“Roy is in for it now,” Rory laughed.
“You better watch it, Ror. Kyra’s got good hearing and a deadly aim when she’s pissed,” Lanced teased.
Rian watched Sam smile while cuddled close to Lance’s side. A bone deep envy the Dragon Leader was embarrassed for feeling threatened the tenuous hold he had on his rage. He needed Audrey out of hell. He needed her safe. He just needed…her.
Unwilling to wait for his younger brother to settle his domestic disagreement, Rian turned to the group. “I believe Royce has the right idea. The Guardsmen and I will go to hell.” Holding up his hands to stop the flurry of complaints he saw brewing in the witches’ eyes, the Dragon Leader continued. “This is one mission I can honestly tell you we’re going into blind and I won’t risk any of your lives. We,” he motioned to his brethren, “share a blood bond that allows us to keep tabs on one another. I know y’all are strong and when together, damn near unbeatable, but the fact still remains going to hell quite literally means dousing yourself in pure evil, and I’m not willing to risk your white magic. We’re gonna need everything you’ve got when we bring Audrey and Kayne home.”
He paused and looked around the room. It was now or never; he had to tell them the one thing he’d been holding back. The only thing he thought would keep them from helping him save his mate. Taking a deep breath, Rian spoke the words he’d dreaded saying for as long as he could remember. “There is a demon inside Audrey. It is apparently dormant, but I have no clue what will happen to her when we bring her topside. As devious and scheming as Adramelech is, I can only guess it will try to possess her when out of the Demon Lord’s control.”
Looking directly at Alicia because she knew the kind of bond mates share, he spoke directly from his heart, “I’m gonna need your help to get it out of her. I’m not going to hell and back to save Audrey just to lose her to some damn low level demon Adramelech stuck inside of her.”
Alicia nodded and confirmed what Rian already knew; she was a smart cookie. “And that’s why you always used a Devil’s Trap when you summoned her. Makes sense.” Reassuring him with a smile, she added, “We’ll be here waiting with a Devil’s Trap and Exorcism Rite. Eleanor and Elmer can help us. She had to go back to her coven tonight, but I’ll make sure she’s here when we need her.”
“Thank you,” was all Rian could say. He was truly humbled.
“I believe you are right, Rian. We should stay here,” Calysta agreed, entering the conversation from over his shoulder.
She handed him back the Looking Glass and a large oval shaped Rose Quartz set in polished silver. “You need to keep your mate close and with this,” she tapped the soft pink stone, “you guys will be able to communicate with us up here. You hold great magic—all of you—and we can help you use it to battle whatever you may come up against. I also have this for you.” She held out a small leather bound notebook. “It contains the spells to open Kayne’s coffin and neutralize whatever else is around him. Sarah Beth and I put it together after we rescued Drago. It stands to reason it will work with all of his men considering they were locked away by the same wizards. Their kind like to stick to what they know. I knew we’d need it again, just not so soon, and definitely not in the Underworld.”
Before he could answer, the back door opened and in waltzed Drago and Maddox, laughing and talking like they were attending a party, not a planning session to go to hell. “See Madman, I told you the young’uns wouldn’t leave without us. They need us.”
Deciding to avoid any further complications, Rian agreed, “You know it. We were just waiting on y’all.” To Drago he said, “Alicia said you were resting your eyes. You good to go? We’re outta here at noon tomorrow…or later today, whatever time it is.”
“I’m good.”
“Me too, ya’ little asshole,” Maddox grumbled under his breath before busting out laughing. “I always have your back. I’m a sucker that way.” The entire room erupted into laughter that just as quickly died when dragon magic filled the air around them.
Running to the door, Alicia screamed, “Oh my Goddess!”
Faster than the eye could track, Drago was by her side, sword drawn, sunglasses flying through the air. One look out the window and the Assassin immediately relaxed, yelling through the screen, “Anyone ever tell you to call ahead, young man?”
“Now, where’s the fun in that?” Jace yelled just a few seconds before he and Melanie appeared at the door. “But I will tell you there’s a purple dragon landing in about five minutes. How’s that for calling ahead?”
Opening the door and motioning them in, Sarah Beth hugged her surrogate daughter, Melanie, and kissed her cheek, as well as Jace’s. “I am so glad to see y’all.”
“Jace heard there was trouble and had to come, which meant Liam had to come, so here we are. Tomas and Hollie are off helping the Angels with something but said to call them if you needed them.”
Just as predicted, Liam and Hannah walked through the door about five minutes later. Rian watched as everyone welcomed the younger couples. About ten minutes into the festivities, Kyra and Royce reappeared, looking no worse for wear.
Rian was speaking to Liam and Jace to see how much they knew and to make sure they were ready for the battle yet to come. It was no surprise when they both said Rory had been keeping them up to date. Royce, who’d made his way over to them, snorted. “That boy is better than CNN. He gets the word out faster and you don’t even need a TV.”
When Melanie and Hannah came to retrieve their mates, Royce pulled Rian into the kitchen where Rory was already at the table, reading Calysta and Sarah Beth’s notes. Rian grabbed a glass of iced tea then sat down between his brothers.
To Rory, he asked, “Anything good?”
“It’s just exactly what they used and taught us to use when we got Drago outta that hole. If Calysta, Kyra, and Sarah Beth think it’ll work, then I have no doubts. You?”
“Not a one,” Rian answered, more than ready to get the show on the road. “Good job telling the young’uns. I wasn’t going to involve them, but I’d imagine with witches for mates, they’re more prepared than I am.”
“I figured you’d be pissed. But Jace and Liam are good.”
“Yeah, they are,” Rian agreed, looking at two of the youngest of the MacLendon Force and two Guardsmen he was glad to have on his side.
“I heard you telling the others only the Guard was going after Audrey and Kayne. How did that go over out here? It pissed Kyra off so bad I had to hold her back.” Royce was watching his mate as he spoke and from the twinkle in his eye, Rian was sure ‘holding Kyra back’ was code for something a whole lot more fun than it sounded.
“Calysta and Alicia agreed so everybody else was good with it. She gave me this amulet and said we can communicate with them while we’re down there.” Rian showed Royce the Rose Quartz pendant.
“Calysta?”
