“I was hoping you’d say that. This is gonna take me a while, so I’ll see you when I see you.” A grinning William vanished.
Kane wasn’t waiting a while. Not here. Not with Tink so close. “New plan. You two stay here until William gets back, then swoop in and grab Tink. I’ll get the Rainbow Rejects out of the area.”
He didn’t wait for their reply. And he wasn’t going to waste time climbing. His sense of urgency rising, he stood and jumped, falling down...down...down and landing on his feet. Impact split the bones in his shins, but he didn’t care, his adrenaline too high to let him feel such pain. A scowl marred his features as he straightened.
The boys glanced up. The moment they spotted him, they leaped to their feet. But they didn’t run.
“Must admit, I expected you sooner,” Red said, unfazed.
“This is our territory,” Black said. “You should have stayed away.”
Green rubbed his hands together with glee.
“Tink is mine, and I will never share her.”
Kane and the Rainbow Rejects launched toward each other, meeting in the middle. A black mist instantly puffed around them, locking the four of them in a circle of menace. He’d expected it, and was ready to go with a dagger and an ax, hacking at his opponents. The males arched to elude impact, then, as they straightened, slashed at him with their growing claws. Maybe they made contact. Maybe they didn’t. Still he felt only the fiery edges of his rage and determination.
He looked at Red, smiled—but launched the ax at Black.
Black wasn’t prepared, and had no time to react. The metal embedded in his throat, severing his windpipe. He hit the ground, and stayed down.
Red roared, a testament to his rage. Green bared his teeth in a fearsome scowl filled with fangs. Kane palmed a second dagger, and attacked with more vigor. He remained in constant motion, slashing, ducking, slashing again, cutting the pair to ribbons.
“Kill you,” Red snarled, going low and knocking Kane’s ankles together.
He hit the ground, but rolled back to a stand before either male could pin him.
Silent, he stalked forward and hit at them with renewed strength, driving the pair backward. But Green worked his way behind him, and struck, probably drilling a hole in the back of his skull with the slam of his fist.
Kane nearly blacked out, but didn’t let it slow him. He went low, spinning, kicking out his leg, knocking Green down...rising, nailing Red in the shoulder.
The warriors quickly recovered, swiping at him. He had to crisscross his arms again and again, his body arcing one way then the other, to avoid being pummeled and land other blows.
Realizing this was getting them nowhere, he allowed Red to hit him, because he couldn’t sidestep it and strike at Green. He pounded his fist into Green’s chest, sending the warrior stumbling back. Kane followed. The moment Green righted, Kane performed a hard jab to his jaw, followed by a second kick. This time, the dazed warrior fell. Kane was there when he landed, twisting his neck—breaking his spine.
Green stayed down, too.
Red jumped on Kane’s back, wrapped his arms around his neck, and tried to do the same to him, exactly as Kane had hoped. He rolled into the movement and ended up face-to-face with the guy, as if they were hugging. He wasted no time sinking a dagger into Red’s side, straight into a kidney.
Grunting, the warrior stumbled away from him. Kane threw the second dagger and cut into the male’s thigh, forcing him to his knees. Then, determined to end this once and for all, Kane kicked him in the face, breaking his nose and sending him flying back. He grabbed two more daggers, and, when Red rolled over to push upright, shoved the blades into his shoulders, pinning him down.
Disaster shrieked inside his head, and a second later, a rock fell from the cliff and careened toward Kane. He darted out of the way a split second before contact. Red wasn’t so lucky.
The black mist melted away as Kane stood. He felt...ragged, desperate, as he stumbled forward, searching the area, wishing he were anywhere but here, his panic returning now that the fighting was done. He needed to leave. Had to leave. Now. Where was Tink? He needed to grab her and get her out of this hellhole. First, though, he probably needed to breathe. Why couldn’t he breathe?
As he patted at his throat, finding no external obstruction, he spotted Lucien, Anya, William and Tink sitting in front of the fire. He stopped. Tink’s black hair was brushed to a glossy shine, her skin scrubbed clean, and her clothes in perfect condition. She was safe. Relief and joy intermingled, a potent combination that managed to chase away the worst of his panic, opening his lungs and allowing him to suck in a measure of oxygen.
William eyed his boys, who were still lying on the ground. “They’re not dead. Only a beheading will kill them.”
Kane moved forward, intending to deliver the final blow.
“Don’t,” William said, stopping him. “I’ve changed my mind. They’ve learned their lesson. They’ll never approach your woman again. I’ll make sure of it.”
Very well. Kane didn’t need to see them dead—he just needed the reassurance that his mine was safe from them.
He faced Tink.
She stood, wiping her hands against her thighs. Nervous? Or frightened of him? He was covered in blood, after all.
“Kane,” she said.
He took a step toward her. “You’re free. That was fast.”
William shifted. “Yeah, so, I was mistaken about the chain and key. Anya got her out. Go figure.”
“She was bound by rope, nothing more, and I somehow managed to cut her loose,” Anya said drily. “Imagine my surprise.”
William had tried to trick him, just to gain possession of the ring. Kane wanted to care. He didn’t care. His gaze remained locked with Tink’s. She approached him. A second later, they were running at each other. She threw herself in his arms, and he spun her around.
“Told you I’d be here by morning,” he whispered.
“Thank you.”
“Welcome.” Now, he could get her out of here. Couldn’t tolerate another minute inside these jagged walls. “We need to—”
“Disaster,” a female screeched in the distance. “Disaster is here!”
“Where? Where is he? I must have him!”
Every muscle Kane possessed knotted. The minions had sensed him. The minions...the minions who had...had...NO! Sickness returned to his stomach, churning viciously. The females wanted to bind him and cut away his clothing. They wanted to touch him and taste him and steal his seed.
They’ll have you, Disaster said with a laugh. Over and over again.
Going to vomit.
“And now it’s time to bail.” William unsheathed a Sig Sauer from the waist of his pants. “I can only flash myself. Lucien, you take care of the others.”
Lucien nodded and flashed a protesting Anya to safety. He reappeared a few seconds later, grabbed a now trembling Kane and Tink, and flashed them away, too. The last thing Kane saw was William running forward, grinning with delight. And when he next blinked, he was standing inside the walls of the fortress he’d never thought to revisit, once again barely able to breathe.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
The Realm of Blood and Shadows
JOSEPHINA TOOK IN as much of the fortress as possible as Kane dragged her down a hall and up a flight of stairs. “I almost can’t believe I’m in your home. I mean, I’m actually in your home. I’m living every Fae woman’s dream.”
The portraits on the walls caught her attention. Each contained a Lord of the Underworld in the buff, his manhood shielded by something feminine. A ribbon. A teddy bear. A scrap of lace. Then there were the portraits of the delicate blonde, the epitome of what Fae males found attractive. In one, she wore a ball gown. In another, a negligee. In yet another, black leather.