Misery loved company.
“You can wallow on your own!” she called out. “I’ve better things to do than let you own a piece of my soul.” Or her time or thoughts. “Me future’s me own.”
And they were to have none of it.
With those words shouted out, they suddenly found themselves through the gates of Hades and back in the mortal realm.
Agrios stood by their side with a baffled expression on his face.
“I can’t believe I’m back!”
“Can’t believe it worked.” Nibo let go of her hand.
But as he moved away, she caught him and pulled him back to her to kiss him soundly on the lips, grateful beyond belief for what he’d risked.
For her.
When he pulled away, he looked down at her with a frown. “What was that for?”
“Being you, my love. For being wonderful.”
“You are me Vala, right? Not some shape-shifter masquerading as my girl?”
She tugged on his curls and feathers. “Don’t make me hurt you, Xuri.”
“Now there’s me threateningchère.” He kissed her forehead.
Savoring the warmth of his caress, she stepped into his arms and hugged him. “I’ve never adequately thanked you for all you’ve done.”
“Aye, you have. Every time you look at me like you do right now … or like you want to gut me. Sad to say, I relish both.”
“Um, people, I hate to break up your tender moment and all, but should I be asking aboutthat?”
Valynda pulled away to see what Agrios was talking about. But the moment she could see where he had his attention, she regretted that she’d bothered.
Far off in the distance, there was a black cloud that seemed to be swallowing the sun whole.
“Mother of God, what is that? Is it your brother, too?”
Nibo let out a tired breath. “Nay. That be the Malachai rising. It’s his demons.”
Agrios ran back to the gate they’d just come through. Only now it was a solid rock wall. He began to pound on it with his fist. “Hades! Let me back in! I love children! I do! They’re awesome! Lovable creatures!”
Nibo shoved at him. “Shut it, you big baby. Or else I’ll feed you to one.”
Still the cloud grew larger. Darker.
More ominous.
Valynda gulped as she felt her own panic rising. “What are we to do?”
Nibo shrugged with a nonchalance she wanted to beat him for. “Judging from the size of that, I’d say we’re going to bleed. A lot.”
Jaden listened as the rumbling of evil grew louder. Stronger. It was absolutely deafening in its zealous squeal. Soon there would be nothing left to hold it back. He knew that better than anyone. His son Xev had just been summoned into action. He could feel it deep inside.
As one of the Malachai’s oldest and most powerful generals, Xevikan held a unique essence that was impossible to miss whenever he awakened from his eternal sleep. Not to mention that as a cursed demongod, Xevikan forever came awake more pissed off than the others, and that resonated through them all. His son still wanted the hearts of all the gods to feast upon for what had been done to his wife.
Especially Jaden’s.
