Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire (Love at Stake 16)
Page 55Lucifer had given her an indifferent glance, then leaped off his throne and backhanded Darafer, sending the demon flying back so hard that he’d crashed into a stone wall. “You failed. The kingdom on earth you promised me has not come to pass.”
Darafer had prostrated himself. “Forgive me, master. The God Warriors ganged up on me—”
Lucifer had kicked him. “You let those bastards banish you a second time!”
“We can get even with them! They’ll come to rescue the girl. And they’ll bring those wretched vampires and shifters with them. We can trap them here. Torture them.”
Lucifer had straightened, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, as if he’d smelled something sweet. “I will forgive you if Gabriel comes. For millennia, I have wanted to make him suffer.”
Darafer had scrambled to his feet. “We’ll turn him! We’ll make all of them evil!”
Lucifer had cast Jia a dubious look. “I fail to see why they would want to rescue her, but we shall see.” He’d waved at two guards. “Take her to a holding cell until I call for her.”
As Jia had been led away, she’d almost wished Russell and Rajiv would leave her be. She couldn’t bear the thought of them being trapped in hell with her.
Before locking her into a small room, a servant had tossed her a red robe. She’d put it on and paced about. Time had seemed to drag by, but she knew it hadn’t been long before her door was opened. The servant and guards had led her down one hallway after another, then up a flight of stairs. Now they were in a large room, lined on one side with windows that overlooked a central courtyard. Two long banquet tables extended down the length of the room, with guests seated on the far right and left sides. They lounged on Roman-style couches.
At the far end of the room, Lucifer had a table to himself, where he lounged and picked at his food as he watched the others. Jia recognized Darafer, who was sitting on the first chaise to Lucifer’s right. The other guests were unknown to her, except for Master Han, who was sitting on the last chaise lounge on the left. He gave her a solemn look, then frowned at the platter of meat and fruit in front of him.
Lucifer and Darafer were dressed in crimson robes, their perfectly formed faces and bodies radiating life and power. But the other guests, including Han, were different. Their skin and clothing were in drab sepia tones, as if they were only negative photographic images of their former selves. Jia cringed inwardly. These were dead inhabitants of hell.
She was led to a fourth table at the base of the two long banquet tables and instructed to sit there among some empty chaise lounges. She tried to make herself look inconspicuous in spite of her bright red robe and healthy glowing skin.
A hissing sound brought her attention to the floor. Good Lord, snakes! She pulled her legs up onto the chaise and grabbed the knife from her place setting. As her heart calmed its thunderous beating, she became aware of the hushed, excited voices of the other guests.
Her nerves tensed. Had the God Warriors come for her? Were Russell and Rajiv with them?
A servant rushed into the banquet hall and whispered something to Darafer, who nodded with a smirk of satisfaction.
Lucifer scowled at the demon. “If you fail, you will suffer for it.”
“The plan is working, master,” Darafer insisted. “Gabriel is within your gates, within your grasp. We have the God Warriors surrounded. They cannot leave!”
This announcement caused more excited gossip among the guests.
“Gabriel brought those wretched vampires and shifters with him, too,” Darafer continued. “Some of them are the murderers of your guests at tonight’s table. Soon we will capture them all!”
The guests snickered and clinked their wine goblets together.
Did that mean Russell was among the invaders? Jia glanced over at Master Han. He wasn’t drinking with the others.
Another servant burst inside the banquet hall. “Master, the invaders have entered the palace!”
Lucifer waved his hand, and all the snakes transformed into demons armed with wicked-looking swords. Jia cringed. There had to be fifty of them.
“Bring the girl here,” Lucifer ordered, and two servants dragged her down the length of the banquet tables. She passed by several dozen demons, who glared at her with red, glowing eyes, then she was tossed onto the dais. With her heart pounding, she scrambled to her feet. Here, she could see the double doors that marked the entrance to the room. They were closed now, but any second, they might burst open, and Russell might appear.
“Let them come.” Lucifer took a sharp dagger from his table and sliced his arm, letting his blood seep down the blade, coating it red. He stabbed his dagger into a peach, and it shriveled into a black glob. “We’ll see how well they handle demon blood.”
“I can hear them inside,” Briathos whispered as he paused outside a set of double doors.
“Let’s do it.” Russell grabbed a door handle, and Roman took the other. Connor and Howard lifted their swords, ready to charge in.
“Hold on.” Briathos tilted his head a moment, concentrating. “All right, I’ve alerted the others. They’ll be coming soon. We should wait—”
Russell flung open the door and rushed inside, followed by his friends. They came to a quick halt when several dozen armed demons hissed at them.
Howard winced. “Guess we should have waited.”
“Impatient mortals,” Briathos muttered as he extended a flaming sword toward the demons to keep them back.
Russell spotted Jia immediately, and a surge of relief spread through him. Even though she was surrounded by demons, she looked well. She immediately grinned, her eyes sparkling, but then she glanced nervously at the guy at the head table. That had to be Lucifer. And there was Darafer, seated at the first couch. A few of the other guests were recognizable—Casimir, Corky, and Rhett Bleddyn—but Russell’s gaze shifted quickly to the last couch on the left where a human form was hunched over the table, his head bowed.
“Markos,” Russell whispered, and the lifeless shadow that resembled his brother raised his head.
Russell’s breath caught. He’d expected to see rage or hatred in his brother’s eyes, not shame and despair.
“Markos,” he repeated, stepping toward him.
His brother lifted a hand to stop him, then glanced quickly at the armed demons and back to Russell.
A warning? Russell’s chest tightened. Was Markos worried about his safety? Damn. A wave of anguish struck Russell hard. He’d wanted so desperately to connect with his brother while he’d been alive. It seemed to be happening now, but it was too damned late.
Bile rose up Russell’s throat. The devil knew him by name. And knew his crime.
“Release Jia, the were-tigress,” Briathos demanded as he pulled Russell back. “Give her to us, and we will be on our way.”
“Why the hurry, Briathos?” Lucifer’s eyes narrowed. “Have a seat. Join us.”
Briathos gritted his teeth. “I will never share a table with you. Give us the captive.”
Lucifer snorted. “Such manners. Really, I expect an angel to be better behaved than that. Can’t you see I have guests? They’ve been waiting for you.” He motioned to the seven guests. “What do you think, Casimir? Isn’t it marvelous to see Connor again? After all, he’s the bastard who beheaded you.”
Casimir sneered at Connor. “I’ll make him suffer for that.”
Connor scoffed. “Ye can try. How fortunate that ye found yer head again. Are ye sure it isna screwed on backwards?”
With a snarl, Casimir leaped to his feet. “You fool, you think you can mock me? You and your friends are trapped here in hell. We will torture you until you beg for death!”
Another guest rose to his feet. “Roman Draganesti, this time when we duel, I will be killing you.”
Roman sighed. “Ivan Petrovsky. While it is true that I bested you in a duel, I didn’t kill you. You were stabbed to death by those two women there.”