Mammon untangled his sword and stumbled away, spitting blood to the side. “Lucky hit.”
“I’m feeling lucky,” Keegan replied. If only he really meant it. With his body bruised and sore and still weak from the loss of blood, he was certain he would pass out at any moment.
The sounds of the outside battle grew closer to the tent. Someone—one of his brothers—yelled, and the tent shook as the melee flowed inside. Mammon directed a momentary glance outside the bedroom entrance, then swung at Keegan with renewed vigor. He leapt back to block it.
“Keegan, we’re getting creamed out here,” Taeg called, his voice anxious.
Keegan stole a glance out at the great room and found Taeg, Ronin, and Dagan in there, fighting back the flood of zombies flowing into the tent. The creatures ripped and tore their way inside, and the entire canvas began falling down around them.
Shit. They were fucked.
Mammon laughed as he aimed his sword at Keegan. Although Keegan stopped it, his collarbone broke from the impact, buffeting his body with pain. He gritted his teeth as a hoarse yell tore from his mouth, and his sword clattered to the ground as he fell to his knees.
“Oops.” Mammon’s eyes lit up. He lifted the sword above his head and readied for a decapitating swing.
Oh, shit. Shit!
Keegan fumbled around the back of his jeans for the dagger he’d hidden there, knowing all the while that by the time he got it out, it would be too late.
Brynn uttered a muffled scream. “Stop!”
Mammon hesitated, lobbing Brynn a surprised glance.
Yes. Keegan’s fingers closed around the dagger. He yanked it out of its scabbard and slammed it upward, through his father’s belly. A loud crack sounded as the blade broke through Mammon’s ribcage and lodged itself into his heart.
“Ugh…” Eyes widening, Mammon glared at the dagger embedded deep inside his chest. Keegan kept a tight hold of it as Mammon’s sword dropped from his limp fingers and he slowly slumped to his knees in front of him.
Mammon’s glazed eyes met his, echoing his shock at what had just happened. A thin line of blood dribbled from the corner of his lips.
After a moment of complete silence, Taeg uttered, “Uh…what just happened?”
Keegan tore his gaze from Mammon, and his mouth dropped open.
The canvas separating Mammon’s bedroom from the great room had all but disintegrated in the melee. Taeg, Ronin, and Dagan stood with their backs to one another, with zombies surrounding them.
Motionless zombies, who stood there staring at him. No, wait…
At Brynn.
Chapter Thirty-two
Brynn, although still manacled to the bed, struggled to sit up. She spat out the rest of her gag and threw them a dirty look. “That’s what I was trying to tell you the whole time. The zombies are mine.”
Keegan choked on a cough. “Yours?”
“They were never meant to obey the holder of the book,” she continued in a disgruntled tone. “It’s me they obey. They were only fighting you to protect themselves. You attacked them first.”
Keegan stared at Brynn in stunned silence. Taeg laughed behind him.
“They obey you?” he repeated dumbly.
“Yes. Now someone please get me free.”
Ronin slowly backed away, his sword pointed at the zombies. When he seemed sure they wouldn’t attack, he dropped his weapon and moved to Brynn. He rummaged inside the drawer on the end table and pulled out a key, then unlocked the manacles.
She let out a pained cry.
“What’s wrong?” Keegan said.
“My wrist.”
Ronin grasped her wrist in his hands. “I’ll heal it. I don’t think Keegan has any blood to spare right now.”
Mammon made a choking sound, drawing Keegan’s attention to him. “Kill me.”
Keegan looked at Mammon. Really looked at him. He’d actually never been this close to his father before. At least, not when he wasn’t busy defending himself from attack. Funny how weak he appeared now. Weak and old. Pathetic.
He barely noticed Taeg and Dagan move next to him. He slowly rose to his feet, pulling Mammon up with him.
“I’ll bet that hurts like a son of a bitch,” Taeg said coldly.
Dagan laughed. “Won’t kill him, but more than enough to make him damn near paralyzed. Yeah, it’s got to sting a little.”
“Kill me,” Mammon repeated, his eyes bright with pain. “Better dead now than a prisoner to the Council. Give me the honor of death, as I would have done for you.”
Keegan turned to Taeg, who simply shrugged, then to Ronin and Dagan.
“It’s up to you,” Ronin said.
“He deserves to die,” Dagan added, pure hatred etched on his face.
“You know I would do the same to you,” Mammon gasped.
He was right. Mammon would have easily done the same to him, and he would have laughed while he died. No doubt, he would have raped Brynn right in front of his still-warm corpse. For that alone, he deserved to die.
Keegan gave him a cold, hard laugh. “No.”
“What?” Mammon panted. His fingers dug into Keegan’s shoulder.
“I said no.”
He swore he’d never be like his father, and he wasn’t about to start now. As much as he wanted to see the man dead, he wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
Keegan shoved him backward. Taeg caught him and wrapped his fingers around the blade, twisting until Mammon screamed, eliciting a ragged chuckle from Taeg. “Can’t have you breaking free, can we?”
“Keegan.” Brynn threw herself into his arms. Staggering, he pulled her tight and closed his eyes. “Don’t you ever do anything like that again.”
He laughed despite himself. “I was going to say the same thing to you.”
Brynn kissed him deeply, her tears scalding him where they landed on his cheeks. When she pulled away, her eyes glowed with emotion. “I was scared. So scared for you. Damn it, Keegan, I love you.”
“I…” He trailed off without saying the three little words he so desperately longed to. What was the use? Break her heart now or break it even worse later? Because now that Mammon was captured, he’d have to return home.
She seemed to realize he wasn’t going to, and her hurt and disappointment punched him in the gut. Composing herself, she stepped out of his arms and turned to face his brothers. “What now?”
“Can you get rid of the zombies?” Ronin asked.
Brynn nodded. “I think so.”
“We need to get Dad here back to the Council for punishment,” Taeg said.
“And once we do, we’ll be sent back to Infernum,” Keegan added gently.
Her eyes widened and a myriad of expressions crossed her face as comprehension dawned.
“Oh. Oh.” She carefully studied each of Keegan’s brothers. “But none of you wants to go back there, do you?”
“Fuck no,” Dagan said. “That place is a shithole.”
“Don’t you think you might be able to petition the Council to let you stay here, now that you’ve caught Mammon?”
“Yeah, right. If only.” Taeg snorted, tightening his grip around the dagger.
Mammon groaned.
“Well…” Her brow crinkled as if she were considering something. “Can you get me in front of the Council?”
“The Council ordered your death. I’m not letting you anywhere near them,” Keegan said, surprised she’d brought it up.
“What are they going to do, kill me?” she countered. “They can’t. They need me to get rid of the zombies.”
“Still, only a fool would throw that in their faces, especially since it protects you only until the zombies are gone.”
“I’m not a fool,” she said. “And I’ve got an idea.”
“No. No way.” He crossed his arms, wincing at the residual trace of pain in his shoulder. With his low blood volume, damn thing was taking longer than normal to heal. “I’m not putting you in danger.”
&
nbsp; Taeg shifted, uncomfortable. “Um, I’m gonna take Daddy Dearest outside.”
“Yeah, me, too,” Ronin muttered, echoed by Dagan. The three of them hightailed it out of the tent, Mammon in tow.
Brynn shook her head as she watched them leave, then turned back to Keegan, her expression a cross between pleading and exasperation. “Can’t you trust me?”
Her words twisted in his heart. “I trust you, Brynn, but…”
She took his hand in hers, her grip sure and tight. “For once, why don’t we work together?”
Brynn’s honest words wore down his defenses. The bottom line was that Keegan had never trusted anyone enough to help him, not even his brothers. In a way, that was what had gotten him here to begin with.
“Please, Keegan,” she persisted. “I know what I’m doing. I promise.”
He believed her. More than that, he believed in her. She was worthy of his trust, and he owed it to her to give her that. “Okay.”
“Good.” Brynn took a shaky breath. “Now, help me find that damned book.”
…
Leviathos watched from his spot hidden in the cliff side as Keegan loaded Mammon into the trunk of their rental car. The girl folded herself into the car, the book held tightly in her grasp.
He harbored no pity for Mammon. The man was a fool. He’d let his delusions of grandeur consume him, until in the end he’d been weak. So weak.
Leviathos wasn’t about to make that mistake.
He watched Keegan drive away. Now was not the time for the book, but that time would come. He would find a way to retrieve it. To use it. Now, thanks to Mammon, he knew it didn’t work as they’d expected. But it was still invaluable. The heir could control the army, and he would find a way to control her. But unlike Mammon, he’d do it slowly, take his time, and make no mistakes.
His attention shifted to Taeg, who stood guard at the entrance to one of the pyramids. His mouth tightened. Taeg was no doubt strutting around like a rooster, thinking he’d won. He’d always thought he was the shit. And true, for many years, he was. Winning at sports. Winning Ana’s heart. But Leviathos had learned to not desire those things anymore. Not until he was in a position to make them his by right.
Good riddance to Mammon. Without him, Leviathos was free to act as he wished. He’d use what he learned from him to his advantage, leaving all of his old master’s weaknesses behind.
One thing was certain: Taeg and his brothers hadn’t seen the last of him. Not yet.Leviathos stepped back and turned to leave…when he noted the profile of a man standing no more than a few yards away. The tall, gaunt man wore a white linen shirt and pants that emphasized his thin form and the dark color of his hair. An aura of power emanated from him, raising the hackles on the back of Leviathos’s neck. A prickle of foreboding traveled down his spine, bringing with it an involuntary tremor of fear.
The man didn’t acknowledge Leviathos’s presence, but rather kept his eyes on the moving car, now a tiny speck in the distance. However, there was no doubt that the man was aware of him. Tendrils of power, pulsing with almost visible energy, snaked off the man toward him.
Finding his voice, Leviathos addressed him. “Who are you?”
A hint of a smile tugged the man’s lips upward, and he turned to face Leviathos full on. Something about his face seemed familiar, and with a start he realized the man’s nose and mouth somewhat resembled his own. This was no lost relative, however. He wasn’t even a demon. But whatever he was, he was powerful.
“I’m somebody who can help you.”
Annoyance at the man’s presumptiveness lent Leviathos’s voice steel. “What makes you think I need any help?”
“You want power. You deserve it. I can help you get it.” The man nudged his head in the direction of the car. “I can even help you get your hands on the object in that vehicle.”
Paranoia set in, warring with the fear coursing like lightning through his veins. “How do you know about that? Who sent you?”
The man laughed. “I know a lot of things, and I come of my own accord.”
Somehow Leviathos believed him when he said that. The man started forward, approaching him, and Leviathos resisted the instinctual urge to back up. “So what’s in it for you, then? You don’t expect me to believe you’re just some sort of Good Samaritan, do you?”
That elicited a chuckle from the man. “Not in the least. I surmise that the object would be helpful to me, too.”
Leviathos stiffened. If the man thought he was just going to back away and relinquish the prize, he had another thing coming.
The man must have noticed Leviathos’s body language, because he held his hands up. “Relax, I don’t want the book for myself. I want you to have it.”
Leviathos stared blankly at the man. “Well, then, what do you want?”
“Your loyalty.”
Despite the aura of danger the man put out, a laugh still bubbled out of Leviathos’s throat. “I just rid myself of one ‘master.’ I’m not about to sign on with another one.”
“I don’t want to be your master. I just want your assistance on a one-time basis, once you have hold of the book and retain its powers.”
Huh. Just one time? Sounded like an interesting prospect…if the man could do what he said. But somehow, given the power pulsing off him, Leviathos believed him.
“What’s your name?”
A slow grin lit the man’s face. “It’s Belpheg.”
…
“You dare seek our council?” The Councilman’s monotone voice echoed inside the chamber.
Brynn held her ground, doing her best to ignore the creepiness of the Councilman’s eyes, which was all she could see of him. “Yes, I dare.”
“Don’t forget that she’s the reason you have Mammon and the book,” Keegan said from beside her.
Taeg and Ronin had stayed behind, guarding the zombies she’d ordered into one of the pyramids while she and Keegan stood before the Council with Mammon and the book. The whole trip had been worth it, especially when she got to see the look on Mammon’s face as one of the Council’s prison guards carted him away with the dagger still embedded deep in his chest.
“She’s a danger to us all,” the Councilman said to Keegan. “And you were ordered to kill her.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t.”
A creepy chorus of indecipherable whispers echoed all around the Councilman. “You deserve to be tried for this—”
“Save it,” Brynn snapped. The indrawn breaths from the black space told her she treaded on thin ground, but she really didn’t care. She already hated these beings for what they’d allowed Mammon to do to Keegan and his brothers, and to the women who had birthed them. She wasn’t about to treat them like gods. Not even close. “You have a shitload of zombies packed into a pyramid. They’re dying to get a bite of human flesh and I’m the only one who can stop them.”
“Do not make idle threats,” the Councilman hissed. “We know you would not abandon your fellow Earth dwellers to a fate such as this.”
Brynn fought a tendril of fear. “You don’t know anything,” she said coldly. “I don’t have any family left on Earth. I don’t care what happens there. The only way I’ll call the zombies off is if you honor my requests.”
“You insolent—”
The Councilman broke off, and his eyes darted sideways. The chorus of whispers grew to a loud crescendo as his eyes grew wider. “C-Councilwoman,” he stuttered. “What an unexpected surprise.”
“Give it a rest.” The voice was unmistakably feminine, angry, and strangely familiar. Out of nowhere, another pair of eyes appeared next to the Councilman’s, but these were human-looking. “Council members, you dared try to keep this incident a secret from me?”
The whispers erupted.
Keegan chuckled. He leaned toward Brynn. “It appears that Earth’s Grand Council member has just discovered what’s been going on behind her back.”
Brynn gave him an incredulous look. “You mean they never told
her?”
“Silence,” the Councilwoman spat, her tone brooking no argument. The chorus fell silent. Her gaze moved to Brynn. There was something so familiar about it. Almost like she’d seen those eyes on television before. Wait, was that…could that be—?
“Speak, madam,” the Councilwoman said to her. Her tone, far kinder that that of the Councilman’s, filled Brynn with hope. “What requests must be honored in order for you to call off the army?”
Brynn tried to calm her racing heart. “I want your word that I won’t be harmed.”
“Done,” the Councilwoman said.
“I also want Keegan and his brothers to live on Earth.”
Keegan sucked in his breath, and Brynn clasped his hand. He held on tight, as if every nerve in his body was tightly wound in anticipation of what the Council would say.
The Councilwoman’s eyes twinkled, possibly with amusement. She glanced back and forth at the invisible Council members until finally she turned to Brynn. “Keegan and his brothers are valued employees of the Council. Would they be willing to continue as Detainors here on Earth?”
Keegan gulped. “We would be honored to do so.”
The Councilwoman nodded. “Then it’s done.”
“One more thing,” Brynn said. Maybe she was pushing her luck, but she was going for it.
“Yes?” the Councilwoman asked, definite amusement in her tone now.
“They get to keep the New York apartment.”
The Councilwoman answered with a hearty laugh. “Agreed. Now, the counterspell.”
Trying not to smile, Brynn lifted the book and read from it.
When the counterspell was complete, the Councilwoman nodded. “You may go.”
“Thank—”
Keegan grabbed her hand and abruptly dragged her to the portal. Once inside, he pulled her into his arms. “You really have balls of steel, don’t you?”
Brynn stared at him, a mass of emotions overwhelming her. They hadn’t discussed what would happen between them if he stayed on Earth. He’d never told her he loved her. But maybe, just maybe…