The Darkest Fire Read Free Page B

today. She couldn’t.
    â€œYou are welcome.” He pushed the stones back together.
    She waved her hand over them, leaving traces of her power there. Because there was no longer a guardian stationed out front, the extra fortification was needed—despite the fact that providing it weakened her.
    As fragments of her power adhered to the stones, she was careful to maintain distance from them. Supposedly Geryon was the only one who could touch the gate without consequence. Well, besides Hades and Lucifer. Anyone else, the stones heaped untold pain and horror upon.
    She had never dared test the supposition.
    A thought occurred to her, and she tilted her head, studying her companion. Without Geryon at the gate, who would open the stones to allow damned souls inside? Perhaps Lucifer had already appointed another guardian. Perhaps? She chuckled without humor. He had. He couldn’t leave the gates unguarded. The knowledge that Geryon would not be the man she saw every day…saddened her. For when the wall was safe, Geryon could leave but she would be stuck here.
    Do not think about that now . She glanced around. The air was smokier here, she noticed, hotter. So hot, in fact, sweat instantly beaded on her skin, trickling down her temples, between her breasts. And as Geryon climbed over her to position himself in front of her, widening the distance between them, no longer did she smell the decadent scent of powerful male; she smelled only the pungent odor of decay. Screams and curses assaulted her ears.
    Something fiery brushed the back of her neck, and she yelped.
    Geryon jumped into immediate action, growling and swiping out his claw. But the flame receded, and she would swear she heard it laugh.
    No, they were not intimidated by her.
    â€œAre you all right?” Geryon asked her.
    â€œYes,” she said, but gods, what had she gotten herself into?

CHAPTER SIX
    â€œPerhaps the wall is not as damaged as I feared,” Kadence told Geryon. Maintaining a firm grip, she used the jagged stones to edge along, ever conscious of the seemingly endless void awaiting her should she lose her balance. “A goddess can hope, at least.”
    â€œYes, a goddess can hope.” Geryon kept a steady pace in front of her, remaining as close as possible every inch of the way without actually touching her.
    She yearned to slide against him, drink in his strength, belong to him if only for a moment, but she did not, too afraid of startling him. And not even when a rock tumbled from the small ledge on which she had placed her foot did she relent. Sadly, neither did he.
    â€œDo not show the flames fear,” he said. “They feed on it, will try to increase it.”
    â€œThey are alive?”
    â€œSome of them.”
    Dear gods. How had she not known? “I did not imagine such a climb would be necessary. I assumed we would flash wherever we needed to go. Silly of me.”
    â€œFlash?”
    â€œYes. The ability to move from one location to another with only a thought.”
    â€œWould be difficult to flash along this wall. You might end up in a spot without a ledge. When we finish here, can you flash us to the bottom of the pit? Once there, we can search for the demons on foot.”
    â€œNo,” she said on a sigh. “I wish, but no. I’ve never taken this route. I would not know where to stop, and might very well cause us to materialize underground.”
    He did not show any disappointment. “Still, it is a handy power to possess. I envy you.”
    Poor man. He’d been stuck at the gates of hell for more years than she could count. “If you could flash to anywhere in the world, where would you go?” Once they’d destroyed the demons trying to escape, perhaps she would take him there.
    He grunted. “I do not wish to lie to you, goddess, therefore I will not answer your question.”
    Curiosity bombarded her. Why would he not answer such a question? Unless…did