Darkyn's Mate

"You want something else from me," she whispered.

Gabriel glanced at her.

"Darkyn said my weakness is being taken advantage of by others. He shared some of his power or whatever your deities do. I can sense that you have an ulterior motive of some sort," she explained. "I can't see it, but I feel it."

"Savvy demon," Gabriel murmured. "You needed that."

"No more men like Wynn killing me slowly."

"You're right. I do need to ask you for something."

She focused on him in interest, wondering what Death could possibly need from her.

"I have to get into the underworld. The dealers are rebelling, and they've figured out a way to out me from my position. I have to be there in order to prevent it," he said carefully. "The only way into the underworld is through Hell."

"Darkyn will make you a deal you probably can't live with," she guessed. "I can't make deals."

"I wasn't going to ask you to," he said. "I was going to ask you to help me get home."

Her calm acceptance faded, replaced by turmoil. Gabriel had no way of knowing that Darkyn was in and out of her mind. He was asking for a favor, one Darkyn would discover within seconds of her returning to Hell.

It wasn't fair.

"You're afraid," he said.

She shook her head.

"You're not the only one who can sense emotion in others," he reminded her with a nudge. "It's more than fear. I'd say you're still pissed at me."

"You know what you're asking me to do?" she said at last.

"Yes. I have no other option, Deidre. There's something in my underworld that I have to find before they do."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Only my soul," he replied ruefully.

"Oh, god, Gabriel," she whispered, stricken. Deidre started to panic, not wanting Darkyn to know Gabriel's secret but knowing she wasn't able to hide anything. What would Darkyn do with such a damning secret? Send someone to grab Gabriel's soul?

"Just get me through Hell," Gabriel said. "What happens then won't matter."

"Gabriel …" She rose and paced, her feet sinking into the soft sand. "You shouldn't have told me that. You shouldn't have asked me." Frantically, she tried to recall anything anyone might've told her about suppressing information from someone reading her mind.

"I have no alternative," he said, rising. "I'm not asking because of what we had. I'm asking because I have no choice. I'll owe you."

"You already do owe me one favor," she reminded him.

"I'll owe you two."

Deidre sighed. "I'll try to help you, Gabriel. God help me, I don't know how."