The Darkest Pleasure

respond to Sienna as it has never responded to another since I was cursed. I thought, hoped, she could save me from myself.'

'Very selfish of you. I thought you had learned control in your years on earth, yet still, you are a slave to Promiscuity?'

Thanks for digging the knife deeper. 'Yes.'

'If I gave her back to you, she would ultimately betray you. You know that, do you not? Your friend would continue to suffer, and yet he would love you even though you chose a woman over him.'

The words were too much, too real, and Paris sagged forward, clutching his stomach, fighting tears from his eyes.

'That is enough for now. Think about what I have said, demon, and we will talk again.' Cronus was gone in the next instant.

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING, Sabin?'

'Preparing for war,' he answered, eyeing the warriors surrounding him. They were propped in every corner of their rented house in Rome, watching him intently. 'You know that.'

A little while ago, Lucien had returned to Buda and flashed the now-healed Gideon and Kane here. The ceiling's plaster was already crumbling on top of Disaster's head.

Lucien had brought them to 'talk some sense into' Sabin. Sabin thought the others needed sense talked into them.

'What? Why?' Maddox demanded.

'That's what I do, what I'm good at.' He returned his attention to his Sig Sauer, loading bullets into the magazine. 'The Hunters we killed at the temple aren't the only ones here. There are more, and they're most likely searching for us. More than that, Paris saw Reyes's woman holding our box in that damned vision of his. Was she holding it for us? Or them?'

The ominous question cast a dark silence over the living room. No one knew the answer. 'She saved Ashlyn once. I like her,' Maddox said, and not for Ashlyn's benefit. Currently his woman was resting in another room. He meant what he said.

But Sabin wasn't done. 'We know Danika spent time with them. We know she doesn't like us. Hunters could still be here, following us, meaning to snatch the box from us the moment we find it.'

'We have not known that since the beginning,' Gideon said in a show of agreement. He rubbed his temples, blue hair momentarily shielding his fingers from view.

Strider patted his waist and nodded when he encountered his blades. 'I'm with you.'

Sabin glanced at Amun. The man rarely spoke. As keeper of Secrets, he couldn't speak without revealing things everyone in the room was probably better off not knowing about each other. But he, too, nodded.

Anya planted her hands on her waist. 'I'm not going anywhere without Lucien.'

Love, Sabin scoffed. He'd fallen a few times over the centuries, and each time had been a mistake. Eleven years ago, Dean Stefano's wife, Darla, had been the last to win his heart. After her death, he'd vowed not to allow himself such emotions again. Always he drove women into depression because they couldn't stop doubting themselves and their actions; in extreme cases, like Darla's, that depression drove them to suicide. Love was not worth the hardships it wrought.

Gideon shrugged. 'You know how I hate to fight Hunters.'

Good. He was in, as well.

'You want to war? Just like that?' Maddox snapped his fingers. 'Without preparation? We did that in Buda, and you know what happened there. A bomb, Torin nearly killed. A plague unleashed on the city. You were partly responsible for bringing the Hunters to our door. Obviously, you haven't changed.'

When they'd split up those few thousand years ago, Maddox had sided with Lucien, hoping for peace, and Sabin had mourned the loss of a great soldier. He did not want to split again. But…

'You haven't, either,' Sabin growled. 'There cannot be harmony without war. History—history we have lived—has proven that time and time again. We must fight for what we want or it will be taken from us.'

'I want the Hunters dead,' Maddox said tightly. 'I do.' He was Violence, as tempestuous as human females could often be. The storm inside him drove him to constantly seek calm around him, Sabin knew, but he also knew Maddox now controlled his demon just by thinking of his woman. 'I just want my friends alive more. You are rushing out there. You do not know how many Hunters there are, what weapons they have and can use against our females. You—'

Beautiful Ashlyn stepped into the room.

Maddox hadn't seen her, Sabin didn't think, but the man pressed his lips together, cutting off his words. The warrior always seemed to know when the human girl approached, though Sabin wasn't sure whether he could smell her lovely scent or simply sensed her.

His violet eyes scanned the living room and when they landed on her, his expression softened. Sabin studied her, as well. She was the color of honey and just as sweet, as lovely as a cameo. She always appeared so…fragile, which made it difficult for him to understand how she had tamed such a wicked beast as Maddox. No doubt she'd even be able to convince him to change diapers once the baby was born.

Maddox motioned her to him. Smiling, she obeyed. The moment she was within reaching distance, the warrior enfolded her in his arms.

There would be no more talk of war. Maddox would kill anyone who scared his woman, and that was as it should be.

'Hey, everyone,' she said.

A chorus of 'heys' rang out.

Maddox frowned down at her. 'You are pale. You need more rest. Let me carry you back to our—'

'No, not yet. I, well…I heard something,' she said, features somber now.

Everyone, including Maddox, stiffened. Ashlyn had the unique ability of hearing every conversation that had ever transpired in whatever spot she stood in, no matter how much time had passed, no matter what language was spoken. Those voices were quiet only when Maddox was near her. None of them were sure why that was the case, but Ashlyn liked to say that it was a sign she and Maddox were meant to be together.

Sabin had wanted to make use of her gift on several occasions; Maddox had told him the voices tormented her and had forbidden it. But the warrior would not turn his wrath on Ashlyn for walking away from him and listening on her own. A fact Sabin had mentioned to her on several occasions.

'Did you leave the house?' Maddox asked her, the question tight with only the slightest hint of anger.

'Maybe,' she hedged. 'I know you were worried I'm not getting enough rest and wanted me to nap before going out again to listen for past conversations about the box with Anya—who, by the way, would not stop talking about being ejected from the battle at the temple, so I didn't hear much. But any more rest and I might as well dig a grave. I just went for a walk. That's all.'

Good girl, Sabin thought. He didn't mention that knowing Maddox, Anya had not been the girl's only protector earlier. The warrior had most likely been in the shadows, watching her from a safe distance while she worked.

'Ashlyn,' Maddox uttered, the name a warning. 'These are dangerous times. No telling who could have been out there, waiting, watching.'

'I didn't mean to get started again, it just happened. But as you can see, no harm befell me.'

'This time,' he growled. 'No harm befell you this time. I cannot believe you left without at least informing me. Do you want to be captured by our enemy? They would not hesitate to use you, hurt you.' With every word, his anger became more pronounced.

'I was careful. Besides, I want to do my part. I want you safe and if I have to take a risk now and then to ensure that you are, I will.'

'Yes, but now you risk our baby.'

Abject hurt contorted her features. 'I love this child and would never place her in unnecessary jeopardy. But just so you know, you're as important to me as our baby. Your safety is vital. And in case you've forgotten, we're connected. You die, I die.'