“Is that what’s been worrying you?” He snorted. “Darling, I could have told you those things.”
“But I wouldn’t have believed you. I thought winning was the most important thing in your life.”
“No. That’s you.”
She smiled radiantly up at him. But that smile faded as the murmurs of the other Lords filled her ears, reminding her of what she’d done. Or hadn’t done. “I should have told you to lock him away forever. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. He needs to be stopped, I know that, but there at the end, I just couldn’t bring myself…couldn’t let you… I’m so sorry. Now he’s going to cause even more trouble.”
“It’s all right. It’s all right. We’ll deal with it. We’ve severely handicapped their army.”
“Not sure how much good that will do us. Galen found Distrust,” Anya said. “He’s trying to place the demon inside someone else’s body, hoping to create an immortal soldier he can control. He was pretty confident about his success.”
Distrust, once Sabin’s best friend, Gwen remembered. If Distrust were on her father’s side, would Sabin be able to hurt whichever body it resided in? No matter what kind of destruction that person inflicted. She didn’t want her man faced with the same type of decision she’d just had to make.
Sabin smoothed a hand through her damp hair. “I don’t know what I’d do,” he said as if he’d read her thoughts. “But I do now understand how difficult your decision must have been. If you need that bastard free to make you happy, then free he’ll stay.”
“Hey,” several of the warriors muttered behind him.
“We get a say in that,” Reyes growled, rifling through the pockets of the fallen Hunters.
Gwen sighed. “I’ll come to terms with his capture, I know I will. Seeing him for the first time was just too shocking to process. Don’t worry, though. Next time I’ll do better.”
“Yeah, but worrying is what I do best.”
“Not anymore. Loving me is what you do best.”
“That’s the truth.”
“Let’s go home,” she said, squeezing him tight. “We’ve got some kids to soothe, artifacts to find, Hunters to kill and a box to destroy. After you love the breath out of me, of course.”
EPILOGUE
Once they were home, their injuries healed, they were able to make love like wild animals. Afterward, Gwen had too much energy to sleep. She popped up and started jumping on the bed, daring Sabin to do something about it. He propped himself against the headboard, watching her through bright, amused eyes.
She
He’d kicked her legs out from under her, sending her tumbling to her back. Grinning, he dove on top of her. “Who’s the tired one now, huh?”
She was laughing as she rolled him over, her hair falling around them like a curtain. “Not me, that’s for sure.”
“Let me see what I can do about that.”
And he did.
A long while later, she found herself snuggled back into his side, having trouble catching her breath. “So what’s next, hmm?” she asked, happier than she’d ever been. Who would have thought Gwendolyn the Timid would hook up with the fiercest Lord of the Underworld, throw herself into the midst of a war, and like it? Not her, that was for sure.
For the moment, though, things were calm. All the couples were safe, secure and reunited. The women (and Legion) were finding new homes for the children, both the ones Gwen had captured during their Budapest battle and the ones they’d rescued from Hunter High. Anya even had a favorite, the one she called “Ghost Boy,” and Gwen suspected the goddess would place him with a loving family here in Buda, where she could keep an eye on him.
Torin was searching for the people on Cronus’s list, and the other warriors were plotting ways to find Galen—and Distrust. Gideon was still healing; that would take a while. Legion disappeared periodically, and both Paris and Aeron were acting strangely.
“What’s next with us?” Sabin asked. “Well, after my heart starts beating again, I’m going to crawl my way down your body and—”
“No,” she said with a laugh, batting his hand away as he tickled her stomach. “With the Hunters.”
He sank deeper into the mattress, his arms tightening around her. “Danika thinks Galen is going to try and pair Distrust with the woman in the painting with him. If he succeeds, it’s gonna be a free-for-all when it comes time for the next battle. They won’t merely try to injure us, they’ll go for our heads. They’ll
She’d suspected that, but still shuddered. “Brilliant of my…Galen, to place a piece of your beloved friend inside the body of your enemy.”
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t have expected anything less from the man who fathered you. Your sisters wouldn’t happen to have come into their powers or whatever it is, would they? If so, maybe we can convince them to stay.” Sabin traced hearts along her spine. “I’ve heard that every Harpy develops some sort of ability after living a few centuries. An ability like time travel. It’d come in handy, that’s for sure.”
“Only Taliyah. She can shift into other forms, as her own father could.” Talking about her race was becoming easier. She
“Even better.” He sighed. “We’ve gotta find those artifacts before Galen does. If he hasn’t already found one. That snake-whip…the more I think of it, the more it reminds me of the creature that was guarding the Cage of Compulsion. The same kind of creature that supposedly guards each of the artifacts. As he’s the keeper of Hope, I don’t think he’d have any trouble convincing even a monster to help him.”
“If he has one, we’ll just steal it. I mean, you’ve got a Harpy and the goddess of Anarchy on your side. The odds are in your favor.”
He chuckled. “Maybe you and I can visit the Temple of the Unspoken Ones. Something there told us about Danika, the All-Seeing Eye. Maybe whoever—whatever—it was will help us find something else.”
Gwen traced her finger over his chest, loving the contrasting tones of their skin. “And if we find those people listed on the scrolls, we can convince them to help us. You don’t have to worry about Doubt causing trouble. He knows I’ll spank him.”
“That he does.” He kissed her temple. “But yes, I’ll do anything—within reason—to win this war, including convincing criminals I helped incarcerate to help me. And actually, that should be easy. After all, I convinced the fiercest Harpy of them all to give me her heart.”
“And would you do anything—within reason—to keep that Harpy happy?”
“Don’t you know it.”
“Do I?” She grinned up at him. “Prove it.”
“My pleasure.”
She was on her back in the next instant, giggling like a schoolgirl, her body and soul Sabin’s, just the way she liked it.
LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD GLOSSARY OF CHARACTERS AND TERMS
Aeron—Keeper of Wrath
All-Seeing Eye—Godly artifact with the power to see into heaven and hell
Amun—Keeper of Secrets
Anya—(Minor) Goddess of Anarchy
Ashlyn Darrow—Human female with supernatural ability
