Lethal Rider
Page 40
“And killing Regan’s baby to start the Apocalypse would have been a surefire way to do it. Since Satan can’t interfere directly with starting or stopping the Apocalypse any more than God himself can, Harvester would have been a hero, and Satan would have been grateful to finally rule both Sheoul and the Earth.”
“Likely, she was even more desperate to curry favor with Satan, given that Pestilence has his sights set on getting Harvester for himself.”
Reaver’s head snapped back at that little surprise. “Well, well. Isn’t Harvester a busy little thing.” He frowned, because something was tickling his spine. It was a buzz similar to what he felt when he was being summoned by a Horseman, but this was more of a tingle of awareness and less of a call.
“The baby.” He wished he could be happy, but so much could turn catastrophic. “It’s time.”
He didn’t wait for Gethel’s response. He flashed out of there, because this was one birth he wouldn’t miss for the world.
Appropriate, given how the birth was going to affect the world. But for the best or the worst was yet to be seen.
Thirty-four
The labor progressed quickly. Too quickly for Thanatos’s comfort. Regan’s water had barely broken, and now she was panting through contractions. He eased her onto the couch and jogged to the front door, where Decker was outside, pacing and muttering.
“I need Kynan here. Now. Tell him to contact UG. Regan is in labor.”
“You got it.” Decker dug the cell phone out of his pocket even as Than scrambled to call Ares and Limos—on his home phone, since he’d destroyed his cell.
“Get over here,” he barked at Limos when she picked up the phone. “Bring Ares and Cara. Arik. Hellhounds. Whoever you can get.”
“You got trouble?” she asked.
“I’m expecting Armageddon,” he said. “Regan is in labor, and if Pestilence shows up …”
Limos inhaled sharply. “We’ll be right there.”
Thanatos shouted to his vampires to prepare his bedroom for the birth—they needed clean towels, blankets, a fire, and the cradle. They snapped to it as he rushed back to the library, where Regan was walking in circles, one hand on her belly, the other on her back.
“You okay?” He gripped her elbow to steady her when she swayed. “Can I get you anything? Water? Food? Shit, what do females in labor need?”
“Pain meds,” she groaned. “We need pain meds.”
“I’d take the pain for you if I could,” he swore. He’d take it and more.
She blinked her gorgeous hazel eyes, and then she reached up and trailed her fingers along his jaw. “I know you would.”
A flush crept into his face at her trust in him, even after he’d told her he wanted her and the baby gone. He’d die inside, would be nothing but a shell of what he could be with them in his life, but at least they’d be safe from his rage. He just had to find a place that would be safe from Pestilence.
“What can I do for you?” He’d do anything right now. Anything at all in the time they had left.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Then, suddenly, the color drained out of her face. She cried out and doubled over, nearly losing her balance. Than caught her just in time.
“Regan? Honey, what is it?”
“Something’s wrong,” she gasped. “I can feel it.”
Helplessness was a raw ache in his chest. Dammit, where was Eidolon? “I’ll take you to the bedroom.” He started to sweep her up, but she shook her head.
“I can walk.” Her voice was thin, laced with pain. “I need to.” She panted through what must have been a horrible contraction. “Our kid deserves a mom who can walk on her own two feet to the delivery room.”
His chest puffed out and his heart swelled. “God, you’re awesome.”
“I know.” She shot him a wobbly smile and started moving toward the doorway.
Than steadied her, and they shuffled into the great room just as the door flew open. A herd of people ran inside, but the ones he focused on were Eidolon and Shade.
The doctor, carrying two large duffels, hurried over, along with Shade, a blond female dressed in scrubs, and Lore, the Seminus demon mated to Idess. Lore came at Thanatos like a tank, his gloved right hand fisted, and Than braced for a blow.
Lore stopped two feet away. “Where’s your brother? Where’s Pestilence?”
“I’ve got a good idea, and as soon as Ares and Limos get here, we’ll cast our net.” Now that Regan was in labor, it was time to bring the bastard in, and as horrific as the scene in Finland had been, it had provided Than with a damned big clue.
Lore’s big body trembled. “He took Idess.”
“I know,” Than said. “We’ll get him.”
Eidolon shot Lore a sympathetic look as he came up to Regan. “How are you doing?”
“She’s in a lot of pain,” Than said. “She went pale and shaky. She said something’s wrong.”
Eidolon gave Regan a reassuring smile, but the covert glance he cut at Than was the very opposite of reassuring. “Okay, let’s get you prepped. Vladlena’s a nurse. She’s going to help you change while Shade and I set up.” He looked at Than again. “You have a room ready?”
“My bedroom. Follow me.” He helped Regan to the bathroom, and then balked when Vladlena told him to go.
“I insist, Horseman. I’ve already been told I can’t touch her, but she needs to change into a hospital gown, and I need to examine her as best as I can, and I can’t do it with you growling and snarling at me.”
He didn’t even realize he was doing that until Regan patted him on the chest. “It’s okay. You need to get Pestilence. And you need to find Idess.”
Dammit. He needed to be here with her. But she was right. Leaning into Regan, he kissed her, telling her without words that he’d be back soon.
She kissed him back, telling him without words that she believed him.
Thirty-five
Than ran out into the great room, and skidded to a halt as people stopped preparing qeres-tipped weapons to rush toward him. Ares, Limos, Reaver, and Kynan reached him first.
Reaver’s sapphire eyes shone with worry. “How is she?”
“I don’t know. And I don’t know how Eidolon is going to help her if he can’t touch her.”
Reaver lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. “If anyone can help, he can.”
“I hope you’re right.” Than’s scalp prickled and Harvester materialized, her black wings as shiny as a raven’s as she tucked them away.
“You.” Kynan got up in Harvester’s face with a snarl. “You helped The Aegis ward against me, and you were going to help them deliver and sacrifice Regan’s baby.”
“You’re delusional, human.” She flipped her black hair over her shoulder in that snooty way of hers. “I did no such thing.”
Reaver’s eyes flashed blue fire. “If you assisted them in trying to kill the child, you’ll be destroyed. You know that.”
“Duh. Of course I know that. Talk about a broken Watcher rule. Which is why I didn’t do it. Why would I take a risk like that?”
“Because if it had worked, and Thanatos’s Seal had broken, the Apocalypse would have started and there would be no more rules. You were gambling that you’d succeed.”
Harvester looked around the room in desperation, as if seeking an ally, but when each gaze she met reflected only hatred, she snarled. “Has it occurred to any of you that maybe, just maybe, I play by the rules?” For some reason, she shot a superior glance in Reaver’s direction.
“Were you playing by the rules when you wrote up Limos’s contract with Satan?”
She made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “You’re speaking gibberish. Begone.”
“I know you helped The Aegis,” Kynan said. “No one at headquarters denied it, and I saw the evidence with my own eyes.”
“What evidence?”
“Your skull pendant.”
Her hand flew up to her throat, and Than didn’t miss how her fingers trembled. “I—I lost it.” She pivoted to Reaver, an odd breathlessness in her voice. “In that warehouse. Gethel must have taken it.”
Reaver’s expression was utterly flat. “I’m sure she wanted your costume jewelry so badly that she resorted to thievery.”
“So if you’ve been supporting Pestilence, does that mean you were also responsible for trying to kill Arik with the khnives last year?” Limos tested the edge of her sword with one finger, and Than had a feeling that in a moment, the blade was going to be buried in Harvester’s throat. Two blades, because his was joining his sister’s. They couldn’t kill her, but they could visit a world of pain on her. “Because we knew we had a traitor in our midst, and I swore I’d behead anyone who tries to kill my husband.”
“Why would I use those horrid beasts for anything?” Harvester’s gaze flickered to Limos, Ares, and Than. “And if I wanted to help Pestilence, then why did I heal—” She pursed her lips so fiercely that the skin around her mouth turned white.
A sudden suspicion coiled in Than’s belly. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
Limos gaped at Harvester. “Oh my God, you’re the one who healed us in Finland after Pestilence kicked our asses.”
“Don’t be silly.” Harvester folded her arms across her chest and flared her wings. “Your pain amuses me.”
Ares looked up from coating his sword with a thin film of qeres. “Why are you here, Harvester?”
“I came to tell you all good news.”
“Good news?” Reaver snorted. “From you?”
Harvester actually looked hurt, but only for a second. “If you’d checked your heavenly inbox, you’d have the same news, asshole.” She turned to Than. “Word from the powers that be is that if Pestilence is destroyed, your agimortuses will be released.” She frowned. “Agimorti? Anyway, if you stop the Daemonica Apocalypse, you’ll never have to worry about your Seals being broken again. At least, not because of your agimortuses. You’ll still be dealing with the Biblical one eventually, but you and Ares won’t have to worry about Cara or your son being killed, and Limos need not fear anyone drinking from her cup.” She shot Reaver a glare. “See? Good news. Confirm it yourself. And bite me.” With that, she flashed out of there.
Ares cursed. “Damn, she’s annoying. But if what she said is true, that’s the best news we’ve had in… well, ever.”
No shit. Than’s knees actually felt weak with relief, but only for a second. They had to stop Pestilence before any of what Harvester promised could happen.
“What now?” Decker asked. “Do we just sit around and wait for Pestilence to show up?”
“No, we don’t just sit around,” Lore broke in. “You Horsemen must have some idea where that bastard is.”
Than gave Lore a taut nod, understanding Lore’s distress in a way he wouldn’t have related to just a week ago. “We’ll find him. Limos, Ares, you found his shrines, right?”
“Yep,” Ares said. “And three of them are huge. Like, St. Peter’s Basilica huge.”
“Is one of them off the southern tip of the River Acheron? On the island of Steara?”
Ares’s eyes widened. “Yeah. How did you know?”
You’ll be desperate to rid yourself of your past and of anything that made you humiliatingly soft. Than glanced back at the bedroom, where Regan was laboring to deliver their son. “Because Reseph buried his baby sister there.”
Limos made a small sound of distress. “He used to go every year. I found him there once. It was the only time I’ve ever seen him cry.”
Than nodded. “He’ll want that gone. My son’s blood will wash away that memory.”
“We’ll grab some qeres-weapons and go.” Limos moved toward the pile of blades they’d prepared.
“I’m coming with you.” Lore looked down at his gloved fist, flexing it as a cold smile curved his lips. “I’ve been saving some juice, just for your brother.” Thanatos had no idea what Lore was talking about, but he was definitely starting to rip a new respect for these Sem brothers. They didn’t flinch away from any fight.
Reaver contemplated the discussion for a second. “I’ll be right back. I need to check on something in the Hall of Records. Don’t go anywhere until I get back.” He disappeared before Than could ask what Reaver was onto.
He hated when they did that, but he didn’t dwell on angels with bad manners as he glanced around the room. “Let’s get ready for a battle.”
Battle, maybe. Death, yes. Because one thing Thanatos had honed to perfection over the years was his sixth sense when it came to death.
And he knew, without a doubt, that someone was going to die today. He just prayed that someone wouldn’t be Regan or his son.
Labor sucked.
Regan decided that she was never giving birth again. The pony was it. The first and last.
“Regan,” Eidolon said, from the end of the bed. “You’re still bleeding. I need you to lay back.”
She’d started bleeding fifteen minutes ago. She’d thought she’d die from the pain, but in the last couple of minutes, the pain had diminished, and she’d thought the bleeding had, too.
“That’s bad, isn’t it?”
“No,” Eidolon said. “Not always. Some species bleed profusely during birth.”
“Likely, she was even more desperate to curry favor with Satan, given that Pestilence has his sights set on getting Harvester for himself.”
Reaver’s head snapped back at that little surprise. “Well, well. Isn’t Harvester a busy little thing.” He frowned, because something was tickling his spine. It was a buzz similar to what he felt when he was being summoned by a Horseman, but this was more of a tingle of awareness and less of a call.
“The baby.” He wished he could be happy, but so much could turn catastrophic. “It’s time.”
He didn’t wait for Gethel’s response. He flashed out of there, because this was one birth he wouldn’t miss for the world.
Appropriate, given how the birth was going to affect the world. But for the best or the worst was yet to be seen.
Thirty-four
The labor progressed quickly. Too quickly for Thanatos’s comfort. Regan’s water had barely broken, and now she was panting through contractions. He eased her onto the couch and jogged to the front door, where Decker was outside, pacing and muttering.
“I need Kynan here. Now. Tell him to contact UG. Regan is in labor.”
“You got it.” Decker dug the cell phone out of his pocket even as Than scrambled to call Ares and Limos—on his home phone, since he’d destroyed his cell.
“Get over here,” he barked at Limos when she picked up the phone. “Bring Ares and Cara. Arik. Hellhounds. Whoever you can get.”
“You got trouble?” she asked.
“I’m expecting Armageddon,” he said. “Regan is in labor, and if Pestilence shows up …”
Limos inhaled sharply. “We’ll be right there.”
Thanatos shouted to his vampires to prepare his bedroom for the birth—they needed clean towels, blankets, a fire, and the cradle. They snapped to it as he rushed back to the library, where Regan was walking in circles, one hand on her belly, the other on her back.
“You okay?” He gripped her elbow to steady her when she swayed. “Can I get you anything? Water? Food? Shit, what do females in labor need?”
“Pain meds,” she groaned. “We need pain meds.”
“I’d take the pain for you if I could,” he swore. He’d take it and more.
She blinked her gorgeous hazel eyes, and then she reached up and trailed her fingers along his jaw. “I know you would.”
A flush crept into his face at her trust in him, even after he’d told her he wanted her and the baby gone. He’d die inside, would be nothing but a shell of what he could be with them in his life, but at least they’d be safe from his rage. He just had to find a place that would be safe from Pestilence.
“What can I do for you?” He’d do anything right now. Anything at all in the time they had left.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Then, suddenly, the color drained out of her face. She cried out and doubled over, nearly losing her balance. Than caught her just in time.
“Regan? Honey, what is it?”
“Something’s wrong,” she gasped. “I can feel it.”
Helplessness was a raw ache in his chest. Dammit, where was Eidolon? “I’ll take you to the bedroom.” He started to sweep her up, but she shook her head.
“I can walk.” Her voice was thin, laced with pain. “I need to.” She panted through what must have been a horrible contraction. “Our kid deserves a mom who can walk on her own two feet to the delivery room.”
His chest puffed out and his heart swelled. “God, you’re awesome.”
“I know.” She shot him a wobbly smile and started moving toward the doorway.
Than steadied her, and they shuffled into the great room just as the door flew open. A herd of people ran inside, but the ones he focused on were Eidolon and Shade.
The doctor, carrying two large duffels, hurried over, along with Shade, a blond female dressed in scrubs, and Lore, the Seminus demon mated to Idess. Lore came at Thanatos like a tank, his gloved right hand fisted, and Than braced for a blow.
Lore stopped two feet away. “Where’s your brother? Where’s Pestilence?”
“I’ve got a good idea, and as soon as Ares and Limos get here, we’ll cast our net.” Now that Regan was in labor, it was time to bring the bastard in, and as horrific as the scene in Finland had been, it had provided Than with a damned big clue.
Lore’s big body trembled. “He took Idess.”
“I know,” Than said. “We’ll get him.”
Eidolon shot Lore a sympathetic look as he came up to Regan. “How are you doing?”
“She’s in a lot of pain,” Than said. “She went pale and shaky. She said something’s wrong.”
Eidolon gave Regan a reassuring smile, but the covert glance he cut at Than was the very opposite of reassuring. “Okay, let’s get you prepped. Vladlena’s a nurse. She’s going to help you change while Shade and I set up.” He looked at Than again. “You have a room ready?”
“My bedroom. Follow me.” He helped Regan to the bathroom, and then balked when Vladlena told him to go.
“I insist, Horseman. I’ve already been told I can’t touch her, but she needs to change into a hospital gown, and I need to examine her as best as I can, and I can’t do it with you growling and snarling at me.”
He didn’t even realize he was doing that until Regan patted him on the chest. “It’s okay. You need to get Pestilence. And you need to find Idess.”
Dammit. He needed to be here with her. But she was right. Leaning into Regan, he kissed her, telling her without words that he’d be back soon.
She kissed him back, telling him without words that she believed him.
Thirty-five
Than ran out into the great room, and skidded to a halt as people stopped preparing qeres-tipped weapons to rush toward him. Ares, Limos, Reaver, and Kynan reached him first.
Reaver’s sapphire eyes shone with worry. “How is she?”
“I don’t know. And I don’t know how Eidolon is going to help her if he can’t touch her.”
Reaver lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. “If anyone can help, he can.”
“I hope you’re right.” Than’s scalp prickled and Harvester materialized, her black wings as shiny as a raven’s as she tucked them away.
“You.” Kynan got up in Harvester’s face with a snarl. “You helped The Aegis ward against me, and you were going to help them deliver and sacrifice Regan’s baby.”
“You’re delusional, human.” She flipped her black hair over her shoulder in that snooty way of hers. “I did no such thing.”
Reaver’s eyes flashed blue fire. “If you assisted them in trying to kill the child, you’ll be destroyed. You know that.”
“Duh. Of course I know that. Talk about a broken Watcher rule. Which is why I didn’t do it. Why would I take a risk like that?”
“Because if it had worked, and Thanatos’s Seal had broken, the Apocalypse would have started and there would be no more rules. You were gambling that you’d succeed.”
Harvester looked around the room in desperation, as if seeking an ally, but when each gaze she met reflected only hatred, she snarled. “Has it occurred to any of you that maybe, just maybe, I play by the rules?” For some reason, she shot a superior glance in Reaver’s direction.
“Were you playing by the rules when you wrote up Limos’s contract with Satan?”
She made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “You’re speaking gibberish. Begone.”
“I know you helped The Aegis,” Kynan said. “No one at headquarters denied it, and I saw the evidence with my own eyes.”
“What evidence?”
“Your skull pendant.”
Her hand flew up to her throat, and Than didn’t miss how her fingers trembled. “I—I lost it.” She pivoted to Reaver, an odd breathlessness in her voice. “In that warehouse. Gethel must have taken it.”
Reaver’s expression was utterly flat. “I’m sure she wanted your costume jewelry so badly that she resorted to thievery.”
“So if you’ve been supporting Pestilence, does that mean you were also responsible for trying to kill Arik with the khnives last year?” Limos tested the edge of her sword with one finger, and Than had a feeling that in a moment, the blade was going to be buried in Harvester’s throat. Two blades, because his was joining his sister’s. They couldn’t kill her, but they could visit a world of pain on her. “Because we knew we had a traitor in our midst, and I swore I’d behead anyone who tries to kill my husband.”
“Why would I use those horrid beasts for anything?” Harvester’s gaze flickered to Limos, Ares, and Than. “And if I wanted to help Pestilence, then why did I heal—” She pursed her lips so fiercely that the skin around her mouth turned white.
A sudden suspicion coiled in Than’s belly. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
Limos gaped at Harvester. “Oh my God, you’re the one who healed us in Finland after Pestilence kicked our asses.”
“Don’t be silly.” Harvester folded her arms across her chest and flared her wings. “Your pain amuses me.”
Ares looked up from coating his sword with a thin film of qeres. “Why are you here, Harvester?”
“I came to tell you all good news.”
“Good news?” Reaver snorted. “From you?”
Harvester actually looked hurt, but only for a second. “If you’d checked your heavenly inbox, you’d have the same news, asshole.” She turned to Than. “Word from the powers that be is that if Pestilence is destroyed, your agimortuses will be released.” She frowned. “Agimorti? Anyway, if you stop the Daemonica Apocalypse, you’ll never have to worry about your Seals being broken again. At least, not because of your agimortuses. You’ll still be dealing with the Biblical one eventually, but you and Ares won’t have to worry about Cara or your son being killed, and Limos need not fear anyone drinking from her cup.” She shot Reaver a glare. “See? Good news. Confirm it yourself. And bite me.” With that, she flashed out of there.
Ares cursed. “Damn, she’s annoying. But if what she said is true, that’s the best news we’ve had in… well, ever.”
No shit. Than’s knees actually felt weak with relief, but only for a second. They had to stop Pestilence before any of what Harvester promised could happen.
“What now?” Decker asked. “Do we just sit around and wait for Pestilence to show up?”
“No, we don’t just sit around,” Lore broke in. “You Horsemen must have some idea where that bastard is.”
Than gave Lore a taut nod, understanding Lore’s distress in a way he wouldn’t have related to just a week ago. “We’ll find him. Limos, Ares, you found his shrines, right?”
“Yep,” Ares said. “And three of them are huge. Like, St. Peter’s Basilica huge.”
“Is one of them off the southern tip of the River Acheron? On the island of Steara?”
Ares’s eyes widened. “Yeah. How did you know?”
You’ll be desperate to rid yourself of your past and of anything that made you humiliatingly soft. Than glanced back at the bedroom, where Regan was laboring to deliver their son. “Because Reseph buried his baby sister there.”
Limos made a small sound of distress. “He used to go every year. I found him there once. It was the only time I’ve ever seen him cry.”
Than nodded. “He’ll want that gone. My son’s blood will wash away that memory.”
“We’ll grab some qeres-weapons and go.” Limos moved toward the pile of blades they’d prepared.
“I’m coming with you.” Lore looked down at his gloved fist, flexing it as a cold smile curved his lips. “I’ve been saving some juice, just for your brother.” Thanatos had no idea what Lore was talking about, but he was definitely starting to rip a new respect for these Sem brothers. They didn’t flinch away from any fight.
Reaver contemplated the discussion for a second. “I’ll be right back. I need to check on something in the Hall of Records. Don’t go anywhere until I get back.” He disappeared before Than could ask what Reaver was onto.
He hated when they did that, but he didn’t dwell on angels with bad manners as he glanced around the room. “Let’s get ready for a battle.”
Battle, maybe. Death, yes. Because one thing Thanatos had honed to perfection over the years was his sixth sense when it came to death.
And he knew, without a doubt, that someone was going to die today. He just prayed that someone wouldn’t be Regan or his son.
Labor sucked.
Regan decided that she was never giving birth again. The pony was it. The first and last.
“Regan,” Eidolon said, from the end of the bed. “You’re still bleeding. I need you to lay back.”
She’d started bleeding fifteen minutes ago. She’d thought she’d die from the pain, but in the last couple of minutes, the pain had diminished, and she’d thought the bleeding had, too.
“That’s bad, isn’t it?”
“No,” Eidolon said. “Not always. Some species bleed profusely during birth.”
