'Before you proclaim your joy at this great honor we have bestowed upon you, you should know that we conferred many days before bringing you here, one truth very clear to us all—the weak should feel the sting of our disappointment.' There was another pause, laden with tension. 'That is why the losing team will counsel with us. And why one member will be chosen…for execution.'
Shocked gasps circled the beach. Delilah's jaw almost hit the ground. Executed? For losing a silly challenge? She could understand a beating—what Amazon wouldn't—but death? Does it matter? You will win by whatever means necessary.
'We have no doubt that all of you will try your best. But in the end, there can be only one winner.'
'My lord,' Brand said, stepping forward. 'We—'
'For now,' the god interjected, cutting the dragon off, 'take this day for yourselves. You will find the elements no longer pain you.' That seemed to be addressed directly to Layel and the other vampire. Had they been hurt? 'Restore your vigor, build what weapons you think you need to aid you in your path to victory. I prevented you from killing each other when you first awoke, but I won't intervene any longer. Just know that to destroy another creature could very well be to destroy your own team—and so could bring you one step closer to facing execution. Welcome to Paradise, Atlanteans. Let the games begin.'
The thickened air began to break apart, thinning to raindrops…then mist. But that soon dissipated, as well, curling toward the brightening blue overhead. A blue as clear and fathomless as Layel's eyes.
All three mermaids disappeared below the water's surface. A second later, their iridescent tails lifted and wiggled. Then those, too, vanished. Still, no one on the beach spoke.
Perhaps, like Delilah, they were shaken to the core, throats unworkable.
Nola was the first to move. She crossed the distance, grabbed Delilah's arm without slowing and tugged her into the surrounding palms. When they were far enough away that the others would not hear them, the warrioress stopped and whirled. 'What are we going to do? Who was that?'
'I don't know.' She massaged the back of her neck, hating the situation more with every second that passed. 'I just don't know. Poseidon most likely, for he is the water god.' She'd never interacted with a god before and hadn't ever thought to do so. As the being had said, the heavenly sovereigns had not bothered the citizens of Atlantis for thousands of years—and that had been just fine.
'The voice kept saying we,' Delilah continued. 'Others are involved.'
'Did he? I didn't notice. All I could think about was the fact that I was looking at a creature comprised solely of water who wanted me to prove myself or die.' Nola shook her head, dark hair flying in every direction. 'We have never been friends, Delilah, but you are the only person I trust in this so-called Paradise. What if we are separated? Placed on opposing teams? Our first commandment is to always aid a sister in need. How can I aid you if we are suddenly enemies?'
'Nola, I'm just as confused as you are.' Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. Most days were the same. Wake up, train for war, eat, train for war, sleep. Repeat. The only difference was usually going to war, something they did at least twice a year, whether provoked or not, to prove their continued strength. 'Let me think for a moment.'
Back and forth she paced, the trees blurring. Of the two of them, Nola was younger, less experienced. That meant the responsibility of keeping the girl alive fell on Delilah's shoulders. 'We cannot leave, that much we know. And if we cannot leave, that means we must compete in the god's silly games or be killed.' If they were forced to compete against each other, Delilah knew she would not be able to hurt Nola. Even if it meant dying herself.
She had been raised to protect her sisters, no matter what. That was her purpose, her privilege. A game was not going to change that.
Win by whatever means necessary, she'd thought only a few moments ago. Now she snorted. 'We may not be separated, so let's not worry about that just yet. Right now we're going to gather all the sticks we can carry, as well as every sharp rock that we see. I want us prepared for battle by nightfall. Just in case.'
Nola gave a stiff nod, but she didn't move off immediately. 'Tell me we'll return home soon. Tell me, and I'll believe it.' The vulnerability glowing from her expression was surprising.
'We'll return home,' she replied without hesitation. Defeat was not something Delilah allowed. Ever. What about Layel? He shoved you down, could have hurt you and you wouldn't have been able to stop him. 'You have my word,' she forced past the sudden lump in her throat, her blood churning into liquid lightning. Damn that man, and damn the heavens! 'Go. Before everyone else decides to make weapons, as well, and there's nothing left for us.'
ENVELOPED BY SHADE, Layel had watched as each pair of creatures disappeared into the trees. To talk, he was sure. To plan. To arm themselves. At the moment, he was too furious to move. He'd been taken from his people and his war for the amusement of the gods. Intolerable!
'I will not stand for this,' Zane snapped at his side.
'Nor I.'
Zane blinked at him in surprise, as if he had expected Layel to chastise him rather than agree. 'What can we do?'
'We can kill every creature the god brought to the island. That way, there are no players for his sadistic game and we can return home.'
'What of the nymphs you so favor?'
A sigh slipped from him. 'They are our friends. They live.'
'What of the Amazons?'
Layel closed his eyes for a moment, drew in a shuddering breath. He'd thought to kill Delilah earlier, but had failed. Mistake. Now there was another reason to do so. A reason not so easily discarded. 'They will not be so fortunate.'
A slow smile spread across Zane's pale face. 'The gods will regret bringing us here.'
'Yes.' A warm breeze slid against what little skin Layel had bared—the skin on his face, as well as a patch on his arm where one of the dragons had burned away his shirt. While he smelled salt and dew, flower blossoms, fruit and aroused female—damn, but he wanted to banish that scent!—this island lacked the scent of enchantment that Atlantis possessed.
In Atlantis, he could wander the halls of his palace, imagining Susan at his side, laughing up at him, green eyes sparkling. Here, he seemed to imagine nothing but the little Amazon. Even now, all he could picture was that blue hair fisted in his hands, that exotic face staring up at him in passion and need, those eyes hot, legs spread, feminine core wet and glistening, his tongue tracing those tattoos.
He craved her blood in his mouth.
His fangs sharpened, ready…so ready…
He would kill her first, he decided, hands compressing into fists. His nails were once again elongated into claws. They cut past skin and into the meat of his hands until warmth trickled and pooled in the creases of his fingers. Why are you so upset? Why are you hurting yourself? Any more blood loss and you'll weaken. As the god said, you need your strength.
'We'll wait for darkness to fall,' he told Zane, the words emerging on another of those broken sighs. Why the reluctance to see his plan through? He didn't care about the Amazon. He hated her. Yes, hated. With nearly the same intensity he hated the dragons. 'Then we'll attack them, one by one.'
Delilah has done nothing wrong, his mind protested. She does not deserve death at your hands.
Logically, he knew that to be true. Yet logic meant nothing to him just then. He had to get that woman out of his head. She didn't belong there and was disrupting the only sense of peace he knew. A peace he desperately needed, for any distraction could allow the dragons to best him.
This time, when she was within reach, he would not look at her, would not smell her sweet fragrance. He would simply act. 'Come, we need distance from the gods,' he said, leading his charge deeper into the forest, not stopping until they reached a riverbank.
Zane bent down, palmed a stone and tossed it into the pristine water. 'I wonder what happened to our brethren after we were taken.'
'If they assume we are dead and crown a new king, I will kill them all.'
Zane snorted in amusement, as Layel had meant for him to do. He valued his people; they were his greatest weapon against his enemy. And though he had been teasing, knowing well how loyal his men were, he would not tolerate a new king. It was funny, really, since he'd once abhorred his crown. 'If they are the warriors I trained
