The Darkest King Read online

  Why, why, why?

  “The message,” William said, and sighed.

  “You are two minutes late. Get to the club. Oh, and he requests your presence for dinner tonight.” Rathbone’s dark gaze returned to Sunny. “Feel free to bring a guest.”

  Judging by the male’s tone, requests meant commands.

  “Hello.” Sunny waved. “I’m Sunny. William’s girlfriend. We’re committed, aren’t we, cuddles?”

  The newcomer shook his head as if he’d misheard and zoomed his attention back to William. “Girlfriend?”

  She expected another denial. Instead, he grated, “Committed,” then finished making introductions, leaving her flummoxed. “Sunny, this is Rathbone. He’s one of nine Hell kings.”

  “I’ve heard of you,” she said, suddenly awed. “You’re the original shape-shifter, able to morph into anything. I was your biggest fan until you became an underworld king.” She’d heard he ruled with an iron fist, executed any and all who betrayed him, never offering a second chance, and had once skinned his own brother alive. Rumors his black-as-night aura supported, but even still he didn’t ping her “must destroy evil” instincts. “Then you went and totally redeemed yourself, helping to downgrade Lucifer from king to prince.”

  Every underworld king owned a crown with special powers. Without it, they lost their spot at the royal table. From her researching, she knew Rathbone had used his ability to shape-shift to help Hades steal back the crown.

  “Would it be terribly forward of me to ask you to transform—” Between one blink and the next, Rathbone morphed into William. She laughed and clapped. “Do it again, do it again!”

  William blew the male a kiss with his middle finger. “You better change back, bones. I’ve never been so attracted to someone in my life, and I’m about to jump you.”

  With a wink, Rathbone returned to his original visage. “I’ll tell Hades you’re on your way to the meeting, and you’re happy to join him for dinner. Should I mention you’re in the middle of planning your wedding or not?” He grinned and vanished.

  William unleashed an unholy snarl, and Sunny slapped a hand over her mouth to stop her giggle.

  He wagged a finger at her, opened and closed his mouth without saying a word, then turned on his heel and marched out of the stable, never looking back.

  She released her laughter at long last, though it quickly ended in a groan, mating season never letting her forget her attraction to William for long.

  What to do next, what to do next?

  13

  “I’ve killed thousands—a number that does not compare with the carnage to come.”

  You’re mine.

  Sunny’s words continued to reverberate inside William’s head, her image seared into his memory. That waterfall of blue waves...the half shirt, leaving the bottom swell of her breasts visible...those rock-hard nipples...that slender build and flawless brown skin with a wealth of rose tattoos he’d longed to trace with his tongue...that tiny scrap of fabric pretending to be panties...those perfect legs.

  The woman’s body was incredible, a masterpiece of femininity and sparkly unicorn goodness. One look at her, and blood had rushed straight to his groin. Where it had stayed ever since.

  In her presence, everything heightened. He needed to keep his distance, but she drew him like a magnet drew metal.

  The magic he’d taken from the demons? Hadn’t helped. He craved Sunny with every ounce of his being. And she craved him. The most exquisite creature in any world saw him as boyfriend material. Him. A male with no memory of his childhood and too many memories of rape and torture. A prince of Hell without a true kingdom of his own. A cursed warlord who’d never known true, genuine love.

  Hold up. Am I questioning my worth? He scowled. Because yes. Yes, he was. Would his past disgust Sunny? It certainly disgusted William.

  Won’t tell her. Ever. If she failed to decode his book in two weeks, there’d be no need. Mating season would take over, and she’d want him, regardless.

  “Damn it!” He punched a wall. Skin split, and bone cracked. Pain shot through his knuckles, pooling in his wrist. He didn’t want her to want him because of hormones or pheromones, or whatever mating season did to her body. He wanted her to want him because of the man he’d become.

  Most fevered dream and worst nightmare, Keeley? You nailed it.

  Sunny made him feel alive. Sometimes she even reminded him of...himself. Oh, shit. She did. She was his female counterpart. A feminine William. The best of the best. She was confident but vulnerable, solitary but social. Sometimes finicky and always irreverent. Determined and witty. Smart and gorgeous. A wild creature in need of a wild ride. A challenge. Exuberant. She demanded what she wanted and took nothing less.

  William admired her greatly and wanted her desperately, madly. Making her come was becoming an obsession. How would she react when he succeeded? How would he?

  The urge to return to the stable hit, and hit hard. I won’t race back to Sunny. I won’t. Not now, not later. After the meeting, he would be ensuring the poachers and collectors were dead, as expected.

  With a huff, William flashed to a nightclub known as the Downfall. The club’s owners—Bjorn, Thane and Xerxes—had closed to patrons for the day, allowing Hades to rent the entire building for the meeting with Lucifer.

  Menace crackled in the air, buzzing against the back of his neck. Black velvet covered the walls, the perfect frame for a gallery of portraits featuring different mythological creatures performing different depraved sexual acts. There were hundreds of small round tables with four chairs. Elaborate chandeliers cast muted beams of golden light.

  Bjorn stood on the other side of the room. He met William’s gaze and nodded, acknowledging his arrival without saying a word. He had brown hair, eyes the color of a rainbow and mother-of-pearl skin that sometimes looked dark, sometimes looked light. His wings were solid gold.

  Like Axel, Bjorn and his partners had recently received a promotion. They’d gone from Warriors to part of the Elite 7, when most of the former Elite had died in a heavenly explosion.

  Thane looked like an angel with curly blond hair, flawless tanned skin and wicked blue eyes, while Xerxes looked like a devil with white hair, scarred white skin and neon red eyes.

  Hades was there, along with Pandora, Lucien—coruler of the Lords of the Underworld—and Anya. In the far corner stood another Sent One. Axel.

  In an instant, longing threatened to choke William. Close the distance. Hear his voice. Breathe his scent. Why had Hades allowed Axel to stay? Or had he tried to force the male to go, but Axel refused?

  Knowing both males...yeah. That.

  As he stared at his brother, longing darkened Axel’s features, too—until he reshaped his expression into his customary smirk. Know that smirk well. I’ve donned it every time I’ve wanted something I couldn’t have.

  William looked to Hades. Shit! His father watched him through slitted lids, no doubt expecting him to defect to the Sent Ones, ditching the male who raised him in order to be with a blood relative.

  I want...both in my life. For now, he moved toward Hades.

  Axel stiffened, obviously offended.

  Damn it! William paused. He felt like a frayed rope in a violent game of tug-of-war.

  Before Axel had ambushed him at home, William had believed he could keep his brother out of his life, no problem. As he’d told Keeley, you couldn’t miss what you’d never had. But he’d since had a taste of what could be, and he only wanted more. So much more.

  However, he wouldn’t dismiss the concerns of the man who’d taught him to protect himself and those he loved. Not until they’d had a chance to speak in private. So, William gave Axel another nod, then trekked the rest of the way to the tables and sat between Hades and Anya.

  Hades remained quiet and unmoving while his brother fisted his hands. William’s
chest tightened. Can’t aid one without hurting the other. Had he made a mistake? Should he have shown Axel support instead, helping repair an already damaged relationship?

  “So. Where are your brats, huh?” A grinning Anya bumped his shoulder. One of the loveliest females in existence, she had a wealth of pale hair, perfect golden skin and sparkling blue eyes. “I hoped I’d get to see the Rainbow Brigade.”

  “They’re on a mission for me.” They’d heard a rumor about a possible hideout for Evelina.

  William couldn’t wait to use her to ruin Lucifer’s life.

  “Beer?” a female vampire called. “Wine? Me?”

  Ah. One of three waitresses shlepping drinks. The vampire approached to take William’s order, eyeing him like the last slab of ribs at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

  Not even tempted.

  Damn that Sunny Lane! What has she done to me? William sent the woman on her way.

  “So, what’s this I hear about a female codebreaker living in your stable?” Anya asked, offering the perfect distraction.

  “I have many codebreakers in a bunkroom, some female, some male.” Reveal nothing about Sunny. Anya would insist on meeting her. Together, they’d destroy what little sanity he’d maintained.

  “So, you’ve got yourself a Panty Melter harem. Sweet!”

  He rolled his eyes, saying, “Shut it and concentrate on the meeting to come.”

  “Ohhh. Is that what you tell your concubines just before you introduce your penis to their vaginas?”

  Leaning back, he shifted his gaze to the man on her other side, Lucien, who had black hair, darkish skin and a face disfigured with self-inflicted scars. He also had bicolored eyes—one blue, one brown. The blue one saw into the spirit world, while the brown one saw into the natural world.

  “Do me a solid and handle your woman,” William said. “No more talk of penises and vaginas.” Or I might have to rush back to Sunny.

  No more thinking about her, either!

  Anya wiggled her brows. “He handled me just before we got here.”

  Lucien looked to be fighting a grin as he gazed adoringly at the mate who’d fought hard to win his once-battered heart. The fact that a by-the-book male had ended up engaged to the minor goddess of Anarchy blew William’s mind. Anya followed no rules but her own, and even those she broke whenever she pleased.

  What had initially drawn the two together? The same elusive connection that drew William to Sunny?

  What kind of men had Sunny dated in the past?

  The muscles in his shoulders flexed, the urge to strike at someone, anyone, strong. Not thinking about the unicorn, remember?

  Projecting relish, Lucien said, “I will handle her again as soon as we get home. You have my word.”

  “So how long do we plan to wait for Lucifer to arrive?” Pandora demanded from the other side of the table. She popped her knuckles. “There’s only one reason I agreed to come. I was promised murder and mayhem, not sit and await ’em.”

  “You’ll have murder and mayhem later,” Hades said, his tone indulgent. “We all gave our word. Today we will chat, nothing more. While Lucifer doesn’t possess honor, we’re going to pretend we do.”

  Honor shmoner. William believed you had to strike when opportunity arose. Anything for victory. Some attacks could be won using words, the most dangerous weapon in the world. The tongue could create...and destroy. In a battle of wits, William wielded his with expert precision. But so did Lucifer.

  Hate him with every fiber of my being. There was no one more selfish or greedier. No one more repulsive.

  Once Lucifer had been the most beloved and powerful angel in the heavens. As a young lad, he’d adored the Most High, his creator...until a desire to rule the heavens consumed him. When he made a play against his king, he lost, and he fell. Hades took him in. Now Lucifer hungered for more power. He was repeating his mistakes, hoping to take his adoptive father’s place in the underworld, so he could lead every demon into the heavens, and fight to dethrone the Most High yet again.

  May I never be so foolish.

  Roughly fifty feet away, a crackling ember sparked from nothing. That ember grew, burning through the atmosphere, a portal forming.

  Lucifer had arrived.

  William’s hate magnified, engulfing him. A type of armor. Red dots infiltrated his line of sight.

  Chairs skidded back, everyone but the Ever Randy standing. Hatred and anticipation tinged the air, a malignant combination.

  The portal opened the rest of the way, and Lucifer stepped through, entering the nightclub.

  Nothing about the bastard had changed. He had the same curly blond hair, golden skin and sky blue eyes, and wore the same angel’s robe made of soft white feathers.

  Lucifer offered an easy grin that pricked William’s temper. “Hello, ladies. I apologize for my tardiness, but I’m positively giddy you were willing to wait for me.”

  William downed someone’s shot of ambrosia-laced whiskey before standing. He popped the bones in his neck and pasted on an irreverent smile before facing the male.

  Lucifer didn’t notice. He was too busy watching Hades, gauging his reaction.

  When Hades took a step forward, William gripped his shoulder, stopping him. I’ve got this.

  The strongest king in the underworld wasn’t someone who obeyed the commands of others, not even his son’s. Even still, he gave William a barely perceptible nod.

  William crossed the distance, and Lucifer did the same. They met in the middle, surrounded by a sea of tables and chairs. What William noticed first? An unmistakable flicker of envy in his brother’s eyes. He fought a smile. The interaction between father and son must have bothered the black sheep.

  Using his easiest tone, he said, “Your apology is accepted. Anytime I get to spend with my adoring father, I savor.” See? Words were weapons, and he’d just plunged a knife into Lucifer’s heart.

  His ex-brother scowled before hurrying to erase all emotion from his features. A skill he and William learned from Hades. “I’m so glad,” Lucifer replied, his voice a silk-covered dagger. “I’d be careful, though. With the whopper of a secret he’s keeping from you, he owes you more than his time.”

  And he’d just taken a dagger to the gut himself. No reaction. He lies to upset you.

  William studied Lucifer more intently, a volatile mix of affection and remorse razing his nerve endings. Maybe even regret?

  The trio of emotion had been buried underneath centuries of hatred. Since the hatred had surfaced, so had everything else.

  As if reading his thoughts—a skill Lucifer did not possess—his brother said, “Why do you hate me so, hmm?”

  “Oh, let me count the reasons.” Known as the Great Deceiver and the Destroyer, Lucifer was evil personified. He damaged everything he touched, and he could not be redeemed. The horrors his victims had suffered...

  Rage simmered in his every cell. Reveal nothing. Act calm...for now.

  “Only a few short years after Lilith issued her curse, a pain awoke me from a deep sleep,” William said with an easy tone. “I opened my eyes to find you at the side of his bed, a bloody dagger in hand, about to deliver a second blow.”

  When Hades had learned of their battle, he’d sided with William. Lucifer had felt slighted and moved out. The beginning of the end for the king and his first adopted son.

  Lucifer dismissed his claim with a wave. “Some people walk and talk in their sleep. I commit acts of murder. Not my fault.”

  Ah, revisionist history. A very human way of comforting one’s self for deeds done. “You know,” William said, still using that easy tone. “If you wanted to see me, you didn’t have to arrange some elaborate meeting. Your desperation is showing.”

  A tinge of red suffused Lucifer’s cheeks, his precious pride nicked. William—2. Lucifer—1. “I gave you an excuse to see me.�
� He scowled and added, “I didn’t come here to argue with you.”

  “That, I know. You came to threaten us, the only play in your How to Be a Supervillain guidebook. By the way, I’ll be posting my review online.” William took a page from Sunny’s guidebook and faked a wince. “One star.”

  “The same score I gave your book. Speaking of, I hear you’ve found a cryptanalyst to break your curse.” Lucifer all but bubbled over with glee.

  No reaction. Calm. Steady. “What I have is hope, something you would be a fool to feel.” For years, he’d kept his long-term goals a secret, waiting for the perfect moment to confess. That perfect moment is now. “I’m going to find your crown and claim your kingdom, Lucy. I will rule your armies, free everyone you’ve kept as a sexual captive and strip you of your most prized possession—your pride. In the years to come, your name will be a joke, cautionary tale and curse, all rolled into one.”

  Lucifer bared a set of razor-sharp fangs. “We should be on the same side, fighting against Hades’s tyranny.”

  “As if I would ever work with you. You steal, kill and destroy anything anyone else loves.”

  “Perhaps I’m a changed man. Either way, this is your first and last chance to join the winning team. Mine,” Lucifer said, his smug grin returning. He truly believed he would win. Deceives himself as much as others. “Together, we can strip Hades of his kingdom and pride.”

  “Afraid you can’t do it alone?”

  The grin fell. Another nick to his inflated pride.

  Slow and measured, Lucifer walked a circle around William, the hem of his robe brushing against the ashy ground. William let him do it, not bothering to turn with him. By remaining still, he conveyed a crystal clear message: Lucifer wasn’t enough of a threat to bother.

  Yet another nick. Maybe the bastard would bleed out by the end of the conversation.

  “You are content to be under Hades’s thumb?” Lucifer asked. “To be his hand of vengeance rather than your own man? Poor William. I do what I want, when I want. And soon, I’ll want to steal the crown from every king in Hell, so I will. No one can stop me. No one can defeat me.”