He faced her, knowing he had to be fully honest with her. “The next day is going to be harder than anything you’ve ever experienced. The demons back at the garage were only the beginning.”
She took a deep breath and slowly released it. “What were they?”
“They are Arrocks, vicious fighting demons. Not too smart but built for endurance.”
Araminta drew back and rested her head against her seat. “I don’t understand. Why doesn’t Hades simply attack and kill us? He has the power.”
Leander frowned. “I thought you knew the story of the Lady and the curse.”
“I dreamed it and wrote about it, but I have no idea what’s fact and what’s fiction.” She turned her head and faced him once more. “So Hades doesn’t want to attract the attention of his brothers or the other gods and goddesses. And his being in this realm for too long or sending too many of his minions to one spot would do that.”
“Yes. That much power in one area would bring some god or goddess poking around. There is no trust in the court of the Greek gods.”
“But you and your fellow warriors are already here and have existed in this realm for thousands of years.”
Leander thought she looked tired and longed to take her into his arms. But this was neither the time nor place. “We should keep driving.”
She shot him a look of frustration and released a long sigh. “Of course.” Araminta put the car in gear again and eased out into traffic. He studied how she moved and handled the vehicle. He understood what a car was and the mechanics of driving, but seeing it was something else altogether.
“And, yes, we have been here for so long we do not attract the attention of the other gods and goddesses.” Araminta was involved in this fight and she deserved to know the truth. She hadn’t asked for this, but she was a pawn in a war between gods.
“So what is Hades’ plan?”
Leander shook his head. “I’m not sure. I think he wants us to lead his armies. If we were stationed in strategic points around the world, it wouldn’t be hard for Hades to open portals and have his demons stream out. While his demons were taking this world, my brethren and I could engage the other gods. The war would be over before it began. The Greek gods are much weaker now than they were in ancient times.”
Araminta started to turn toward an off ramp to head toward the highway, but at the last second she turned the car down another road. This one had two lanes of traffic and seemed quiet. “Because they gain power when people worship them. And people don’t worship ancient Greek gods and goddesses anymore.”
He inclined his head. “Exactly.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe I dreamed all of this and wrote about it. I mean Tiger’s Curse is the first book in my Demon’s Wrath series. I’ve already written a second book about the bear warrior. Was that real? Where did the ideas come from?”
Leander shrugged, but the idea of Hades invading Araminta’s dreams bothered him greatly. “I don’t know if it was Hades manipulating you so you’d be more likely to accept me, or if it was a gift from the Lady herself.”
“I guess it doesn’t really matter.” Dawn was breaking on the horizon and Leander knew she was right. It didn’t really matter how she knew these things, only that she did. The next few hours would decide their fate. Once it was over, if they were still alive, they could figure out their next move.
Leander stared out the window, soaking in the sight of the world after being trapped for thousands of years. He was used to seeing it all secondhand, taking memories from the demons who’d attended them for all those years. This was real and it was incredible.
The colors and sights were astounding. The occasional vehicle whizzed by them, heading in the opposite direction. He saw fast-food restaurants, gas stations and a Wal-Mart in the distance. Imagine being able to walk into a building and buy all manner of ready-made clothes, food and so much more. He longed to visit them all and experience them firsthand in a leisurely manner.
But nothing caught and held his attention like the woman sitting next to him. Araminta was the greatest treasure this world had to offer, and he would protect her with his life.
He reached out and settled his hand on her thigh. After a moment’s hesitation, she rested her hand on top of his. For now, it was enough.
Hades reclined on a black velvet sofa wearing a pair of loose black pants. He was feeling much better about things since he’d viewed the Lady through the magic of the mirror he’d bartered from a powerful sorceress two thousand years ago. The goddess was naked, powerless and alone in the middle of a vast untamed forest. She was no threat to him.
He, on the other hand, was doing quite well. He had a drink in his hand, his armies preparing for war and a deliciously nude Luna at his feet. He was still angry with Luna but needed her. He’d punish her later for her earlier transgression when her part in this was done.
He was just finishing watching the warrior and the woman as they fled from the city. The scene on the mirror faded away and he wished he could watch for longer. But when the action happened outside his realm he was limited to a mere hour a day, so he used the power sparingly. He’d already used most of his allotted time watching the lion fight his demons.
It was interesting to see one of the warriors at odds with the woman who freed him. She’d actually tried to get rid of him, ordering him out of her car. Hades could use this to his advantage.
He crooked his finger at Luna and she climbed up his body, naked and ready to do whatever he asked of her. She settled on his thighs and he admired the way her ample breasts swayed as she moved. “This situation could be good for me. Araminta seems to be fighting the warrior.”
“She’s a mouse.” Luna rubbed his erect cock through the fine silk of his pants. “All she wants is to be left alone in her pitiful little home writing her silly books.”
“Hmm.” Hades considered his options. He’d thought about attacking and not giving either of them any opportunity to make a deal. After all, that hadn’t worked out well the last time he’d tried it.
The warrior seemed loyal. He could have cut and run, leaving the woman to her fate at the hands of the demons. But he’d stayed and fought. Hades hated the warriors for their honor even as he wanted it pledged to him.
But the woman was different. She seemed ripe for a deal. He discounted the fact Araminta had run down one of the demons. She was frightened and thought she needed the warrior to protect her. Look at how fast she’d tried to kick him out of her car once she was safe.
He’d take the warrior off her hands in exchange for a more interesting life. After all, no one could be satisfied with such a pitiful existence. He’d read the reports on Araminta and studied her strengths and weaknesses. After all, that was the best way to discover what someone wanted, what would tempt them to make a deal.
And if there was one thing he was good at, it was making deals.
Luna tugged down his zipper and licked her lips. Hades waved his hand, feeling rather magnanimous again. “Go ahead and have your fun. Then you’ll go back and visit Araminta and offer her the deal of a lifetime.”
Chapter Eight
Araminta drove by rote, paying more attention to the man beside her than to the road in front of her. She’d avoided the highway, not wanting to have to deal with extra traffic. Not that it really mattered. It was a fairly short drive home anyway and traffic was light at this early hour of the morning. She wasn’t looking forward to facing the break-in at her home or whatever Hades was going to throw at them in the next eighteen or so hours.
Dawn would break in the distance soon, golden with promise for most folks. But her own future was looking pretty bleak at the moment. Being attacked by demons had made the entire situation all too real.