He conjured an image of her motionless body, and the misery inside him intensified. “She’s not up for visitors right now.”
“What’s wrong? Is she sick?”
“Somethin’ like that.”
“Oh.” Tanner rubbed the back of his neck, his expression worried. “Hope she gets better soon.”
The hollowness in Logan’s gut expanded. “Me too.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
A cool breeze rustled over his fur, waking him. It took him a moment to realize he wasn’t on Clarissa’s bed or in his human body. He rose from his crouching position, his claws sinking into cracked loam. Lifting his muzzle, he sniffed. The wind carried a salty brine that reminded him of home, but he wasn’t anywhere near his cottage. Another essence mingled with the saline. Something that made him think of death. Just as he was about to cower away from the awful stench of it, he caught the hint of sweetness that’d roused him from slumber.
Rissa.
His blood sang with the sheer joy of it, of her. She was close. Very, very close.
He took off at a full gallop, eating up the ground in furious bounds as he followed the sandy path that snaked through the vast vista of dead land. The twilight grew denser, along with the evil bouquet that stung his nostrils. But beneath it all was Clarissa, her perfume like a lone rose within the horrible decay.
A red haze suddenly lit the horizon, filling him with an unexplainable sense of doom. Ignoring the trepidation hammering in his chest, he powered on, closing the distance between him and that fire in the sky.
He reached the base of an enormous mountain, its rocky expanse jutting skyward like an impenetrable fortress. Undaunted, he scanned its inhospitable exterior for an avenue of entrance and finally spied a barely trod footpath. He raced along the narrow precipice, his scrabbling claws disturbing loose gravel and sand. After several close calls, he reached the summit and stared into the strange, frightening valley far below him.
A massive lake sat in the belly of the mountain, occasionally spitting fireballs into the air. More than likely, the flaming cannonballs were to blame for the conflagration in the sky.
What the hell was this place? The direction of his thoughts was no doubt ironic. It wouldn’t be surprising if this was hell.
Determined more than ever to locate Clarissa, he scurried down the lip of the canyon. Roughly halfway down, her scent became intoxicatingly stronger. Before he could control it, his wolf’s instincts took over and he lifted his head, trumpeting a call to his mate. His howl bounced endlessly within the canyon before everything fell deathly quiet. Even the fiery lake below ceased all movement.
He felt angry, watchful eyes cutting the dark in search of him.
And then he heard her. “Logan.”
Cursing his absence of human vocal cords, he howled again and chased the sound of Clarissa’s voice.
What was he doing here? A mix of panic and joy washing over her, Clarissa surged to her feet, abandoning the uncomfortable rock she’d parked her butt on when the strenuous journey across the mountain had become too much for her.
Beside her, Envy hissed. “Come, we must hurry. The others are waiting.”
But…Logan. She couldn’t leave him.
“You belong with me now. Have you forgotten your promise so soon?” An unmistakable threat edged the creature’s tone. “If you do not obey me, I will make you watch as I throw him down into the lake.”
Unmitigated fear exploded within her. “No. I’ll go with you.”
“Smart girl.” Those soulless eyes flashing triumph, Envy clutched her arm and dragged her farther down the trail.
They reached the shoreline just as Logan’s lupine form shot from the darkness. He lunged for Envy’s throat, but the sin easily knocked him away. Rolling to his feet, Logan attempted the maneuver again. This time Envy caught him midair, his claws sinking deep into Logan’s fur and flesh. An agonized yelp tore from Logan, and she screamed, throwing herself at the sin. “Stop it! I’ll send him away. J-just let him go.”
“Maybe I prefer to torture his soul. For eternity.”
She ripped her focus from the unbearable pain in Logan’s eyes and glanced at Envy. The sin’s eyes held a wealth of hatred and jealousy as it glared at the wolf in its grip. Her mind racing, she swallowed hard. “L-let him go, and I will love you. I will love you more than I ever loved him.”
Envy turned the full heat of its covetous stare on her. “Sweet Clarissa, you strike a hard bargain.”
The creature slowly retracted its talons, and Logan plummeted to the sand. His wolf lay motionless for many moments, stoking a noxious brew of fear within her stomach that caused her to heave. If he was dead…
Just as she was about to drop beside him, he stirred. Giving a weak whimper, he crawled toward her, his eyes beseeching. She choked back a sob. “Please go.”
He inched closer and she backed up, the place where her heart used to be cramping. “Go.”
A plaintive whine broke from him, slicing her to shreds. She could feel the tears drying on her face as the lake’s furnace-like heat wafted over her. “You don’t belong here. Please…just leave and forget about me.”
Envy’s fingers curled around her wrists, dragging her with him. She chanced one more look in Logan’s direction and noticed he was gone. Even as relief swept her, a crushing sorrow threatened to topple her to her knees. Feeling as if she were slowly dying, she returned her attention to Envy, who was tugging her toward a cavern half hidden in the rocky face of the mountain. “Where are you taking me?”
“To your new home, precious.” The sin hauled her into the cave, and she peered around at her subterranean cell. Water seeped from giant stalactites that covered the majority of the ceiling, dripping into the murky pools carved into the floor.
To say the place was unwelcoming would be an understatement. Shivering, she huddled against the mouth of the rocky cavity, dreading the necessity of spending even an hour within the space. She noticed that Envy was watching her closely, gauging her reaction to her new abode, undoubtedly. Despising the creature to the core, along with this wretched hellhole, she faked a smile. “It’s lovely.”
“I knew you would appreciate its charm.” The sin caressed her cheek. “I wish only to please you. We’re family now, sweet Clarissa. The only one you’ll ever need.”
As if on cue, Envy’s six siblings appeared. Greed eyed her coldly, a mocking laugh slipping past those blood-red lips. “Oh goodie. The homecoming queen has finally arrived.” She shifted her callous gaze to Envy. “It’s feeding time. Care to leave your precious long enough to lend a hand?”
Greed’s sarcasm seemed to roll right off Envy, because the sin merely grabbed Clarissa’s arm again and yanked her to a chain shackled to the wall of the cave. After securing the metal cuff to her ankle, the creature departed with the others.
Defeated and miserable, she slumped against the slick limestone, drawing her knees into her chest. Strange, terrifying shadows danced along the surrounding walls. She slammed her eyes shut in an effort to block them out. A scratching noise approached, and she flinched, convinced that the shadows were coming to devour her. Something cold and wet licked her face, and she shrieked.
Soft fur brushed her cheek. She opened her eyes and stared into Logan’s gleaming irises. Unable to stop it, she let a sob escape. He licked her again, her tears falling victim to the gentle persuasion of his tongue.
“You were supposed to go.”