Shadow and Ice (Gods of War) Page 20

  When Rush had burst into the motel room, Knox had reacted without thought, taking the two arrows meant for him, and the one meant for Vale. The foolish move had cost him, damaging his arm, momentarily affecting his aim. She was immortal now, and an injury to the skull wouldn’t have killed her. Hurt her, yes, and would have made her helpless for a time, but she would have survived, and he would have maintained proper use of his arm.

  What’s done is done. Focus on the present.

  The eyaer screamed an angry command. {Kill everyone!}

  Yes. They threatened my female. They die bloody.

  Knox picked up the sword he’d dropped, blocked Rush’s next blow, advanced. Retreated. Advanced again, while tossing shadows at Erik and Adonis. He holstered and unholstered the revolver, reloading.

  When the viking and Adonis shed the darkness and flew outside, Knox was ready. He peppered the pair with bullets, then gave chase. Three pains cut through his back before he could clear the window, throwing him off course, momentarily paralyzing him.

  Rush and his cursed arrows!

  Knox smacked into the wall. On the plus side, impact shoved the arrows out the other side of his body.

  He wasn’t going to reach Vale before the viking and Adonis. He told himself Vale would be okay.

  She had better be okay.

  Before leaving the room, she’d winked in and out of view. An ability Celeste had possessed before she was killed, which meant Vale had inherited the Occisorian’s abilities, on top of her memories. He’d suspected, but he hadn’t really believed it possible. No other combatant possessed such a skill.

  Erik and Adonis wouldn’t sense her power if they caught her, as long as they stayed together. And if they couldn’t sense her power, they wouldn’t suspect she’d killed Celeste and joined the war. If they didn’t suspect her participation, they wouldn’t kill her. They would keep her alive to use as bait. Considering she was the first—the only—woman Knox had expressed interest in since the start of the war, she was valuable bait.

  If she happened to use Celeste’s ability again, the males would simply assume Knox had concealed her with shadows despite the distance between them.

  Still, the urge to go after her was strong. He wanted to be her shield.

  Think this through like a combatant determined to win, not a boyfriend willing to lose.

  Truth: At the moment, Vale wasn’t in danger of dying.

  Truth: If Knox gave chase, Rush would follow him and pelt him with more arrows.

  Truth: Rush’s crossbow would come in handy in battle.

  Decision: Kill Rush first, and fast, then find Vale.

  With a roar, he rotated. Rush had already swung a sword. One of Knox’s that he’d picked up from the floor.

  Target—Knox’s head.

  There was no time for finesse. Knox hit his knees, and the sharp metal whizzed over him, then he used shadows to shove Rush away.

  As the other man wheeled, Knox crashed into him like a freight train, whaling all the way down. Bones crunched beneath his pounding fists. Impact. Unaffected, Rush rolled backward and, with his boots pressed against Knox’s stomach, kicked him overhead.

  In one fluid motion, Knox landed, stood and unleashed a torrent of shadows, blinding Rush while hurling a chair, mirror and lamp at his body.

  While he was busy trying to dodge, Knox used the same power to free Celeste’s sword from under the mattress.

  Whoosh. The blade sank into Rush’s heart—

  The warrior had turned at the last second, the blade piercing his shoulder. A smear of poison must have remained active on the metal, because Rush’s knees gave out and he collapsed, his sword and crossbow thudding beside him.

  The dried poison must not be as strong. Though trembling, the male was able to pull a dagger from his boot, lumber to his feet and attack.

  Knox blocked with one arm and used the other to slice Rush’s throat, just not as deeply as he’d hoped.

  They dove at each other, trundled over the ground, then came up with their swords extended. The bastard gathered his strength and made a play for Knox’s head.

  Dodge. “Working with the viking and Adonis...or just pretending? Either way, you’re a dead man walking. They’ll betray you without a moment’s hesitation.”

  Rush parried, then lunged. “Unlike you, murk, not everyone is willing to murder an ally to progress their cause.”

  Ignore the guilt. “You are more like me than you want to admit. You’ll do anything to return to your wife. And Erik and Adonis have already betrayed you. They left you behind to deal with me while chasing after a puny mortal.”

  The taunt missed its mark, Rush swinging and dodging without missing a beat. “Erik plans to stop the war and hinder the High Council with their own rules, and Adonis believes he can do it.”

  “Adonis is a fool.” Metal clinked and clanged against metal. “But not you.”

  For slaves like Knox, Rush and Adonis, the prospect of continued freedom appealed greatly. Doing what they wanted, when they wanted. Living in the terrain of their choosing. Bedding as many women as they wished, whenever they wished.

  “You’re pretending,” Knox continued. “Waiting until the viking convinces others to lay down their weapons in the name of peace. The moment they are unarmed, you’ll strike.”

  “You don’t know—”

  “I do. You will never choose an illusion of freedom over your wife.”

  What would I do for my wife, if I had one?

  “Anyone who opposes Erik will be killed,” Rush said. “Anyone he feels he cannot trust, too. Your name is at the top of the list. And Knox, you won’t be able to defeat him. He’s spent more than a thousand years preparing for our escape from the ice.”

  Knox evaded another swing, caught the male’s wrist and punched his forearm. Rush lost his grip, the sword clattering to the floor. A swift kick to the ankles sent him crashing to his knees.

  A kick to the head followed. Rush blocked and retaliated, but Knox dodged and came up beside him to elbow his temple. As he floundered, Knox delivered an uppercut to the nose, snapping cartilage. More blood, but not enough.

  Rush wasn’t yet out for the count; he wound an arm around Knox’s neck in an intractable choke hold and a leg around his waist, then pulled himself up so that they were eye to eye. Air snagged in Knox’s throat, starving his lungs.

  Stars winked through his vision. Dizziness rushed through his head.

  Focus. Steady. Becoming panicky would herald his demise. He kneed Rush in the stomach, his leg like a wrecking ball. Then, as the other man gasped, he withdrew the small blade hidden in his belt buckle and jab, jab, jabbed. The first cut was between two of Rush’s ribs, deflating his lung. The second, through a kidney. The third, the femoral artery.

  Suddenly free, Knox stumbled backward. He prepared to charge like a bull, but Rush seized his crossbow and raced out the window.

  No time to waste.

  Knox gathered his weapons and supplies, knowing he’d need them if he was going to save Vale. He wanted her back. He wanted her back now.

  The only thing he’d ever relished was victory. And now...Vale? Her kiss...

  I will get her back, and I will get her into my bed.

  Once he’d collected his bounty, he shot into the night, ready to tear the world apart.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  MOONLIGHT GLOWED. Buildings stretched on both sides of Vale, dark inside, their resident businesses all closed, no witnesses nearby. Good. There was no need to endanger innocent people.

  As she charged this way and that, her thoughts jumbled up. Where should she go? She wasn’t familiar with the area, and wasn’t sure how to evade experienced hunters.

  Run. I’ll find you.

  Did she want Knox to find her?

  No, she realized. No, she didn’t. She just w
anted out of this stupid war.

  Only Knox and Zion knew her name. Hopefully. Maybe she could hitch a ride with a trucker, go home to Oklahoma, get a new ID, empty her savings and...what? The same problem would plague her. Where would she go afterward? What could she do?

  What about Nola?

  Thunder cracked, startling her. Lightning flashed. Though there’d been no signs of a coming storm, the sky began to cry, to sob, rain soaking her in seconds.

  Cold invaded every inch of her, down to her marrow, and the power of invisibility ebbed. Vale trembled, her steps slowing. No, no, no! Discernable, she had no advantage.

  “Not so fast.” Once again, strong arms banded around her, stopping her in her tracks.

  She opened her mouth to scream, but her hijacker—Adonis—muffled the sound with his hand.

  Nooooo! She hadn’t gotten far, only a few blocks.

  Was this the end of her game?

  A few yards ahead, a van’s tires squealed. The passenger door was already open. Adonis dragged her over, tossed her onto a ripped seat, then climbed in beside her and closed the door. Erik perched behind the wheel, and if she hadn’t known he was immortal, she would have begun to suspect. His missing eye had almost completely regenerated.

  He put the pedal to the metal and sped away, saying, “The rain will wash away her trail,” his voice no longer heavy with desire.

  The rain must have doused her scent. One point in her favor, at least.

  Wet and shivering as fear frosted her lungs, she struggled to catch her breath. Did these guys know she’d joined the AW? They’d attributed her invisibility to Knox’s shadows, so there was a good chance they hadn’t yet guessed the truth. Also in her favor—no other combatant had ever absorbed another’s memories or abilities. The idea shouldn’t be on anyone’s radar. Though Erik and Adonis had to wonder why they’d been so attracted to a complete stranger back in that motel room.

  She doubted “I’m super hot, obviously,” would put their minds at ease.

  She did her best to look unaffected by the night’s events, even bored. Her newest captors were warriors; they admired strength and courage. Or maybe her seeming lack of fear would infuriate them, and they would lash out.

  Frick! Any way she played this, she was gonna get hurt. Why not launch an escape?

  Very well. She would. But her options were limited. Did she try to leap over Adonis and jump out of the van? Or did she try to steal a weapon without getting caught and then slay both males?

  No matter what, she couldn’t rely on the pheromone to help. If a single whiff had turned these men into slavering horndogs, what would a deluge do?

  No wonder Vale had felt uneasy when she’d first realized she’d inherited the woman’s ability to seduce.

  So. Back to her options. If she jumped, Adonis would probably catch her. And if he didn’t catch her, he would definitely hunt her down.

  She had to go for the weapon. Had to slay to keep trouble at bay.

  A lump grew in her throat—I’m just as bad as everyone else—but she swallowed it back, allowing cold determination to overtake her. She would make two more kills. Only two, and only because they were necessary for her survival. Then she would find a way out of the war.

  Could she purposely deliver a death blow, though? Even in self-defense?

  Yes. Because she had to. There was no other way out of this.

  Beneath slitted lids, she studied Adonis. Two daggers were anchored to the sheaths on the waistband of his leather pants. Getting one would be difficult but not impossible. First, she would have to create a distraction.

  “Do you know who and what we are?” he asked.

  To tell the truth or play dumb? Like it’s really playing, London.

  “Yes,” she said, deciding to err on the side of caution, just in case she effed up and let a detail slip. “Knox enlightened me. You’re part of an All War.”

  “Excellent. Saves us the trouble of explaining.” Erik grinned at her from the rearview mirror. “You look better now than you did at my cabin.”

  His cabin? Shock punched her in the gut, freeing one of Celeste’s memories. It swam up, up to break through the turbulent sea of panic in her mind. Erik stood outside the check-in point, Cannon’s rod in hand, an army of Viking warriors flanking his sides, each one dressed in roughly hewn garments and crudely fashioned armor.

  Erik had been human, and like her, he’d entered the war unwittingly. He’d loved his people; that had been obvious. He’d fought for his land. Now he fought for Earth—and he might actually have a shot at victory. He definitely had a better shot than Vale.

  Knox hadn’t known what happened when two people represented a single realm, and Vale wasn’t going to ask these guys if they had a clue; whatever the answer, it wasn’t a good enough reason to give away her ace.

  Trust no one. Hide everything.

  Besides, her chances might be better than Erik’s. She could absorb powers, thank you very much; he couldn’t.

  “I’m the one who brought you snow gear, clothes and killed your guide,” he said with an easy, breezy tone. “The male planned to hurt you and your friend.”

  He was the reason the guide had abandoned them? He’d killed the guide? A man who’d planned to, what, rape and murder her and Nola, if Erik was telling the truth? They’d had no idea.

  “You could have returned our IDs and cash,” she said. “You could have escorted us to civilization. So thanks—for nothing.”

  “Why would I return your IDs and cash when I’m the one who stole them?”

  Well, okay then. Knox and Zion weren’t the only ones who knew her name and where she lived.

  “You’d stumbled upon my territory,” he continued. “I had no idea who you were or what you wanted. Just be grateful you’re alive. Everyone else who entered the area got buried in ice. And before you ask, I made an exception because you’re sexy, and I’m shallow.”

  A very male explanation.

  She sneered at him. “You saved us from a bad guy, then left us to starve or freeze to death. How very gentlemanly of you.”

  “I was busy preparing for the day the combatants escaped confinement. When I had time, I would have brought you food and firewood. But just in case I didn’t have time, I left you with the means to hunt your own.” A pause. “By the way, a warrior named Zion has your friend. Three others—Bane, Bold and Emberelle—are hot on their trail. You should have stayed at the cabin. I’m nice.”

  Adonis coughed in his hand.

  “I’m nicer,” Erik amended. “Sometimes.”

  She scoured Celeste’s memories. Bane—he had a beast trapped within. Bold—he hailed from a realm of assassins. Emberelle—she was a mind reader, with pointed ears.

  “Don’t worry. They’ll never catch Zion,” Adonis said. “He’s like Knox. A ghost. And speaking of Knox, I’m sure you’ll be happy to know our beef is with him, not you. Be a good girl, and you’ll make it out of this alive.”

  “Women love condescending men,” she told him, batting her lashes. “Don’t ever stop being you.”

  He chuckled, and she rejoiced. Nope, these guys didn’t know she’d joined the AW, and they assumed Knox had killed Celeste—if they even knew Celeste was dead.

  One day, they would find out the truth. Best to lay the groundwork for Nola’s protection now. “FYI, I don’t give a crap about the other girl. We work for the same company and traveled together as a stupid team building exercise.” A lie steeped in truth, the hardest to detect. “So I’m a carrot for Knox, huh?” she asked before either male could probe for more information about her sister.

  “If he survived the skirmish with Rush,” Erik said with a nod. “Yes.”

  She gulped. Had Knox survived the skirmish with Rush?

  Worry later. “Good luck with your carroting, gentlemen. Word of warning, though. Knox told me,
oh, about a dozen times that I mean nothing to him. He values his life, and no other. He won’t endanger himself for a search and rescue.” He might endanger himself for a search and rescue. He’d promised to find her.

  “He shielded you from one of Rush’s arrows,” Erik said. “You mean something.”

  Realization: They’d watched the other man’s entrance. Had they watched the make-out session, too?

  Gritting her teeth, she said, “How did you find us?”

  “Mainly social media,” Erik said. “I have hundreds of employees dedicated to searching the web every minute of every day.”

  Knew that would work! Whoa, back up. He had hundreds of employees? Frick! The man wasn’t just prepared; he was smart.

  “I’ve had centuries to prepare for this day,” he added, “to find ways to defeat the men and women with awe-inspiring powers who dared invade my land.”

  He’d had unfettered access to the world and the ability to set countless traps, implementing contingency plan after contingency plan just in case something—anything—went wrong. More dangerous than I realized.

  A clammy sweat broke out on Vale’s brow. If there had to be a winner—besides her—she should root for the man who fought for Earth, not the man she had a crush on, who fought for his own freedom.

  Adonis leaned toward her. In a stage whisper, he said, “Once, Erik considered us gods. As he should. We spawned many of today’s myths and legends.”

  “Let me guess. You are the inspiration for your namesake, Adonis.” She rolled her eyes. “Knox mentioned he was known as the god of darkness.”

  “Yes to both. Though Knox was supposedly the incarnation of Loki.”

  Why did that make him even sexier?

  Erik drummed his fingers on the wheel. “The gods used to return to my territory once a month, killing any of my clansmen who neared. So, I killed one of their clansmen in turn. After interrogating him and learning all I could about the All War, of course. I had no idea I’d become an immortal until years later.”

  “What will happen to Earth if you win the war?” she asked softly.