The Nightwind's Woman Read online

  “Two of them are on this level,” was the reply. “None with whom you need concern yourself at the moment. It is the three not incarcerated here who need to be tracked down and taken back to Prysson.”

  “And my woman?” Randon demanded. “Why did you speak to her? And how the hell did you know her name?”

  Kerreyder’s smile was purely evil. “You mean my woman, don’t you?”

  “Fuck no, I don’t!” Randon shouted. “Kenzi Delaney is mine!”

  “So you think, incubus,” the archdemon said with a shrug. “When I claim her, my seed will burn the filth of yours from her body.”

  Fury erupted from the Nightwind and he sprang at Kerreyder. Not in his human form but as the beast he had been in the Abyss—the beast that was never far from the surface. Claws extended, fangs bared, he threw himself forward only to find his body slammed savagely to the ceiling above the archdemon’s head. A vicious weight pressed the entire length of his writhing body as he struggled to break free of the invisible hold. He opened his mouth to howl but no sound came forth.

  “He is an impetuous piece of work isn’t he, Alexandru?” Kerreyder said, not bothering to look up at his captive.

  “He is not as ineffectual as you believe him to be,” the Supervisor said ominously.

  “He is as a dried leaf blowing in a hurricane,” the archdemon said with a snort. “If I wanted to, I could send him back to the Abyss before he took another breath but it pleases me to keep him here awhile longer.”

  “You did not answer him about the woman. How do you know of her?”

  Kerreyder looked up—directly into the glowing red eyes of a demon of whom he had made an eternal enemy. “I have known of her since time began for me. I knew I would find her one day but thought that day long in the future. The moment I sensed her come into this facility, I knew who she was. She is my ordained Blood-mate and there is nothing he can do about it,” he replied and watched the incubus foam at the mouth with rage.

  “This will not end well,” the Supervisor predicted.

  “He’ll learn to live with it,” Kerreyder told him. “I won’t take her with me when I go back to Treigeilys but I will visit her when the need comes to me.”

  The violent growl emanating from the ceiling seemed to amuse the archdemon. He flicked his hand and the Nightwind sailed through the air and hit the far wall with enough force to put a dent in it where his heavy boots landed. The incubus hung there for a second longer then crashed face-first to the floor.

  “Son of a bitch!” Randon hissed as his nose struck the hard surface.

  “Don’t fuck with me, incubus,” Kerreyder said. “You’ll lose every time.”

  “How long are you going to be here?” the Supervisor asked, a muscle working in his cheek. He could not move and it was obvious pride forbade him from asking to be released from the archdemon’s hold.

  “After I have consummated—”

  “Fuck you!” Randon bellowed as he pushed to his feet then found he could not take a step forward.

  “Accomplished?” Kerreyder said. “Does that word suit you better, incubus?”

  “If you touch her, I will find a way to destroy you!” the Nightwind vowed.

  “You cannot destroy what is indestructible, little man,” Kerreyder said with a chuckle. “I am immortal, the son of a god.”

  “The bastard son of a god and one of the whorish queens of Treigeilys,” Randon threw at him.

  “But son, nevertheless, and aye, my mother is a whore and quite proud of the millions of lovers she’s taken to her bed,” Kerreyder replied. “As for your threat? I cannot be killed or hurt in any way although my heart might well break at having to leave McKenzi here with you. Alas, I cannot take her with me. She does not belong there.”

  “Thank the gods for small favors,” the Supervisor mumbled.

  “I will treat her with the utmost respect,” the archdemon said. “And it is only because I respect her destiny with the incubus that I will allow him to keep her at his side.”

  “She is afraid of you,” Randon snapped.

  “She is afraid of the wendigo,” Kerreyder corrected. “Not me. Not what she will see when I go to her later this night.” He smiled. “She likes this face and body and has no doubt dreamed of being taken by the man who bears such a strong resemblance to me.”

  “Is this how you truly look or is it an illusion meant to seduce her?” the Supervisor wanted to know.

  “This is my true form, Alexandru. I take no responsibility for how I look. My parents are handsome people. I have them to thank for the way my features were put together. It is mere coincidence that actor looks like me.” He grinned. “Lucky fellow.”

  “Make yourself human for five minutes or so and I’ll fucking rearrange those features for you,” Randon threatened.

  Kerreyder shook his head. “He is not quite rational, Alexandru. I believe the concept of being immortal is hard for him to grasp. Does he have trouble with other simple concepts like tying shoes?”

  “Release him,” the Supervisor said. “You are only making matters worse.”

  A shrug, a wave of his hand and both Randon and the Supervisor were freed from their motionlessness. But Kerreyder pointed a rigid finger at the incubus.

  “Give me reason to stop you again from making a fool of yourself and I’ll send you back to the Abyss,” he said.

  “You can’t,” Randon sneered.

  “I can and I will,” was the steely eyed reply.

  “Don’t test him, Kayle!” the Supervisor warned. “You can’t risk it.”

  “I’m not going to stand here and let him rape my woman!”

  “I’ve never raped a woman in the ten billion years I’ve been alive. I am not going to start now and especially not the woman destined to be my heart and soul,” Kerreyder stated. “Any more shit from you, incubus, and I promise you the slime of the Abyss will be where you will spend eternity. Lilith or no Lilith.”

  “He can do it, Randon,” the Supervisor said. “Tread wisely.”

  “And consider what you say next very carefully,” Kerreyder added. “I am willing to share her but if you continue to fight me on it, I’ll have no choice but to take you out of the picture altogether.”

  “She is my life-mate,” Randon said.

  “Aye and my Blood-mate. One cancels out the other but I am a reasonable man, incubus. Can you be as equally reasonable?”

  Anger had etched deep lines into the Nightwind’s face. He glanced at the Supervisor who shook his head in warning then lifted his chin. “I am not a man to buckle under to another man—archdemon or not.”

  “Understood,” Kerreyder granted. “But can you be reasonable in this one regard or do I send you back to the cold, lightless drudge from whence you were raised?”

  Randon clenched his fists, tightened his lips, and narrowed his eyes. His entire body was rigidly clenched but he managed to nod.

  Just once.

  And very quickly.

  “All right,” Kerreyder said. “That settles that.”

  Chapter Seven

  “You look like somebody lit your fart and it singed your ass, Breakwind,” the Reaper said as he came abreast of Randon.

  “One more crack out of you and you will be taking your nourishment from a tube down your toothless mouth,” Randon warned.

  “Trouble with your little life-mate?” Darkyn quipped. He turned and began walking backward, facing the Nightwind. “Did she get a look at your teeny-weeny wittle weenie and go bye-bye?”

  Randon whipped out his hand and grabbed the Panthera Reaper by the belt buckle, picked him up and slung him down the hallway. Sorn hissed, gave the ear-splitting yowl of a feline whose territory has been invaded by another cat, and changed in midair to his black leopard form—landing on all fours at the end of the hall. His green eyes pulsed red and he lowered his upper body, hiked his hindquarters in preparation to spring. His long tail swished once before he launched himself at the Nightwind.

  The i
ncubus shifted into an identical black leopard and the two clashed in the middle of the hall—shrieking, biting and clawing. They tumbled heads over tails and the sound they made as they fought drew the attention of unwanted eyes.

  One set of those eyes belonged to a visitor to Tearmann and when his voice broke through their furious battle, it was like a bucket of cold water being thrown over them.

  “Knock it off!”

  At the thunderous command the big cats leapt apart though their fangs were still bared and fur bristling. They hissed at one another, dared make the territorial yowl almost in tandem once more before the visitor shifted to his own animal persona. His enraged howl startled them and they backed away with tails low, backs arched, facing him warily as he shot out a massive paw to swat at them.

  “Thank you, Viraiden,” the Supervisor said.

  The Prime Reaper Viraiden Cree changed back to his humanoid form and gave both felines a dangerous glare that didn’t bode well for their continued good health.

  “Change back,” Cree ordered. “Now!”

  Randon and Darkyn shifted immediately. It was one thing to goad one another and quite something else to risk the ire of the Prime.

  And especially not Viraiden Cree who was far older than both of them combined and ten times more powerful.

  “I don’t care which of you started it, it will stop,” Cree told them. “It’s bad enough having Abaddon here. Isn’t that trouble enough for one millennium?”

  Darkyn’s mouth sagged open. “The archdemon is here? At Tearmann?”

  “Aye, and expecting us to help him find and capture three creatures who are on his shit list,” Cree grumbled. “As if we have nothing better to do with our time than cater to him.”

  “Abaddon is here,” Darkyn said and swiped a hand over his sweaty face. He cast a quick look at Randon. “Is that what got your panties in a wad?”

  “He’s claiming my woman as his Blood-mate!” Randon shouted. “You satisfied now, Sorn?”

  “Go find your life-mate, Kayle,” the Supervisor ordered the Nightwind. “Explain things to her before he does.”

  “Man, I’m sorry,” Darkyn said. “That sucks.”

  “Don’t pretend you give a shit how this affects me,” Randon snapped.

  “I don’t care, but it sucks for her,” Sorn told him. “She seems nice.”

  Randon shot him a nasty look, nodded at Cree then hunched his shoulders as he left, the other men watching his departure.

  “This is fucked up,” Sorn said. “I hate the demon’s guts but he doesn’t deserve to have Abaddon take his woman from him.”

  “The archdemon isn’t taking her from him,” the Supervisor said. “He is offering to share her with the Nightwind.”

  “Shit, that’s almost as bad!” the Panthera Reaper commented with a groan.

  Cree snorted. “I know how I’d react if it were my Bronwyn the bastard was after. Sharing is the same as violating in my book. I don’t blame the incubus for being in a foul mood.” He looked pointedly at Sorn. “But you? Keep your stupid remarks and your juvenile attitude to yourself until this is settled. Am I making myself clear, Sorn?”

  “Perfectly clear, sir,” Darkyn acknowledged.

  “Don’t give me cause to reprimand you,” Cree warned. “You won’t like my punishment.”

  “I understand, sir,” Darkyn replied.

  “Now get the hell out of my sight!”

  Sorn bowed respectfully and hurried away.

  “I don’t need this shit right now,” Cree groused.

  “Neither of us do, but what choice do we have? I could complain to Mo Regina but you know what She would do,” the Supervisor replied.

  “Laugh in your face and tell you She doesn’t interfere with Her husband’s bastard brat,” Cree said.

  “He’s not entirely evil.”

  “Nor entirely good,” Cree amended. “Just watch him.”

  “It would not be that bad if it weren’t for the woman.”

  Cree shrugged. “That’s the way of this world, milord.”

  “Not so on your homeworld, eh?” the Supervisor asked with a grin.

  “Nor the way it was when I first came to this one,” Cree replied.

  “They’ve come a long way, baby,” was the Ridge Lord’s quip.

  “Aye, they have,” Cree agreed with a mock sigh. “The females move forward and we males have learned to get the fuck out of their way.”

  * * * * *

  Randon stood at the door to Kenzi’s suite with his hands braced to either side of the panel. His head was down but he wasn’t feeling defeated. He was pissed and striving not to let it show. He couldn’t afford to for he knew the archdemon would make good on his threat to send him back to the Abyss. That, he could never endure again. Besides, he knew in his heart that Kenzi was the woman who was going to set him free of ever having to return. To lose her would be to lose what minute bit of soul he had left.

  Sighing heavily, he inched his right palm to the scanner but stopped just short of placing his hand on the reader. Instead he moved it to the intercom.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s me,” he said tiredly.

  There was a pause then she asked him why he didn’t enter.

  “I’m trying to be respectful of your space,” he answered.

  “Oh for the love of Pete,” she grumbled and the portal slid open.

  He raised his head and met her eyes. One look at his face and she closed her mouth for it was clear she’d been about to chastise him.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, reaching out to touch his arm.

  He tensed. “We need to talk.”

  Her brow furrowed. “All right.” She removed her hand and stepped back to give him room to pass her. When he did, she pressed the control on the door to close it then turned to face him. “Has something happened?”

  Randon glanced at the sofa. “Let’s sit down, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said, drawing the word out as though whatever he was going to say might not be something she wanted to hear.

  Sitting down at the end of the sofa, he expected her to sit beside him. Instead she moved to the chair across from him and perched there like a little girl waiting to be reprimanded.

  “The creature is not a wendigo,” he said. “He is much worse than that.”

  Kenzi blinked. “I thought wendigos were the worst.”

  “There are varying degrees of evil, Kenzi,” he said and ran a hand over his face. “What was in that cell is far more dangerous than all the creatures in Tearmann put together.”

  “Was in that cell,” she repeated. “As he is no longer in the cell?”

  He could hear her heartbeat speed up, smell the fear that suddenly engulfed her.

  “You have nothing to fear from him,” he was quick to tell her. Seeing the unease, the fear shifting through her wary eyes cut him to the core. “He would never harm you.”

  “He almost gave me a heart attack,” she said.

  “That image wasn’t for you. It was for the Supervisor,” he told her.

  “Why?”

  “Because he wasn’t ready to show his true face to us,” he replied. “The face he first showed to you.”

  “That’s what he really looks like? Like Declan Brady?”

  “I’m afraid so.” He settled back on the cushion. “Strange that the actor you find so mesmerizing could be Kerreyder’s twin.”

  “Kerreyder?” she echoed. “That’s his name?”

  “Kerreyder Abaddon.”

  Her eyes widened. “Abaddon, as in the Destroyer, the angel of the bottomless pit of the abyss in the book of Revelation?”

  “Archdemon actually,” he corrected. “But aye, that Abaddon.”

  “There are those who believe he is the antichrist,” she said. “The devil himself.”

  “He’s not the devil. The devil’s name is Yn Drogh Spyrryd. I know because I have seen him, but it would not surprise me if Kerreyder is the antichrist, though…”


  “Though what?”

  He smiled with a dark menace that made the hair on her arms stir.

  “The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Abaddon is another name for the resurrected and enthroned Jesus Christ.”

  “He can’t be both.”

  Randon shrugged. “Actually, he can. It is said he is neither entirely good nor entirely evil and that both sides—the good and the evil—consider him their ally, their champion. Until the Seventh Seal is broken no one will know for sure whether he is the antichrist sent to unleash hell on Terra or the archangel who will rein in Satan and chain him in the pit for a thousand years.”

  “Why is he here now?” she questioned then turned pale. “Is the world coming to an end?”

  “No,” he said with a shake of his head. “He is here looking for creatures who have disobeyed Yn Drogh Spyrryd. He is here to take them back to the Abyss where he is the warden of Prysson, the bottomless pit.”

  “I don’t understand. What has any of that got to do with me?” she asked. “He said he had been waiting for me. Why me? What am I to him?”

  “That’s what we need to talk about,” he said.

  “And we will.”

  The words startled them and they looked around to see Kerreyder standing by the door.

  “How did you—” Kenzi began as Randon shot to his feet.

  “You may go now,” Kerreyder told the Nightwind.

  “No,” Randon said, shaking his head. “I will stay.”

  “You. Will. Go. Now,” the archdemon ordered and with a flick of his wrist Randon disappeared.

  Kenzi scrambled out of her chair and put it between her and Kerreyder. “What did you do to him?” she asked in a trembling voice.

  “When he wakes up, he’ll find himself in the cell into which he put me. He’ll not like it but better there than the Abyss, don’t you agree?”

  “Don’t hurt him,” she said, hiking up her chin a notch.

  “I have no intention of hurting him. He poses no threat to me.” He walked to the sofa and took a seat. “Sit, McKenzi. I have much to say to you.”

  “I’ll stand,” she said. She was digging her fingers into the back of the chair for the room around her wasn’t exactly steady.

  “You will sit,” he said pleasantly and she found herself in the chair with her hands gripping the arms.