exhaustion. Death lurked within that cloud as well, mocking Thanatos.
“Did … we … do … it?”
“Yes,” Than croaked. “Pestilence is gone.” He took her hand. So cold. “You’re going to be okay. But I need you to fight.”
“Will you…hold my hand?”
He didn’t tell her he was already squeezing it so hard she should be in pain. He glanced up at E, whose somber gaze said it all.
Tears burned in Than’s eyes. “I wish we’d had more time. I would have liked to pamper you for those nine months. I would have taken care of you.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I love… you.” She closed her eyes and in his palm, her hand went limp.
“No,” he croaked. “No, no
“I’m sorry. She lost too much blood before the baby was born. The internal damage is too much for even me if there’s no blood left in her.”
Desperate, Than released the doctor. Regan still had a pulse, but barely. Ten heartbeats left, maybe. There was only one thing left to do, and he hoped to hell it worked. And that she’d forgive him.
With a hiss, he tugged her head to the side and bit into her jugular. Her pulse was too weak, the vein too collapsed to pump blood into his mouth. Urgency drove him to suck deeply, hoping her circulatory system would move the blood still left in her veins to deliver the vampire-turning agent in his saliva.
Her heart stopped.
So did his. Anguish turned the air in his lungs to cement. A familiar chill of awareness flickered in the back of his mind, and he dragged in a sudden, panicked breath. He looked up, trembling, knowing what he’d see.
Regan’s soul.
He leaped off the bed and stared at her shadowy form. She was confused, her eyes wet with unshed tears as her gaze met his with what he swore was accusation. Or maybe that was just his guilt talking. But it didn’t matter. He’d killed her, and now she was going to become part of his armor, tormented to the point of insanity by the captivity and by the other souls until she finally escaped and made a kill.
Which would then send her straight to Sheoul-gra.
Instead of giving her eternal life, he’d given her eternal death and damned the woman he loved to hell.
Thirty-eight
Thanatos screamed his throat raw as Regan melted into his body. It didn’t hurt, not physically, but mentally, it was excruciating. He’d killed her. Doomed her. And now she was suffering.
Only rarely could he feel the souls when he wasn’t wearing his armor, and normally that was a good thing. But not this time. Not now. He had to find her, latch onto the awareness that was uniquely her life force. Maybe he didn’t deserve to be comforted by her presence, but he hoped she’d be comforted by his.
As Limos and Ares stormed into the room, alerted by Than’s screams, he armored up. Instantly, the whirling vibration of the souls filtered through his body. Dragging in a shaky breath, he sorted through them, locked onto Regan, and collapsed into the chair beside the bed.
“Thanatos?” The concern in Limos’s voice gave it a higher pitch than normal, and when she saw Regan’s lifeless body, her voice broke low. “I’m so sorry.” She went to her knees next to the chair and braced her forehead on his arm.
Thanatos stared blindly, barely registering the fact that the medical people were filing out, leaving him alone with Limos and Ares.
And his son.
Ares had taken the infant from Vladlena and very carefully placed the swaddled baby against Than’s chest, forcing him to wrap his arm around his son. Than’s heart kicked, and he jerked as if he’d been dead and someone had shocked him back to life. Inside him, his blood warmed and Regan’s spirit quieted. Even the baby, who had been whimpering, settled peacefully in the crook of Than’s arm.
A sob escaped him as he dropped his gaze, getting his first true look at the child he and Regan had made. The baby’s eyes were hazel, like Regan’s, his wisps of hair as blond as Than’s. He was a perfect mix of the two of them.
“He’s beautiful,” Than whispered. As if in agreement, Regan seemed to caress him from the inside. “Regan thinks so, too.” His voice cracked at that, and dear God, how was he going to survive this?
Limos lifted her head to exchange glances with Ares. “Ah, Than? Regan … she didn’t make it.”
No shit. He stroked his finger over the baby’s velvety soft cheek. “She’s in my armor.”
“Oh … damn.” Ares drove his hand through his hair. “Are you okay?”
Thanatos looked up. “No.” He swallowed against the lump of misery in his throat, but that bastard wasn’t going anywhere. “I need her. I’ve got to do something.”
But what? He’d failed to turn her, and now her body was an empty shell while her soul rested inside him. She was at peace right now, but it wouldn’t be long before the other souls began to torment her, and it would be even worse when he took off his armor and couldn’t control the souls.
He’d never remove his armor again.
“Maybe Reaver can guide her soul out,” Ares suggested. “You won’t have to worry about her that way.”
Thanatos was willing to try anything to prevent Regan from being sent to Sheoul-gra once she escaped the armor. He just had to hope Reaver was receptive to the idea. And was capable of doing it.
“It’s worth a try.”
“I’ll see if he’s back.” Ares jogged out of the room and was back in a flash. “He’s not here. I hope he’s kicking Gethel’s traitorous ass. In any case, I’ve sent a summons.”
Thanatos couldn’t wait. Regan didn’t deserve a single minute inside the hell of his armor, but who else dealt in souls? Wait…
“Where’s Idess? Is she okay?”
Limos nodded. “Eidolon healed her. She’s in the great room. Why?”
“I need her to take me to her father.” The male who could also be the Horsemen’s father.
There was a pause and then Limos’s eyes flared. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“If you’re thinking that he’s the Grim Reaper and if anyone can help, he can, then yes.”
She was up in a heartbeat. “I’ll be right back.”
Than reached up and took his sister’s hand. “Thank you, Li. I won’t forget this.”
Tears sprang into her eyes. “I might not have liked Regan at first, but she gave you something you haven’t had in five thousand years. You were happy. And she gave you a son. I’ll do anything for the three of you.”
Closing his eyes, he leaned back and held his son close. Than had meant it when he’d told Regan he would have loved to have pampered her for the months he missed out on while their son was growing inside her. Hell, he’d have pampered her for the rest of her life. He’d have given her anything she wanted.
Now all he could give her was peace.
Thirty-nine
A massive ebony Greek temple rose up out of the mist in front of Thanatos. Blackened pillars and buildings surrounded it, all familiar, and yet, he couldn’t place it. After a few steps, as the fog cleared away, he realized that this was Athens. Not the real Athens, but an imitation land where everything was corrupted by evil and death.
Thanatos should be right at home, shouldn’t he, he thought bitterly.
Idess had been more than willing to help him, and as he carried Regan’s dead body in his arms and her soul in his armor, Idess touched his back in a gesture of strength and comfort.
“Thank you for rescuing me from Pestilence.”
