Fated Mates of the Underworld, Books 1-3 Page 22

  I burst out laughing and relaxed into the seat. Atieno pulled into the parking lot of a dark, seedy-looking building. No sign hung on the wall, and the windows were boarded up. This was exactly the kind of place I expected to find a warlock.

  He killed the engine and gripped the steering wheel. “Is there any way I can talk you out of coming in?”

  “No.”

  “Didn’t think so. Let’s lay down some ground rules. Do not leave the building without me. And you can take a drink from someone, but don’t drink it.”

  “Got it. Now let’s go find us a warlock. You know that might be a good start to a joke. A warlock and a shifter walk into a pub.”

  “Stay there.”

  He climbed out and walked around the car, this time not using his super-speed. He opened my door and held out a hand. I took a deep breath and put my hand in his. He pulled me out of the SUV, and I fell into his arms. He captured my lips and ran his hands along my ass.

  “You’re so beautiful. I want to put you back in the car, take you home and strip you naked.”

  We have to find the killer, I told myself one more time as Atieno ran his hands along my back. I pressed my hands to his chest and pushed. “Let’s find the killer, and then you can strip me naked.”

  “Fine,” Atieno mumbled.

  “I thought Mike was coming. I don’t see his truck in the parking lot.”

  “He sent me a text. He has a lead on Georgina and is going to see if he can find her. I figured we could handle this.”

  I held my purse next to me as we walked toward the run-down pub. I planned to sit at the bar and see if anyone came up to me while Atieno walked around, listening, to see what he could pick up. Atieno pulled the door open, and I stepped in. Atieno placed his hand on the lower part of my back.

  Unlike the bars around Bourbon Street, no one smoked in the pub. Smoke bothered shifters. Atieno and I broke away from each other. I walked to the bar and took an empty seat between two men in their late thirties. Using the mirror on the wall, I watched Atieno’s steps.

  The guy to the left turned, and after looking at me for a second, he grabbed his beer and guzzled the pint. He threw a couple bills on the table and went to get up. I touched his shoulder, and he stepped back and glared.

  “Hey, aren’t you going to buy a pretty lady a drink?” I asked.

  “Buy your own.” He turned to leave. Something wasn’t right with the guy. When I sat down, the bartender had just put his drink down. He didn’t look like he was going anywhere until his eyes landed on me.

  I scanned the mirror and didn’t see Atieno, but the guy was heading for the door. Hoping I didn’t get myself killed, I followed him outside, willing Atieno to see me go.

  “Hey, why are you in such a hurry?” My high heels made it hard to walk fast across the rocks.

  The tall man turned, and his eyes flashed dark charcoal before he transformed into a giant panther.

  A purple portal opened next to the panther, and the warlock stepped out. “You are making this easy, Pandora.”

  11

  My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I prayed Atieno would come outside looking for me. If I were fighting just the panther shifter, I might have a chance. Taking on the warlock and the shifter would make it a close fight.

  “If you would’ve let your grandmother die, my powers would be stronger. Instead, you used your powers to raise the dead, and a silly human died in her place.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “But it seems like your grandma isn’t here to help you this time.” His evil smile made my stomach turn.

  Unlike in the visions, he no longer wore the mask. When he stepped out of the portal, I could see his face for a second—half skeleton, half human. The skeleton side had spiders climbing on the bones. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Power and revenge,” the warlock rumbled. “Fate took everything from me, and now I plan to take it all back.”

  Not wanting to give him an advantage, I reached for my gun. “Dude, you missed the evil laugh. This isn’t the Dark Ages. You really think you can come back from exile and take over the universe?”

  “Your powers aren’t as strong as your grandmother’s. You can’t stop me, so it doesn’t matter that it’s not the Dark Ages. Everyone will pay for hiding Hecate from me.” The warlock hadn’t made a move. The portal disappeared, making the parking lot dark. All I could see was the outline of his form and the glow of his one eye.

  It was Synth, and he wanted his woman back. He came to our house because of Grandma, and he almost won. If he had gotten her power, he would have been strong enough.

  The phone in my purse vibrated again. I pulled it tighter to my side, stifling the sound.

  The warlock stepped forward. The black cat took a step with him.

  “I can hear your heart racing, little witch,” he murmured.

  “Well, I’m about to fight you and a panther. I would expect anyone’s heart to race. Don’t think you’re special.”

  “This is going to be so much fun, watching the life drain from your body.” He canted his head toward the moon and lifted his hand. Black magic formed into a bulb. He sent the magic my way. I jumped behind a truck, and the magic hit the side of the cab. The metal crunched. “You were lucky that time, bitch. See how well you do against a cat.” I looked under the truck to see where the panther stood. He was walking in my direction. I kicked off my high heels so I could run faster. The rocks cut my feet. I pushed through the pain and walked to the front of the truck.

  I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone. I wanted to send Atieno a quick text, but the panther rounded the corner and let out a snarl. The sound caught me off guard, and I dropped my phone. The panther stepped forward, and I crab-crawled to get away. He lunged, and I rolled to the side and stood. Drawing on my magic, I closed my eyes and shot a bolt toward the panther. He cried out as the purple ball hit his back leg.

  The attack didn’t stop him. He took another step forward. The warlock stood in the same place, calling on his magic. I jumped onto the hood of a car and sent a ball at the warlock. I caught him off guard, and he stumbled back. The panther lunged onto the car hood with me, and I jumped off, running a few steps back toward my phone. I bent down and picked it up off the ground.

  I quickly typed, Help, and hit Send. I placed my phone back in my purse and grabbed my gun. I rounded the car to find the panther heading toward me again. I lined the shifter up in my sights and pulled the trigger. The panther dropped to the ground, and a black pool of blood formed beneath him. With my gun in hand, I walked back toward the warlock.

  He waved his hand, and the gun flew out of my grip.

  “Seems I’ve underestimated you,” he ground out. “All the better for me when I kill you and take your magic. Once the guard dog is out of your grandma’s house, I’ll have her magic too. Then I can put my plan into motion.”

  I stepped forward, drawing on my magic, but was stopped as my body rose off the ground. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t use my magic. The air left my lungs. My vision blurred. It almost looked like a portal opened in the parking lot. The door to the pub burst open. Atieno, his jeans hanging low, rage in his eyes, strode toward the warlock, with his fists clenched.

  Closing my eyes, I pictured the fires of hell, and purple flickered from my fingers. I needed to free myself before I lost consciousness. I released my magic, and the bubble holding me up in the air burst. I fell to the ground. The gravel parking lot was hard and unforgiving as my ass hit first. I coughed, catching my breath, and got to my feet.

  Atieno and the warlock were only focused on each other, the warlock intent on taking out the king of the shifters, Atieno willing to do anything to protect me.

  Atieno launched himself through the air. His lion ripped out of him as his paws hit the ground a foot in front of the warlock. The warlock took a step back and waved his hand at the portal. Six demons crashed through, all heading toward Atieno. The warlock used the opportunity to vanish. I let out a string of curse words
and went to fight with Atieno.

  The wave of demons was followed by six big trolls. The creatures were coming through the portal faster than the morning at my grandma’s. Earlier when I had been attacked, the demons looked sick. These looked strong. That meant, sometime today, the warlock had killed more people.

  Motion from the corner of my eye caught my attention. As I watched a dozen more demons charge from the portal, I pulled my magic and sent a bolt at the demons before they could get to Atieno. They changed their direction and headed my way. I grabbed the gun from the ground and popped off eight shots. Seven demons dropped to the ground. Atieno was fighting three trolls at the same time, the power radiating off his lion form was impressive..

  The demon I had missed leaped forward with a spear. I dodged to the side, and the spear went through a black car’s door. He worked to pull the spear out, and I side-kicked the demon, sending him flying. He landed a few feet from the portal. Atieno had taken down one of the trolls. I walked toward the portal, drawing on my magic. I needed to close it before more creatures came through. While I collected my magic, a new wave of demons and trolls came through. There were too many. I sent my wave of magic at the portal, and it disappeared.

  I pulled out my gun and used it to shoot six more demons. No more bullets. Atieno’s lion tore through another troll. Bodies littered the ground, but we were still being attacked. I dodged one demon and then another. A demon clipped my leg from under me, and I came crashing to the ground. Heart pounding, I pushed at the ground to stand but felt a foot on my back pressing me down. I pushed up harder, catching the person on my back off guard. I stood and side-kicked another demon, sending him into a car near us. A demon jumped on my back and clawed at my shoulders. I bent down and flipped him over my head. Another one used the opportunity to rush in and knock me down. The air whooshed out of my lungs as I hit the ground.

  My head bounced off the black pavement, and fog hazed my vision. I heard the fight continuing around me. Atieno needed my help, I had to fight through this fog. There would be no one else coming to his aid.

  The demons pounced on me. They held each of my hands and feet down. One stood over me with a spear. I tried to call on my magic, but it flickered. Nothing. This was the end. It wasn’t fair. I never had the opportunity to tell Atieno I was falling for him, to let him know he was the one who made my days brighter. I hadn’t had nearly enough time to see him.

  I closed my eyes and waited for the spear to enter my body. I knew it would hurt. The demons wouldn’t care how I died as long as it happened. But one second ticked by and then another. Instead of a painful stab, I felt a wet tongue lick my face. I opened one eye to see a massive lion standing over me. The demons were all dead. I hadn’t noticed that no one held my arms and legs any longer.

  Atieno lion licked my neck again, and I inhaled deeply. “Can I pet you?”

  The giant lion nodded, and I ran my hand through his mane. His fur was soft and silky. I tangled my fingers in it and leaned forward to inhale again. His lion smelled like he did as a man, woodsy. “Can I get up?”

  I swear the lion smiled before he stepped to the side, and I stood. My body ached. I searched the parking lot.

  Holy. Fuck.

  Bodies lay everywhere. And the person the demons worked for had escaped. With a flash, Atieno turned back into his human form. His very naked human form. And I had thought he was sexy in clothes. My eyes trailed down his body. Rock-hard abs. I couldn’t stop myself as my eyes kept going down.

  Atieno’s abs weren’t the only hard thing. His very impressive dick stood up. Atieno cleared his throat. “Don’t get me wrong. I love your eyes on me. But I think we should head out before more of those fuckers come.”

  I nodded and followed Atieno as he headed for the SUV. His tight ass flexed with each step he took. He opened the hatch of the SUV and pulled out a pair of jeans, quickly putting them on. They hung low on his hips. He didn’t bother with a shirt as he led me to the passenger side and opened the door.

  “Get in.”

  Once I was in my seat, Atieno closed the door and jogged over to the driver’s side and climbed in. “Shouldn’t we warn the people in the pub?”

  He reached across me, opened the glove box, and pulled out a burner phone. He called someone at the council to take care of the mess of dead bodies in the parking lot and warn the owner of the bar.

  With his hands on the steering wheel, Atieno looked toward me. “What was the one thing I asked you to do?”

  “Kick ass.”

  He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. “I almost lost you twice tonight. Asking you to stay inside where I could see you wasn’t for my own good.”

  “I sent you a text.”

  Atieno’s eyes blazed green. “In a loud, crowded bar. You weren’t even there for a minute before you left. I went into the back to check for exits, and you were gone. When I tried to leave, I had to fight my way out. I wasn’t sitting in there, shooting the shit. The warlock had people on the inside as well. If I had to guess, the owner is in on it as well. But we won’t know because you left.”

  “I’ll listen next time.”

  “I highly doubt that, but let’s get home so I can check you over for wounds.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “My lion needs to know you’re okay. I’m seconds away from shifting in this car. Give me something, Pandora.”

  I nodded and he turned on the car. We headed out of the parking lot and away from the mess of dead bodies and possibly more answers.

  12

  I wasn’t sure where I expected Atieno to live. A giant mansion outside the city was not what I expected. I knew he had been alive for many years, but for some reason, I didn’t think he was rich. Hell, his house was a different level of rich.

  “How long have you lived here?” I asked as he pulled into the six-car garage. I was excited to see where he lived. Over the last week, we had stayed at my small apartment. I never thought to ask where he lived. Sasha was the other reason I wanted to stay close to my apartment.

  Atieno opened the passenger-side door. He still hadn’t put a shirt on.

  I was too busy staring at his perfect body to hear what he said. “I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?”

  His lip twitched. “I said I bought this place a hundred years ago. I’ve added on over the years.”

  “Are you rich?” I blurted out and quickly covered my mouth.

  Atieno placed his hand on my lower back and guided me toward the door to the house. “Yes. I’ve made a lot of money over the years and invested. I wasn’t always a good guy. I went through a stage I would rather forget about. Lucifer seems to like bringing up my dark period. During that period, I acquired a lot of gold.”

  “We all have things in our past we wish we could change. Some more than others. I constantly act without thinking. I’ve caused others pain and even gave someone a heart attack, so I understand.”

  He took my chin and looked into my eyes, his crystal-blue ones holding my attention. “You have a pure heart. Maybe too pure for me.”

  I didn’t think it was possible to fall for the man any more. I’d had a terrible week, and he seemed to be the good out of all the bad that had happened.

  “You have a pure heart too. Now, are you going to show me the house, or are we going to stay in the garage?” I asked.

  He unlocked the door and pulled me inside. A loud alarm sounded before Atieno quickly put in a code. He shut the door with his foot and tugged me down a long hallway. I wanted to stop and see his place. It felt like getting to see another part of him.

  “Are you going to show me around?”

  “No.” Atieno didn’t elaborate. He just kept pulling me down the hall. When I wasn’t walking fast enough, he scooped me up into his arms and carried me. I let out a giggle as I laid my head on his chiseled chest. I loved having Atieno’s arms around me. I didn’t know what waited for us at the end of the case, but I knew I didn’t want to lose Atieno.

  Instead of s
etting me on my feet, he set me down on the white marble counter in his bathroom. My apartment could fit inside the room. It had dual sinks made from marble, with gold faucets, a shower the size of a king bed with jets lining the wall, and a claw-foot tub with gold feet in the center of the room. It would be the perfect place to take a bubble bath.

  Atieno slid his hand under the bottom of my dress and worked it up my body. His fingers ignited my skin, and I was aware of every inch he touched. When his fingers trailed over my butt, he let out a groan. I wanted him more than my next breath. I reached out to touch his body.

  “Not yet. I need to make sure you’re okay.”

  “Alpha males,” I grumbled. “I’m fine. I would be better if you ran your tongue over my body.”

  He smirked before peeling my dress the rest of the way off. He let out a few curses when he saw the bruise on my side. I wasn’t sure if it was from the fight tonight or from the one earlier in the day. He traced his finger along the outside of the bruise. It sent goose bumps down my arms.

  “I need you to drink my blood.”

  “Wait… what?”

  “My blood will heal your bruise and bring out your powers. It will also connect us. If you are in danger, I’ll know, and I’ll be able to find you.”

  My heart skipped, knowing he wanted to keep track of me, but it also sounded creepy. “So you have creepy tracker blood.”

  Atieno shifted and grabbed a cloth off the counter and ran it under the water. He gently trailed the rag down my skin, wiping the blood and dirt away. “Not creepy tracker. I want to keep you safe. I highly doubt you’ll let me cage you in the house or a bubble room. This is the next best thing. When we officially mate, we’ll be able to talk to each other in our minds.”

  “Will you be able to read my mind?”

  “No, only what you want me to know.”

  “Why do we have to wait to mate?” I asked, grabbing the top of his jeans and pulling him closer. “I’m ready. Why do we keep fighting the pull if we know what will happen, anyway? I might not know much about mating, but I know I’m not happy unless you’re around. When you are, I feel safe.”