the dark energy around her.
A whizzing hiss echoed around them. Cursing, Nik hauled her aside, avoiding a deadly blitzing hellfire bolt that blasted the dingy brick and mortar wall. Rubble exploded, raining to the ground.
“How did you get here?” he demanded, his fingers a punishing grip on her biceps. “Who brought you?”
She shook her head just as a demon manifested behind him, lunging forward with deadly long talons. “Nik!” she shrieked at the same time as he flung out a hand, freezing the monster without even a glance over his shoulder.
“Nik, go!” someone yelled. “We got this—”
The gloomy underground spun. Her heart jammed in her throat as they left the grimy place and reformed moments later—back in their bedroom at the castle.
Nik let her go, fists clenching, clearly ready to punch something.
She bit off a groan, feeling as if she’d left her brain elsewhere at this mode of travel. She rubbed her temples aware Nik hadn’t said a word. But she felt his fear and anger through their mate bond. She dared to look up and bumped into his flat stare.
“I-I didn’t ask anyone or do anything to find you,” she said, lowering her hand.
Hands on his hips, he stood near the fireplace, the tic on his hard jaw powering up. “Then when exactly did this miracle of you flashing yourself to me occur?”
“I don’t know…” She swallowed, still trying to get her mind to track. “I had a weird heat flash and then felt you in here.” She poked her head. “You were furious, and when I sensed your pain, I was terrified you were injured. You weren’t responding to my telepathic calls, so I tried to feel for you, and…and then I was there.”
He stared at her for an intense second before his eyes narrowed. “What else are you keeping from me, Shadow?”
She blinked, hurt punching her in the chest. “You think I’m hiding things from you?” Hurt turned to anger. “Of course, why would you believe me? I live underground with the worst types out there, and I steal, so yeah, I’m always going to be a suspect when things go against the norm. If that’s what you think about me, then it’s best we—”
“What? End us?” he growled. “How the hell am I supposed to protect you if I don’t know what you can do? You suddenly appeared in the middle of a dangerous fight. You could have died! You scared the crap out of me!”
“You think I knew about this? I had no idea I could flash, dematerialize, or whatever the heck I just did,” she shot back. “All I knew is when I felt your pain, I panicked. Fear drove me to find you. I mean mentally. I didn’t expect it to happen literally.”