The Darkest Kiss

Something about a woman. Of course, there's always a woman. Anyway, his prophecy is encrypted, like a riddle, and somewhere in the book is the key to decoding it and saving himself.'

'Anya! How could you fucking dare?' William shouted. His angry bellow echoed off the walls.

'I guess he found the fake.'

'Will he try to hurt you?'

She grinned. 'Not while I have his precious.' She said the last in an evil demon voice.

Lucien just shook his head.

They turned another corner and were suddenly in the study. William was holding the fake she'd had made. First time she'd visited him here, she'd tried to pick a fight with him, had needed to fight. One of her mortal companions had died and her need for disorder had been high. William had been too sated to oblige her, falsely claiming he was more a lover than a fighter. He'd offered to sex her, though. She'd spent some time tossing and shattering glass instead.

Then she'd spotted the book in its tantalizing case. Blood-red rubies were embedded on its cover and spine. They'd called to her, a siren's song. Knowing what the book meant to him had made the stealing of it all the sweeter, she was ashamed to admit. She didn't suppose it would console him to know, though, that she was now a wee bit ashamed.

'The cover appears to be the same, but the pages are blank,' he growled.

She splayed her arms wide. 'Sorry. I couldn't help myself.'

'Someone should have put you down a long time ago.'

'Like that would have done any good,' she muttered.

'Why do I like you? Why do I always allow you back? You and your fucking All-Key are a menace. Give me back the book, Anya!'

'How does everyone know about this key, yet I had never heard of it?' Lucien complained, tossing up his hands.

'Why don't you just take the key from her?' William suggested to Lucien with an evil grin.

'Shut up, Willie!' She stomped her foot and pushed a hand through her hair. 'He already knows.'

'Everything?'

'Yes.' Well, kind of.

William grinned. 'Liar. So, Lucy,' he said, tossing the empty book to the ground and slapping his hands together.

'Did you know that if she gives you the key, she'll be giving you her memories? You'll know everything about her. Her every sin, every crime, every man she's ever touched. Even better, you'll know where she is every second of every day. She'll never be able to hide from you.'

Lucien flicked her a guarded glance. 'True?'

Reluctantly she nodded. 'All part of the All-Key's charm.'

'Who gave you this key?' Lucien asked her. 'Why would anyone place such a burden on you?'

William took it upon himself to answer for her. 'Her daddy dearest gave it to her when the gods finally decided on her punishment for murdering the captain of their guard. She was to be made an immortal sex slave. Fitting, don't you think? Tartarus knew of her curse, however, and knew what that would do to her. So he stepped in to play savior for once in his negligent life.

'Why do you think the immortal prison eventually fell? How do you think the Titans eventually escaped? Without the key he'd housed inside himself, both Tartarus the man and Tartarus the prison were weakened. Eventually, both crumbled altogether.'

True, all true. When she'd accepted the key inside herself, she'd been given some of her father's memories and had found herself attuned to his whereabouts. Even now, she had only to think of him and she knew where he was.

That's how she'd known Cronus had imprisoned him.

She'd gone back to Olympus, a place she'd sworn never to visit again. Out of guilt, yes, for all her father had given up for her. Out of love, too, because through his memories, she'd learned that Tartarus hadn't known about her existence until Themis uncovered the truth. After that, he'd wanted to be a part of her life but hadn't known how to go about it without further devastating the wife he'd betrayed or humiliating the lover who was already suffering for the night of foolishness they'd shared.

When Aias attacked her, Tartarus had wanted to cut out his own heart for not being there. And when she'd been in prison, he'd viewed himself as her protector, giving her extra blankets, food—until her sentence came in, and he'd had to choose between her life and his own.

Pushing the memories to the back of her mind, she focused on Lucien. His expression was still blank, unreadable in a way she despised. What thoughts were tumbling through his mind?

William clapped his hands again, as if satisfied with a job well done. 'You want a guide? You've got a guide. Afterward, I get my book.'

She nodded, not proud of herself as she should have been.

'Then come on, you two. Let's get packed up. I'm eager to get started so we can get this over with.' William strode from the room, whistling under his breath.

A deceptive calmness, Anya knew. Nerves on edge, she gave Lucien's shoulder a little punch. 'Anything you want to say to me?'

A gleam of hopelessness appeared in his mismatched eyes. 'No matter how long or hard I research, I will not find a way to take the key from you without harming you, will I?'

She gulped. 'No.'

'And if Cronus does gain possession of it, you will never be able to hide from him.'

'Right,' she said, looking at her feet. Damn it, she had to stop that! She peered up at Lucien through the thick shield of her lashes. Uncertainty swam through her as she closed the distance between them. 'Does this change things between us? Make you want to give up on us?'

The hands that had delivered her such pleasure last night locked on her jaw and angled her head up. 'Understand. I am here. I am yours. I'm not giving up.'

Oh, this man…Their lips gently met, soft, so soft, a mere brush, but she wasn't content with that. She might never be content with anything less than, well, everything this warrior had to offer.

'Harder,' she commanded.

Tongues thrust together, twining, rolling, as they drank each other in. He now knew beyond any doubt that he could not use the key to bargain with Cronus, but he still wanted her. He could not break her curse, but he still wanted her. She was overjoyed and relieved, and fell a little deeper under his spell. He's mine.

If another woman ever—ever!—thought to take him from her, Anya knew herself well enough to know she would kill the bitch. Coldheartedly. Painfully. She couldn't imagine her life without him now. Didn't think she'd even really lived until the moment she'd first seen him. Yes, he's mine. Her hand tangled in his silky hair and she rocked against his erection. Mine.

Even as the thought formed, a booming laugh rang out.

Everything inside Anya suddenly lurched. Her nervous system kicked into high gear, her heart pounding erratically. Sweat beaded on her palms. She didn't rip herself away from Lucien, but she did end the kiss and stare up at him, wide-eyed. No. Not now.

He'd stiffened. His eyes were narrowed, she saw, with glints of the rage she'd encountered only that once in Greece. She'd never seen anyone so fierce. He looked as if he could happily kill everyone around him. Except her. His arms were still gentle around her waist.

'Cronus,' he said tightly. No body, just that awful voice.

Mouth dry, she nodded. 'What do you want, oh, Great One?'

The god laughed again. 'Right now I will settle for letting you know that I've discovered the best way to bring you to heel, Anarchy.'

A tremor worked through Lucien's body. 'My king, she is—'

'Silence, Death. Once again you have failed to do your job, and I am done waiting. Slay her. Here, this instant.'