Deidre's Death

The skin against his jaw was rough. Scarred. The body went limp. Her breathing was ragged, her frame shaking. He leaned away to look down and confirm that she wore the dress of a demoness.

"Selyn," he said, surprised. "If that's you, tell me."

He waited to see what she did. The girl tapped his arm then held up three fingers, the sign she'd made to mean Wynn. Darkyn was one finger, his mate two fingers and Wynn three. Darkyn's daughter was unable to speak with the damage done to her head and neck. She was lucky to walk. By the trembling of her body, she wasn't going to be on her feet much longer.

What the fuck was Darkyn's daughter doing in the Immortal stronghold?

He released her and turned her to face him. There were tears on her cheeks. She held up two fingers.

"Deidre," he said.

She nodded and started breathing hard and fast, panicking. Her eyes were dark, her pixie-cut messy.

"Whatever your father did, don't involve me," he said. "Gods, he'll fucking slaughter me for talking to you."

Selyn shook her head. She was upset but didn't know how to tell him why. She held up two fingers again.

Frustrated and concerned his self-preservation was at stake, Wynn summoned a portal to take the girl back.

Selyn tried to bolt. Wynn caught her, puzzled. She was shaking her head again, staring at the portal with huge eyes. The growl of a demoness was almost a whimper.

He closed the portal. At a loss as to what to do next, he was about to summon Darkyn when the room shook. Wynn went still. He'd felt the earth crack open once before. It happened the first time Darkyn invaded the mortal world from Hell. The demon lord tore the plane between the two.

Wynn took Selyn's arm. He led her to the window. She looked out and squeezed his arm in excitement. Wynn was far less thrilled by what they saw.

Darkyn was standing beside a molten tear in the earth, flanked by seven demons that stood one and a half times the size of Gabriel, the largest man Wynn knew.

"Darkyn's here with his back-up squad. You're clearly upset about something. I don't see Deidre," Wynn said, thinking fast. "Should I assume something happened to her?"

Selyn nodded vigorously.

Rhyn and several other Immortals spilled out of the fortress.

"I think we need to get down there," Wynn said.

Selyn started away, tugging at him to follow.

"Wait, Selyn. The Immortals won't hesitate to hurt you."

Her eyes watered again. She'd been raped and killed by an Immortal. She knew what danger she was in. Wynn doubted she knew that the Immortal who did it was his son. She wouldn't be anywhere near him if she did.