Below the waist, she was swollen and hungry—above the waist, her stomach revolted and she was on the verge of throwing up.

Her body had been taken hostage, and Zenon would be forced to watch as that creature used her.

“You ready for me, honey?” The bastard cupped her face, but she refused to look at him and kept her gaze locked on Zenon. As soon as she got the chance, she planned to scratch his eyes out.

He ran a finger down the side of her face. “You’ll enjoy what I do to you. I promise you that.”

She shuddered and started to retch again.

Anger welled up inside her. Her power stirred, tightening in her chest, but something forced it back, locked it down. She cried out.

The bastard laughed. “Your powers are useless here,” he said to her. “Isn’t that right, Zenon?”

Zenon roared again, his struggles so violent the steel frame bolted to the ground shook.

She swallowed back her sob and held Zenon’s wild gaze.

He howled like a wounded animal, a helpless beast, as his eyes flashed between yellow and black. His face contorted suddenly and his fangs burst from the top of his mouth, extended long and white and sharp down over his chin.

She heard Amen suck in a breath.

Then suddenly, he was gone, and the sound of Amen’s body colliding with the wall came next.

Whatever spell he had over her lifted and she sagged back.

Gentle hands moved the flimsy fabric of her robe down to cover her, and Zenon broke eye contact, looking at whoever stood beside her.

A tall male stared down at her, expression filled with concern. “You’re all right now,” he said to her. His voice was deep, gentle.

In her shocked state, she noticed he was handsome in an odd kind of way. His wide black eyes looked at her with a tenderness that softened what she imagined could be hard features. He wore a beautiful suit and shiny black shoes. She knew this man. He’d helped her the night of her attack. He began to untie her, being careful of her damaged skin.

“No one will hurt you again. I promise you that.” The fierce way he said it made her believe it was true.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Zenon gasped out.

Stumbling to her feet, she tried to go to him, but her legs gave out from under her. Her rescuer scooped her up in his arms and held her protectively to his chest. For some reason, she didn’t fear this man. He’d helped her twice now. “Please, untie him.”

His brows drew together. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I can’t do that.” She started to struggle, tried to push away, get to her feet, and go to Zenon, but he was strong and tightened his hold on her.

His big body stiffened, and seconds later the door was opened and Helena breezed back into the room, her silky dark hair swinging around her waist. Her sharp gaze took in the scene then narrowed on Mia’s rescuer. “Marcus.”

“Are you happy to see your brother alive and well, Helena?” Sarcasm dripped from his voice.

“Of course.” The sneer on her face said the complete opposite. This was not a happy reunion. “Sneaky as always, I see.”

Marcus inclined his head, a humorless smile curving his lips.

“You can’t have her,” Helena said, waving her hand in Mia’s direction.

“You can’t stop me, and you know it. We’re closely matched, you and I. In fact, I’m pretty sure I have the advantage.” Her eyes flared. “But if you want a fight, I will happily oblige.”

She stepped forward, and lifting a beautifully manicured hand, picked up a lock of Mia’s hair, studying it like the red strands held some kind of answer. “Why?”

“Mia is my daughter.”

Her father? Oh my God. Her father was alive.

The bitch sucked in a breath, the hatred that flared sharp enough to cut her to the quick.

Realization moved over her face, and her glare slid to Zenon. “She can sustain you?”

Zenon didn’t answer.

Hatred rolled off Helena in waves. “If I let you keep your daughter, you must give me your word that you will not come after Zenon. He is mine and he stays with me.”

“No.” Mia started to fight again, but he restrained her with no effort.

“I will agree to your terms with one caveat: you will leave anyone with my blood in their veins alone. You go against me on this, and I will find a way to kill you.”

Mia gasped for oxygen, agony gripping her chest at the thought of never seeing Zenon again, of leaving him in the hands of that monster. She dug her nails into the arms banded tightly around her, trying to break free. She fought and screamed, hysterical in her need to get to him.

“Mia.” The strength in Zenon’s voice broke through the haze and she looked over at him. She took in his ravaged face, his swollen lips, the pain in his yellow gaze. “This is how it must be.”

“No. You can’t mean that.” Her words were barely coherent past her sobs.

He looked down. “Take her away.”

Without another word, she was carried from the room. She watched over her father’s shoulder as the bitch, a woman she now knew was her aunt, smiled coldly. Zenon’s head remained down, his hair obscuring his damaged face. His body sagged in the steel frame again, lifeless. She called to him, but he didn’t look up.

Another sob tore from her throat as she fought to get free.

Helena closed the door.

Oh God. She’d never see him again.

Mia was bundled, fighting and screaming, into a waiting limo a short time later. The man who claimed to be her father climbed in after her, trying to subdue her.

She grabbed at him and tore at his jacket. “Please, go back for him. We can’t leave him there.” She was crying, her words almost unintelligible.

He gave her another one of those sympathetic looks. “You must trust him.”

“W-what do you mean? What aren’t you telling me?” She’d gotten a glimpse of that woman’s powers. How could anyone best her?

“Please, Mia. You need to calm yourself.”

She gripped his arm tighter. “The man I love is in the hands of pure evil, and you want me to be calm?”

He ran a hand through his black hair. “He knows what he’s doing.”

* * *

Mia looked across at Marcus, her father, and forced herself to slow her breathing and her still racing heart. They’d been driving around the city for several hours. He refused to let her out because he didn’t trust her not to go after Zenon on her own. Which was perceptive. She knew she couldn’t win, but she couldn’t just sit by and do nothing either.

He also wouldn’t give her the damned answers she wanted.

“Tell me,” she tried again. “Please.”

“You need to trust that Zenon knows what he’s doing,” he said again for the millionth time.

Mia threw up her hands. “Jesus, you sound like Chaya, talking in damn riddles. What is he doing?”

A smile spread across his handsome face. “How is she? I’ve been so busy watching you I’ve not seen her in several months.”

Mia stilled. “She knows about you?”

“Yes. But only after she gained her powers. Like you, I’ve watched her from a distance.”

“I can’t believe this.” How could Chaya keep their father’s existence from her?

Marcus shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I know I failed you, Mia. I thought you were safe within the compound walls.”

“How long?” she breathed.

“Have I been watching you?”

She dipped her chin.

“Always.” Sadness and longing transformed his handsome face. “Your mother, too, until she passed away.”

“Why?” Why did you leave? Why did you stay away all these years? Why did you let my mother die of a broken heart? All the questions she’d carried around her whole life swam through her mind.

“Your mother knew why I had to leave. She knew I loved her, loved you and your sister. But I couldn’t risk your safety. When Helena escaped Hell, she was weak for many, many years. She was no threat to me or my family. But I sensed the growth in her power over time. I knew eventually she would be strong enough to escape her prison. And I knew once that happened she would come after me and mine. I couldn’t allow that, couldn’t allow her to hurt the people I loved most.” He paused. “You see, I betrayed her, destroyed her chances to overthrow Diemos. Diemos may be an evil bastard, but Helena is far worse.”

It was too much to process, especially when all she could think about was Zenon alone with that evil, heartless monster. He leaned over and squeezed her knee. “You have to trust him.”

She shoved him away, shaking her head. “Why didn’t you help him?”

“It was too much of a risk.”

“Is he…is Zenon going to try and free himself from her?” she said, voice shaky.

He held her gaze. “Yes.”

“You planned this together?”

“Well, not the part where you showed up and nearly got yourself killed.” Pain and guilt twisted his striking features. “Despite her promise, you will never be safe from your aunt. Zenon knows this. As soon as she knew of your existence, you became her target. We must follow this course. She now knows you are his mate and my daughter. This is Zenon’s only chance to break free. She will never allow him to be with you, and she won’t let you live if Zenon doesn’t go with her.”

How could this be happening? She stared over at the male in front of her and saw where Chaya got her dark coloring, the determined tilt to her jaw, and held his gaze. “He could die, couldn’t he?”

“Yes,” he said, not pulling any punches. “But at least he’d finally be free.”

* * *

It was the eve of the equinox, and power stirred through Zenon’s blood. The excitement vibrating from Helena wrapped around him and crawled over the surface of his skin. Made him want to take an acid shower to scrub it off.

Taking a deep breath, and using her newly regained powers, Helena claimed her freedom. He expected to find Silas waiting for them, but there was no sign of the angel.

That male did nothing without reason, and his absence meant whatever was about to happen—good or bad—was meant to.

“No sign of that bastard Silas,” Helena said beside him, like she’d read his thoughts.

Wrapping her hand around his arm like they were taking a fucking stroll in the park, she tugged him into motion. The night before, she’d given him a small boost of power, enough to heal most of his injuries, but not enough that he could attempt an escape. Not that he had any intention of running.

Nine days had passed since Mia had cried out his name and he’d watched her father carry her away from him. Nine excruciating days of wondering if she was all right, of missing her so bad it surpassed any punishment Helena had dished out. Being separated from her was killing him.

They walked into the elevator and Helena stared in confusion at the buttons. Watching her flounder gave him a small measure of enjoyment.

Her grip tightened painfully on his forearm. “Why are we in this box? I don’t like it.”

“It takes us out of the building.” He punched the button for the ground floor and her eyes widened in alarm. Helena had been contained since they escaped Hell many, many years ago, controlled and moved around by Silas. This was her first taste of the outside world.

When they walked out of the building and onto the street, she looked around with something close to fear and not a little wonder. “I can see why Diemos wants to conquer this realm.”

The closer they got to the portal, the more alive Zenon’s senses became. He felt his brothers nearby. Mia’s father would have spoken to them, like they’d agreed. Told them what was going to happen here tonight, what was at stake. That there was no other option.

That Zenon had to do this alone.

Filling them in was the only way to ensure they didn’t try to stop what was about to happen.

As they stepped up to the mouth of the alley, Zenon’s chest tightened.

His brothers lined the walls on either side. Chaos, Gunner, and Kryos stood to the left, while Laz and Roc stood to the right.

“What is this?” Helena hissed. “I was guaranteed a clear passage.”

“Are we standing in your way?” Chaos said. The hatred in his voice was so thick you couldn’t miss the fact his demon had come to the surface.

Helena’s nails dug into his flesh. “If you take one step toward us, I will kill him.”

A muscle in Chaos’s jaw jumped, but he didn’t make a move. She was too powerful for any of them to kill. He saw the moment his brother realized that, the moment he felt it. Sharp pain dimmed Chaos’s dark eyes and a single tear streaked down his rough cheek. Seeing that, fuck, it hurt more than any torture Zenon had suffered in his life.

Yeah, he had no doubt Chaos had planned to try and take Helena down despite what Marcus had told them.

And now his brother knew why he couldn’t.

The damage Helena could do here on Earth would be devastating, which was why she needed to go back to Hell. Besides Silas, the only beings strong enough to keep her under control were Lucifer and Diemos, and Chaos understood it now.

His brother stood rock solid. “We won’t get in your way. We have a purpose here tonight, like we do every time the portal opens, as you well know.”

Zenon felt the stares of each warrior trained on him as he followed in Helena’s wake. But he didn’t feel shame. No, he felt the strength they were giving him. He felt their respect.

Zenon looked up as he passed Rocco, their gazes locking, and fuck, he felt all the pain and helplessness his brother was feeling.

Gunner was giving off more of the same, his jaw tightening when Zenon met the warrior’s eyes. Kryos was next, and the torment, the love he felt when their gazes locked had Zenon choking down the boulder in his throat.

Lazarus thumped his fist against his chest, right over his heart, and let out a battle cry that lifted the hair on the back of Zenon’s neck, his anguish and rage ringing out loud and clear.

The others followed his lead, their cries echoing off the brick walls, filling Zenon to overflowing with their love and strength.

In that moment, Zenon knew if he’d only lifted his head instead of dropping his gaze in shame he would have seen the same thing from the very beginning from all his brothers.

Their hands were tied; they couldn’t help him, and it was hurting them to see him this way, facing this on his own.

He couldn’t fuck this up.

There was too much at stake.

The red brick wall in front of them began to flicker to life, and his brothers stepped out into the center of the alley, taking their positions, ready for whatever came out at them.

“Move to the side if you don’t want to get trampled,” Zenon said to Helena.

She did what he said without question. Her excitement had faded and the acrid scent of her fear replaced it. Going back was a huge risk for her, and if things went badly, she’d soon wish she was back in her ivory tower. But, like him, she was willing to risk it all, even death to gain her freedom.

Zenon clenched and unclenched his fists. This had to be timed perfectly. He didn’t know how long he could survive once he stepped through to the other side.

Chaos lifted his gaze and cursed. Zenon looked up. Above them, lining the alley walls, were about ten demi dressed in black, all concealing their faces. Looked like Chaos had backup whether he wanted it or not.

“Don’t move until I tell you,” Zenon said.

Helena moved restlessly at his side but had a determined look on her face. She didn’t fool him; she was freaking the fuck out. It had been a long time since she’d been home, and she was counting on allies that had more than likely hitched their sorry asses to the next power-hungry asshole.

The wall flashed behind them and the portal opened. Demons instantly scrambled through. Zenon pulled Helena farther to the side, out of the way. The fighting began, his brothers engaging their enemy with single-minded focus. He needed to keep it that way. The sooner he was out of sight the better.

Ropes came down the walls from above, and some of the demi descended, while others picked off demons with crossbows from above.

It was time.

The nerves in his gut weren’t fluttering—no, they felt like goddamn boulders smacking into the back of his ribs. He took Helena’s hand and stood in front of the portal. Before he stepped through, he turned. Chaos stood in the middle of the alley, fighting going on all around him, blood dripping from a slice to his shoulder. Their eyes met, and Zenon lifted his chin. Chaos did the same then turned away to engage the next demon gunning for him.

“All right. Let’s do this,” he said.

Helena sucked in a breath and they stepped through.