Sacrifice of Darkness: A Guardians of Eternity Novella Read online

  Instantly concerned, Terra’s hand lifted to touch his chin. “Oh, Javad. Did he punish you?”

  He had, of course. When Vynom discovered that he’d lost the rare healer, he’d nailed Javad to the wall with silver spikes. He’d hung there for weeks, the pain so grinding that he’d begged for death.

  Javad grabbed her hand and pressed her fingers to his lips, savoring the sweet taste of her skin.

  “It doesn’t matter now.”

  “Javad—”

  “We need to get out of here,” he interrupted.

  Her jaw tightened. Terra was kind and gentle and generous. She was also as stubborn as a mule.

  Thankfully, she accepted the need to postpone their reminiscences for later. “Do you have a plan?” she asked.

  “Does hope and a prayer count as a plan?”

  She stepped close enough to wrap him in the soft warmth of her body. “Yeah, they count.”

  “Terra.”

  An aching need blasted through Javad. He’d spent so long battling the instinct to seek out this female and… And what? This. Leaning down, he claimed her lips in a quick kiss of pure hunger. Yes. Desire churned through him. This was what he desired. This, this, this. He deepened the kiss, the heady taste of her plush lips slamming into him with stunning force, like a bolt of lightning. Javad groaned, and his fangs throbbed. Along with another part of his body.

  Instinct took over, shutting down his brain as he wrapped his arms around her. It didn’t matter that they were in a dank cell. Or that Vynom would soon return. Or even that she had never been meant for him. The warmth of her in his embrace eased an ancient pain he’d carried from the moment he smuggled her out of the fighting pits.

  “Javad.” She leaned against him, her fingers brushing over his chest before she slowly pushed him away. “We keep getting distracted.”

  Javad groaned again. This time, it wasn’t in a good way. It was more an achy-breaky-gut-wrenching kind of way. Still, while his brain might be misfiring, it wasn’t dead.

  Terra was right. They had to escape. The sooner, the better.

  With effort, he forced himself to move toward the far side of the cell. “I can get us out,” he told her, careful not to touch the silver coating the door. “But there are at least four guards at the opening to this cavern.”

  She moved to stand next to him. “Are they vampires?”

  “No.” Javad had sensed the demons from the moment he awakened in the cell. “Two trolls. A goblin. And some sort of fey creature.”

  “I’ll deal with them.”

  Javad blinked. “You?”

  “I’m not helpless.”

  He didn’t point out that he would hesitate to take on four guards. It didn’t matter that they were probably mongrels. Trolls and goblins were fierce warriors, who didn’t know the meaning of a fair fight.

  Instead, he reminded her that she was a Seraf. “Didn’t you take a vow not to harm others?”

  She offered him a sweet smile. “Trust me.”

  Something fluttered in the depths of his heart. “Always.”

  Chapter 5

  Vynom was on his way to the sleeping pens that housed his fighters when he felt a warm breeze creeping over his skin. He snarled, whirling on his heel to glare at the center of the large cavern. There was nothing to see yet, but he knew what was coming.

  Dammit. He should never have given the bitch access to get through his magical barriers.

  Then again, what choice did he have?

  He’d been scraping the bottom of his treasure chest when the heavily cloaked female approached him. She’d been looking for Javad, but he’d refused to tell her where to find his treacherous child. Not without revealing why she was searching for him.

  Her answers had been vague, but Vynom had managed to figure out that she hoped to use Javad to get rid of Terra. He didn’t ask why she wanted Terra dead. Frankly, he didn’t care. All that mattered was that she gave him the perfect opportunity to reclaim his former glory.

  His luck had gone in the shitter after Javad had walked away. With the mystery female’s help, he would be back on top.

  Unfortunately, that included dealing with the tedious bitch on a regular basis.

  Clenching his hands into tight balls, he glared blindly toward the source of the scent. The female inside never stepped out of the protection of her portal or revealed herself. As if he hadn’t already worked out that she was one of the Serafs from the temple.

  So much for their pretense of being peace-loving innocents.

  “Now isn’t a good time,” he growled.

  “Tough. Terra is here?”

  “Yes.” This female had arrived seconds after Javad had been sucked into his cell. She’d warned Vynom to be prepared and disappeared. “Just like you said.”

  “Good. Have you…?” The female’s words trailed away. “Dealt with her?”

  “Are you asking if she’s dead?”

  There was a long silence. Had he managed to anger his unwanted partner with his blunt words? Vynom shrugged. He had what he needed from her. As far as he was concerned, their bargain was at an end.

  “Is she?” the female demanded.

  “No.”

  There was a loud hiss. “You promised to take care of my problem.”

  “I will. But first, I need her.”

  “For what?”

  “She’s going to make sure my unruly child fulfills his duty to me,” he told her. “Once the fight is over, I intend to make sure both of them are disposed of.”

  “Then have your stupid fight and be done with it,” she snapped.

  Vynom scowled. Once upon a time, he could have arranged a fight within a few hours. He had the reputation of matching the toughest, most violent fighters against one another. His establishments were packed to the rafters with eager customers willing to hand over inordinate sums of treasure. Now…

  He growled in frustration. “It’s not that simple. I have to build maximum anticipation for the battle. The more eager my customers are for the fight, the more they’ll be willing to bet.”

  She clicked her tongue. “I have no interest in your filthy lust for money.”

  “Well, I have a lot of interest in it,” he informed the arrogant pain in his ass. “And I intend to squeeze every bit of gold out of this opportunity.”

  “Don’t be a fool,” the female chided. “Terra might be a Seraf, but she isn’t without power. You’ll regret underestimating her.”

  Did she just call him a fool? Vynom hid his burst of anger behind a mocking smile. He wouldn’t let this female know how easily he could be provoked.

  “Chill out. She’s safely locked away, along with Javad,” he drawled. “By the end of tomorrow night, she’ll be dead.”

  “Don’t fail me.”

  There was another warm breeze, and the portal disappeared. Vynom clenched his hands into fists and continued his journey to the pens.

  “Good riddance.”

  * * * *

  Terra carefully peered through the opening at the end of the narrow tunnel. Javad had easily used his powers to crumble the stone around the door, loosening it enough to allow them to squeeze out of the cell. Now, it was her turn to show what she could do.

  Her gaze took in the two trolls who were playing some game that involved dice and a lot of grunting. Next to them, the imp tossed a dagger in the air. Near the door, the goblin slouched in a chair. They all wore ragged clothing that appeared to be held together by grime, food stains, and desperate hope. But their shabbiness didn’t make them any less dangerous. Just the opposite. Despondency clung to them like a shroud.

  “What are you going to do?” Javad asked, his voice a mere whisper.

  “Put them to sleep.” Terra tapped into her magic.

  “All of them?”

  “Yes.”

  “At the same time?”

  She ignored his blatant shock. Over the past years she’d grown considerably in her powers, and more importantly, developed the necessar
y patience to hone and perfect her skills. Now, she reached out to touch the mind of the goblin. It was a tangled mess of hunger, violence, and churning hatred toward his fellow guards. Exactly what she expected from a goblin. Murmuring a soft command, Terra savored the gentle magic that bubbled within her. It felt like champagne fizzing through her veins.

  The goblin’s eyes slid shut, and Terra turned her attention on the trolls. She released another tingle of magic, and the two slumped forward, hitting the ground with enough impact to send up puffs of dust. With a curse, the imp leaped to his feet, his expression wary as he jerked his head from side to side. Knowing he was about to bolt, Terra hurriedly entered his mind and compelled him to sleep.

  He froze, his eyes going blank. Then, with a soft sigh, his knees gave way, and he fell flat on his face.

  “That’s…” Javad shook his head, the words dying on his lips as he studied the unconscious guards. Then he sent her a glance of pure admiration. “Awesome.”

  A giddy sense of pride raced through her. As if she’d performed some miracle instead of a routine spell that Serafs used on their patients. She shook her head in disgust. Why did she always act like an idiot when she was near this male?

  Because you want to impress him…

  The words whispered through the back of her mind, and Terra swallowed a sigh.

  Over the long centuries, she’d made a habit of telling herself that her endless dreams of Javad were because he was one of the few males she’d ever known. She had, after all, spent the majority of her life isolated from the world. Who else would fill her fantasies? But the second she opened her eyes to discover Javad leaning over her, that pretense had been shattered.

  The intense joy that had exploded through her had nothing to do with a lack of male companionship, and everything to do with one specific vampire.

  Javad was special to her. And if she weren’t a Seraf…

  “They won’t be out for long,” she forced herself to say, trying her best to ignore the dark wave of regret that settled in the center of her heart.

  Right now, nothing mattered but getting out of the caverns before Vynom realized that they were out of the cell.

  “This way,” Javad murmured, leading her past the sleeping guards and into the narrow tunnel that led upward.

  She had to jog to keep up with his long strides. Not that she would complain. The faster, the better.

  “Where are we going?”

  “If we can’t get out with magic, then we’ll do it the old-fashioned way. There has to be an exit somewhere.”

  She remained silent as they found a narrow flight of stairs carved into the rock and then traveled through several dusty tunnels. Eventually, her curiosity overwhelmed her sense of caution. Once they were free, she would have to return to the temple, and it was very likely that she would never ever see this male again. And…there was more of that dark regret that made her heart feel painfully heavy.

  “You said something about coming here to shut down the fighting pits. Did you come alone?”

  He slowed as they entered a large cavern so they could walk side by side. “No, I brought along a creature who can see through illusions, but he disappeared when I was sucked through the magical barrier. I assume he’s back in Vegas, raiding my personal stash of aged tequila.” He grimaced. “I should have sent an army when I heard rumors that Vynom was in my territory. He would have been rooted out and destroyed by now. Instead, I carelessly rushed here to confront him face-to-face. I never considered that this might be a trap.” His voice was filled with self-disgust. “Stupid, of course.”

  She couldn’t stop herself from placing her hand on his arm. It was in her DNA to comfort others. And, more importantly, she ached to touch him.

  “I never thought it would be a trap either,” she said, dangerous sensations tingling through her as his muscles rippled smoothly beneath her palm.

  Thankfully distracted, he shook off his grim mood. “How did you leave the temple?” he asked.

  Terra turned her head as if suddenly fascinated by the strange rock formations dotted around the cavern.

  “I told you. I used a portal.” She hoped that he would leave it at that.

  He didn’t.

  “I thought Serafs were forbidden from leaving?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, you’re forbidden from leaving?” he prodded. She nodded. With a muttered curse, Javad came to a halt, reaching to grab her by the shoulders. “Terra. What have you done?”

  Reluctantly, she met his gaze that shimmered with hints of bronze. “I made a pledge when I gave you my medallion. I had to keep my promise.”

  He studied her in confusion. “What about your duty to the temple?”

  “It will be there when I return.”

  “Are you allowed to return?”

  She released a resigned sigh. Javad was strong and loyal and astonishingly tenderhearted. He was also as stubborn as a rabid hellhound.

  “As long as they don’t realize I’m gone,” she admitted.

  His brows arched in surprise. “You snuck out?”

  “I did what I had to do.”

  “Why?”

  “It was…” She tried to say, “my duty.” Or, “burden.” But the words stuck in her throat.

  “For me?” he asked in soft tones.

  It was. She’d leaped at the opportunity to be reunited with Javad, risking everything just to see him again.

  Rattled by the realization, she pulled out of his light grasp to walk across the cavern. Undeterred by her silent warning that she was done with the conversation, Javad quickly walked up next to her.

  “You asked me if my new life made me happy. What about you?” he asked. “Are you happy?”

  Happy? It wasn’t a word she thought about. She had a destiny. It didn’t matter if it made her happy or not.

  “I can answer the same as you,” she said with a shrug. “When I first returned to the temple, I felt relief. And peace.”

  “Because you accepted your place in the temple?”

  She shook her head. “Because I realized the Matron was right. The world was a big, scary place that destroyed the innocent.”

  He grimaced, but he was too smart to try and convince her that it wasn’t so bad out in the world. After all, they were currently being held prisoner by a vampire who intended to force Javad to fight. Perhaps to the death.

  “Why do I sense a but?” he asked.

  “But eventually, my original frustration returned.” She hadn’t intended to confess her inner turmoil. This male had no connection to the temple. But there was something in his dark, steady gaze that made the words spill from her lips. As if she were purging them. And maybe she was. “I might have accepted that the Serafs were safer behind the magic of the temple, but that shouldn’t stop us from helping the demons who need us.”

  “I thought demons could petition for healing?”

  “Yes. And the Matron decides if they’re worthy or not.”

  He looked confused. “Worthy?”

  Terra’s lips twisted. That’d been her reaction when she discovered that the demons she healed had been chosen by the Matron. And hundreds, perhaps thousands of others were turned away.

  “I’ve asked her to define the term.”

  “And?”

  “And I spent a month locked in my bedchamber.”

  Dust filtered from the low ceiling as Javad’s burst of temper shook the cavern. “You were imprisoned?”

  “Not really,” she hastily reassured him. Javad could topple buildings when he was in a mood. Now didn’t seem the best time to get him riled up. “I was in a comfortable room with plenty of food and a beautiful view of the gardens.” She smiled. “Certainly, it wasn’t enough punishment to stop me from nagging about our isolation from the world.”

  He made a visible effort to control his emotions. “The Matron clearly wasn’t prepared for a Seraf like you.”

  His dry tone made her chuckle. “That’s true. I’ve heard rumors
that the Matron sends out scouts to ensure I’m not around when she leaves her private rooms.”

  His lips parted, but before he could speak, a portal opened over their heads, and something dropped out of the darkness.

  Javad shoved her out of the path. “Terra, run!”

  She stumbled, grabbing a stalagmite to keep her balance. Whirling around, she watched as the silver net landed directly on top of Javad. He screamed in pain, going to his knees as the metal strands seared deep into his flesh.

  “Javad.”

  Leaping toward the net, Terra was abruptly halted as a humungous troll dropped through the portal, landing directly in front of her. A second later, an icy blast of power filled the cavern as Vynom appeared along with a small fairy, who was no doubt in control of the magical opening.

  “Don’t let her escape,” the vampire snapped, pointing toward Terra. With a grunt, the troll grabbed Terra’s arm in a grip hard enough to leave bruises. Vynom narrowed his eyes as he studied her. “And I warn you, Seraf, don’t try any funny tricks like the one that has my guards snoring outside the cells. Unless you want Javad fried into a crispy pile of ash.”

  “No.” Her heart lodged in her throat. She didn’t need to hear his moans or smell the charred skin to know that he was in gut-wrenching pain. It vibrated in the air. “Please, let him go.”

  The large vampire ignored her plea, strolling to tower over her. “Ah, sweet Terra. It’s been a long time.”

  She tilted back her head to glare at him. “Not long enough.”

  “Don’t be that way,” he chided. “I thought we were old friends?”

  “Friends?” She spat the word. “Is that a joke?”

  “You were my guest, weren’t you? I fed you, clothed you, provided a roof over your head.”

  “You held me captive.”

  Vynom clicked his tongue. “Such a nasty word. Besides, it wasn’t personal. I needed your skills.”

  Terra shuddered. She didn’t know exactly how long she’d spent in the pits. It’d seemed like centuries, but in reality, it’d probably been less than a year. But during that short time, she’d been forced to heal thousands of fighters, along with whoever happened to be at Vynom’s establishment with enough money to pay for her services.