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there was a
chance he could turn them against Darien. He and Nergal continued to run as the
air started to clear of debris.
    From somewhere far off a siren sounded. All of the noise had
alerted the local authorities. They didn’t have much time before the police arrived.
Although Urian had no doubt he could take the entire Boston Police department,
it would take a lot of time and effort, and at the moment there were more
important things to do.
    Like seeking out his revenge on Darien Lange.
    Urian and Nergal finally reached the portal as the dust
cleared. The mist was still frozen, and the portal was still closed. Urian
looked around on the ground for the twins’ broken bodies.
    “Where did they go?” Nergal asked. “No one could walk away
from a blast like that.”
    Urian retraced his steps, going over and over the small
alley where the portal had been erected. What the hell happened to them?
    Nergal stopped his searching and swore as he sheathed his
sword.
    Urian looked up at his friend. “What?”
    “It looks like our twins might have had some help.” He
pointed at the ground. “You better look at this.”
    Urian crossed the alley and stood next to his friend. There
were two large disturbances on the ground, presumably from the bodies of the
twins. There were also two unique sets of footprints, once small and slender,
the other quite large, larger than the twins, larger than Urian himself.
    “Let’s follow them.”
    Urian pulled the shard out of his pocket and stared at it,
considering. Who would make those footprints? Why would they help the twins?
Was it a trap?
    There was a creaking noise off to his right. Urian looked up
and saw the portal mist begin to swirl once more.
    “No,” Urian said after a moment. “First we’ll find a
stronger deahman to come with us, one who will be able to help if this
is a trap.”
    “Good thinking. I know just the deahman you need.”
    Urian raised his brows. “You do?”
    Nergal smiled. “Of course. Those two will never be able to
resist the killing machine I have in mind.” He placed his hand over Urian’s on
the shard. “Victory will be ours, brother.”
    Urian knew what Nergal was offering. The slave wanted a
prominent place in Urian’s new regime. Urian had no interest in deahman politics. If trusting Nergal meant that he could get Darien’s head on a platter
sooner, then he’d do it.
    “You have a deal, my friend.” Urian squeezed the deahman slave’s fingers.
    “So be it.” Nergal nodded and let go of Urian. “Follow me.”
    Together they crossed the portal back into hell.

Chapter Two
     
    Tara wrapped her arms under the body and looped her hands
under the armpits. She crouched down low over the man’s head and pulled with
all of her strength. The effort robbed her of breath and made her legs shake.
After a few moments she let go and fell backward onto the hotel room floor in
exhaustion.
    “That man weighs a ton.”
    “Not a ton, only about two-hundred twenty pounds,” Samir
said from behind her.
    Tara brushed her jet-black hair away from her face and
stared at the unconscious man before her. Even sleeping, the man appeared to be
worried about something. His sharp, angular features wrinkled around the eyes
and mouth and cuts and bruises marred his otherwise handsome face. She brushed
his long, blond hair away from his forehead, revealing a small, diamond-studded
earring. “Which twin do you think he is?”
    Samir walked over and stared down at the man. “I’m not sure.
Then again, I’m not the one who has been studying them.”
    This was true. Tara was the one with the mission to bring
the twins back to Darien and the Iatros . Samir was just along for the
ride. She focused on the man before her and tried to remember her notes.
    This twin appeared long and lean, and Tara guessed that he
relied on his speed more than his brawn in a fight. She immediately felt a
kinship with him since she had to do the same. At only five-foot-four, she had
to be