I twisted my knife and the hound shuddered before going limp. I waited for him to turn to ash, but it never came. Maybe that wasn’t something that happened in the Netherworld?
Yanking the light weapon out, I looked up to make sure Gage was okay, but he just stared at me with those glowing yellow eyes, and I couldn’t interpret the look.
When he was in this form, did he still know me? Would he ever hurt me? More importantly, was he hungry and did he like blondes?
So many questions went through my mind. From his head down his neck was covered in black fur. He looked even more transformed than when his dad put those shadow bands around him in the cemetery. Each shift seemed to be bringing him closer to being fully consumed.
“Gage, it’s Tate.” I started to grow nervous with the way he was staring at me like he didn’t recognize me, but when I said the pet name he called me, he turned his face to the side and looked down, as if ashamed.
Slowly, the black fur retreated along with the animal-like nose, and then the eyes returned to their bright green. When he was back to his normal self, he glanced down at the hellhound in shock. “I would never hurt you when I’m like that, Tate.”
It was like he’d read my mind. Now I felt so guilty. Rushing forward, I threaded my hands through his. “I believe you.”
He nodded. “I was just staring because I was processing what the hellhound said.”
I frowned. “What do you mean what it said? I didn’t hear any words.”
Gage swallowed hard. “Apparently hellhounds can speak into each other’s minds.” He looked at me then, absolute desperation in his gaze. “It said that it could smell me. That every hound in the realm couldsmellme.”
My stomach bottomed out. “What does that mean?”
Gage chewed at his bottom lip. “Dash told me that hellhounds are all alphas, and they compete for territory and power. I think they see me as a threat.”
Well, I wasn’t going to be able to sleep after that newsflash. I’d rather brave the Blood Mountains at this point.
“Let’s find Drea and the gang, get my mom, and then get the hell out of here,” I told him.
He nodded, giving me a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
“This is disgusting!” I shivered and then gagged for the tenth time as the blood trickled down the walls of the tunnel we were walking through. We’d been hiking ten, maybe twelve hours, and my boots were soaked with blood and my feet felt like they were going to fall off. I would have just flown but there was no way I could carry my gigantic boyfriend, so we were relegated to walking through the Blood Mountains, which, spoiler alert, dripped blood.
“Whose blood is this? Why is it here? I have so many questions,” I said.
I think Gage had tired of my chattiness hours ago, because he’d stopped answering me.
“It can’t be much longer,” was all he said, and I wanted to believe him, but he’d said that two hours ago and I was starting to get tired, and worried sick about Drea and the others.
On the plus side, I discovered that I had light powers and could basically turn my hand into a light bulb, so that was cool.
I was just about to ask another question when I heard talking up ahead. Both Gage and I froze.
“Master said to keep the tunnels clear. He’s moving the wife,” a male with a growly voice said.
The wife. Master Apollyon’s wife, AKA my mom?
I inched forward.
“That wench is more trouble than she is useful. Given him hell over the years with her tantrums. I’ve never understood why he doesn’t just kill her. She ain’t that pretty,” another voice responded, and anger flared inside of me.
I quickly pulled two weapons and handed one to Gage, who took it silently. I wasn’t sure if he even needed weapons anymore since he was a weapon at this point, but until he rejected the swords, I was going to keep giving them to him.
Moving forward, I peeked around the bend and saw two figures leaning up against the sides of the blood walls. They were framed in a bit of moonlight that shone in from the tunnel entrance just past them.
Yes, the end is in sight.I couldn’t wait to get out of this creepy blood-drenched tunnel.
I crept toward the pair in ninja-like silence.
