She smiled as the world began to fade around her.
Hades stood next to her shaking his head. “So much waste. I’ll have both your souls now.”
Leander growled in protest and started to rise, ready to fight in spite of his debilitating injury. Hades sneered, manifested a sword and stabbed Leander in the stomach, pinning him to the ground with the blade.
Terror hit her. That couldn’t happen. Not now. She wouldn’t allow it. She dragged herself along the ground, reaching for Leander’s hand. If only she could reach him, maybe she could protect him.
Her thoughts made no sense at all. What could she do?
A dark pair of eyes watched her and Mordecai came into sharp focus. She could almost hear his voice in her head. And maybe she did. Reach for him. It was a command.
Finding a store of strength she didn’t know she had, she reached out to him. Leander stretched toward her, arm extended, muscles trembling. Their fingertips touched and she smiled.
Then the world exploded.
Chapter Fifteen
He had failed.
Leander felt his life’s blood spilling onto the ground, but that didn’t bother him. It was the sight of Araminta’s blood that made him want to roar in anguish. He was immortal. As long as he still had his head, his body would rejuvenate given time. But there was still too much time left until midnight. Hades would soon own their souls if the curse was not broken, and both he and Araminta would be trapped in Hell forever.
He’d failed the Lady of the Beasts and the shame of it almost broke him. It was his duty as her immortal warrior to defeat the curse and join his fellow warriors—Roric and Marko. Together with the Lady, they would free Arand—the wolf—and defeat Hades.
But he had lost. He did not care about himself so much, but such a fate could not befall one with as pure a soul as Araminta. She’d tried to save him. She’d attacked Mordecai, an immortal warrior, with no more than a kitchen knife.
His heart filled to bursting with love for her. He reached out for her, wanting to touch her, to save her.
Mordecai had betrayed him. He’d betrayed them all.
A voice whispered in his head. Reach for her. He stuck out his hand, reaching for her, muscles straining, pain ripping through his injured side. His fingertips were stained with blood.
She whispered that she loved him and he cried out in anger and frustration. He could not lose her, would not lose her. But the light was slowly fading from her eyes. “Araminta,” he growled. “Don’t you give up,” he commanded. “Stay with me.”
Hades manifested a sword, stood above him, staring down with his soulless eyes. The god raised the blade and thrust it downward, pinning him to the ground. Leander gritted his teeth to keep from yelling with the pain that burst through his gut. He wasn’t sure he had enough strength left to remove the sword.
Araminta’s breath was labored, and when she coughed, blood tinged her lips. He ignored the sword. He ignored Hades and Mordecai. Nothing was as important as touching the woman he loved and letting her know she wasn’t alone.
He reached out his hand, stretching beyond the pain, beyond the agony ripping at his belly. He would love her forever, beyond time and space. He prayed to the Lady for strength and pushed his body past his limits, smiling when he felt the slightest graze of Araminta’s fingertips against his.
They had fought together and they would die together. He had failed her, but he would protect her soul in the Underworld.
Love and a sense of peace enfolded him.
The world exploded around them in a shower of light so bright he had to close his eyes against the sheer brilliance. Hades’ cursed and Mordecai roared in pain. Colors exploded behind Leander’s eyes, so many beautiful colors.
In the distance, Leander thought he heard a clock chiming, but he couldn’t count off the hours. Energy, pure and potent, poured through his veins, and he knew what he had to do. Even though only the tips of their fingers were touching, he poured his life’s energy into Araminta, willing her to live.
He managed to open his eyes and squint against the brilliant light that seemed to surround them. Her eyes were almost closed, their vibrant gray dulled as her life’s blood drained out of her.
“No,” he gasped. “Araminta. You must live.”
She tried to speak, but she was too weak to form words. He kept his gaze on her as he reached down with his free hand and grasped the sword pinning him to the ground. He took a deep breath, wrapped his hand around the blade—ignoring the way it cut into his fingers and made them bleed—and yanked.
He ground his back teeth together to keep from yelling aloud as the blade moved a few inches. His lion writhed in agony within him. His blood poured down the blade of the sword. He disregarded the pain, shut out everything but his growing need to reach Araminta.
He gritted his teeth, muscles in his neck cording as he pulled again. This time the sword slipped out. He tossed the weapon away and rolled onto his side. He was losing way too much blood, but he didn’t care.
Araminta’s eyes were closed and he prayed he was not too late. He dragged his weakened body over to her and cupped her face in his blood-stained hands. She was limp, not responding to his touch.
Frantically, he searched for a pulse in her neck. It was no more than a flutter, but it was there. He leaned over her, his breath mingling with her last gasp. “Come back to me. I love you.” Each word was ripped from his soul. A lone tear rolled down his cheek and splashed onto her lips.
Leander pushed his life’s energy into Araminta, willing her wound to heal, all the while praying she hadn’t lost too much blood. He was capable of healing himself of injury, given enough time, but he ignored his wounds and concentrated solely on Araminta. Every fiber, every cell of his body strained toward the goal of healing her.
Time lost all meaning as they lay on the cool hard ground, their blood soaking into the earth, a sacrifice of their love and commitment to one another.
His eyes closed and he blinked them open. He could not remember ever being as weak as he was now. A normal sword would not have wounded him so deeply, but Mordecai’s sword was one of the seven forged by the Lady herself, given to her warriors when they were created. They were powerful weapons meant to protect one another, never to harm a brother-in-arms.
Leander’s energy waned and he rolled back onto the ground beside Araminta, unable to hold himself on his side any longer. Araminta still hadn’t moved and worry tore at him. Had his efforts been enough? Even though every tiny movement was pure agony, he slid his arm beneath her and dragged her toward him until her head rested on his shoulder.
There was nothing more he could do. He had no idea what had happened to Hades and Mordecai. With any luck they were both back in Hell where they belonged. But where were he and Araminta? Were they in Hell or was this some other place, an antechamber designed to resemble her backyard?
He guessed it didn’t matter so long as they were together.
Leander’s eyes slipped shut. His lion chuffed, offering comfort. He tightened his grip on Araminta, refusing to let her go as darkness overtook him.
Hades swore in ten different languages as the brilliant light surrounded him, leaving him practically paralyzed. It was stronger than any he’d ever encountered, and he had little defense against it. The light was hot and seemed to burn straight to his core.
Mordecai grabbed him by the arm and yanked him toward a portal that appeared behind them. The warrior dragged them both into the dark tunnel just as the backyard exploded in an ocean of color.
Hades threw his hands over his face, but he was momentarily blinded. The light drilled into his eyes all the way to his brain, leaving him in utter agony. It was only by sheer will he stayed upright. He would not show any more weakness than necessary in front of the warrior. It wouldn’t do for the immortal being to get any ideas.