CHAPTER THIRTY
Isabelle sat in the middle of the living room floor or ‘war-room’ as it was now being called. Around her were six demons and three hellhounds.
Apollo moved to kneel before her, his bright blue eyes a little worried. “You ready? I won’t lie to you, Isabelle. This will hurt.”
The low growl from her male filled the room. She ignored him, nodding. Turning her gaze to Mammon, she reached for him. He was beside her in a second, taking her hand and gripping it tightly.
“Sit with me? I need you,” she pleaded.
Mammon rubbed the back of his neck fiercely. Grumbling, he moved to sit behind her, pulling her against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her. Isabelle relaxed against him, tapping into her the strength she needed to find her sister Seers.
Apollo nodded and reached out, touching his fingers to her temples. Isabelle closed her eyes and concentrated on the demon behind her. His enduring strength, his fortitude, his love for her—she let it all seep into her soul.
She took in a slow breath and felt a trickling warmth spreading from where Apollo was touching her. The heat began to grow, expanding into her limbs, passing to her head. She felt it then, pressing against the barrier she had spent her life building around her mind. It was thick and strong, so many layers of protection. Her automatic response was to reinforce it. But the heat just got stronger, turning into a piercing blow-torch that focused on her defenses. Light exploded behind her closed eyes, blinding her. A sudden stabbing deep in her head had her wincing, then the world around her fell away. The throbbing continued to grow, turning into a hammering pain. An involuntary whimper left her throat. The barriers between her and the world were burned away by the god in an explosion that shattered the layers like glass. They fell around her, one after the other, breaking and exposing her mind, ripping it open to the world. Then the tsunami hit her. Nothing could prevent her from being dragged under by the raging torrent.
She screamed, at least she thought she did. Her mouth was open but she couldn’t hear a sound. All she could see, feel, or hear was pain radiating throughout her being. Thousands of emotions washed over her in an endless universe of feeling, each mind celebrating, hating, or wallowing in their lives. Each pain, joy, and terror hit her like a sledgehammer, shattering into a million pieces that sliced into her brain and sent her plummeting into the abyss.
Mammon was losing her; he could feel it. She was convulsing in his arms. Apollo was swearing, trying to keep contact with Isabelle’s temples as she was drowned by the world.
“Do something!” Ze’s voice echoed what everyone was feeling.
“Demon! Open yourself to me or we lose her right here!” Apollo offered his hand to Mammon. He grabbed it without hesitation. He couldn’t lose her.
A tornado of pain whipped around him. The world was nothing but roaring sound, a marbled mix of screams, laughs, and cries. In the maelstrom of swirling light, he could see her. She crouched on the ground, chest pressed against her knees, arms covering her head, robbed of her screams by the overwhelming emotions of millions.
Mammon took a step towards her, the wind battling against him, ripping at his flesh. He felt the terrible memories from his time in the Pit being pulled from him. The echoed sensations from those hellish years rushed up, crippling his mind and body. Then he was back in that room, feeling the cool slice of metal through his flesh, his body burning as if fresh blood had just been spilt. He could feel the cold seeping into his bones, pulling him back, the rough rusted metal of the chains that bound his wrists. No! Had it all been a dream? They couldn’t be that cruel. Please, no!
He heard them laughing, their chattering teeth clicking together, driving him insane. Where were they? He knew they were here! Covering his ears, he shook his head and sank to his knees. No, this wasn’t right. He wasn’t in the Pit. He had been released. He had seen the sun, he had tasted real food, kissed Isabelle. Isabelle.
Opening his eyes, he focused his mind. “You’re not real. I won’t let my past control my future anymore!” He propelled himself to a standing position, forcing his brain to work through the terror that threatened to drag him once more into hell. He locked his thoughts on one thing—Isabelle’s violet eyes. Through the flashing memories and distant pain, he saw her. She was losing the fight against her own power. Never! He wouldn’t lose her. Not here, Not ever.
With a roar, he pushed through the swirling wall, the Pit vanishing around him. One step after another, each one bringing him closer, each one ripping another devastating memory from him. He felt the claws ripping open his stomach, the teeth gnawing on his insides as his toes were removed again and again. Gritting his teeth, he reached through the vortex, his hand finding her, his light. Pulling her trembling body towards him, he wrapped his arms around her. Heat and light surged through him at the moment of contact, so hot he thought she might burn him alive.
He saw it then—her spirit—blazing like a star against the vortex of emotions. Strong and resolute, shimmering like a true virtuous being. Beside it, the Sin of Greed was a pulsing mass of black that should have been destroyed by the purity her body emitted. But it accepted the darkness, filling it with love and light. Her soul shone with pure charity. She would give her very life for this world, and he would give anything to protect her.
“Take all you need from me. I give all I am to keep you safe,” Mammon whispered to her. He put within his words all the emotions he could never seem to voice.
A blinding flash sent a shock wave rolling out. Light and dark mingled together as one. After the roar of sound, the sudden silence made his ears ache. Isabelle whimpered and lifted her head. She looked around at the pulsing light. It shifted like sand around them, sparkling grains hovering in the air. Then her eyes fell on him, and a sob left her throat.
“Hush, Minx. You can do this. I’m here with you.” His voice was thick with pain, but he held her, providing the strength she needed.
He felt her then, within him, her emotions were his, he felt her steel herself. Keeping a tight grip on him Isabelle reached out. This time there was no torrent of emotion, more like the gentle roll of a wave. Expelling a breath, she reached for someone who felt like her, someone who shone with a different light.
Mammon had never experienced anything like this, joined as if one body and soul. So long he had held his own emotions back and locked away, having the world spread before him was almost too much. There was so much pain in the world, mirrored by amazing joy. Each light he could see through her eyes, she saw each as an individual, laid out before her like bright sparkling fairy lights. Some so dark you could see the corruption they infected others with, there was so much of it.
One stood out, glowing with a soft pulsing blue power, it emanated ancient magic. With their strength combined and merged together, they reached for that blue glow. Focusing only on that, Isabelle got closer. She could feel this female, her unending loneliness, her isolation, the fear she was going to lose her mind. Fear she would be alone, never knowing another’s touch.
Mammon let Isabelle take the lead. He felt through her. She couldn’t stop herself from reaching for the woman, sending strength and a promise. She would be found soon, she wouldn’t be alone much longer. The woman opened to her, amazement mixed with immense fear spreading from her. Yet hope blossomed in her heart.
Isabelle couldn’t speak to her. No words were uttered, but she felt the woman desperately reaching for her. She craved the touch of another person, even if it were just in her mind. Isabelle knew her name it whispered through the link between them.
“We’re coming, Sera. Hold on.”
Isabelle’s head hurt. Fuck it, hurt was too pathetic a word for it. If someone had split her skull open and let the pressure out of her head without anesthetic, it would hurt less. There was a cool cloth across her eyes, the darkness in the room welcoming, the silence a blessing. Beside her lay Cercyn, his hellhound body warm against her. Slowly she turned her head, the pain radiating down her neck. The hound lifted his head and moved from the bed. The tingle of energy in the room told her he had taken his human form.
“I will fetch Mammon. Be still.” Then he was gone vanishing into shadow, and she was left in the dark silence again. What the hell had happened? She didn’t remember much after finding Sera and Mammon trying to pull her back from the vision. How long had she been out?
She winced a little as she made a move to sit up, a sudden light from the door making her hiss in pain. Strong hands reached her shoulders, pressing her gently back on the bed. “Woman, if you keep taking years off my life, we’re going to have issues.” Mammon’s voice was soothing, his touch soft against her throbbing body.
“Never again, Isabelle. I forbid it.” Fear laced his voice and made her heart pound hard against her rib cage. Whatever had happened after the world had gone black had been bad. She could feel it by the tense way he held her and the edge of sadness and strain in his voice. She couldn’t live with the idea she had brought such worry to him.
Isabelle reached up, taking his hand in hers. She felt him moving, the bed sinking as he lay behind her. His lips brushed against her temple. She turned and buried her face against him. His scent was a better pain reliever than aspirin, but she had to find Sera again. That poor woman was waiting for help, and Isabelle wouldn’t disappoint her.
Mammon winced at the weakness she displayed. He was never letting her do that again. Even though she had been successful in finding one of the Seers, she had almost died doing so. Apollo had managed to pull her back, putting her brain back together from the surge of emotions that nearly killed her. He also built some damn strong barriers to prevent her doing it again, in case she got it into her head to try by herself. He owed the god everything.
“We found one. You found one.” He wasn’t going to tell her about the rush to save her life. Or about her nose, ears, and eyes bleeding like she had ancient illness. Or that she had stopped breathing for almost ten minutes. Nor the fact he had been a raving beast the whole time or that Lucifer and Apollo worked like mad men to bring her back to life. Yeah, he couldn’t go back to that memory. He might lose it once more.
“Never again.” He whispered the words, closing his eyes as his arms tightened around her. His body shook with each breath. Please, by Hades, I can’t lose her.
“Okay, I promise.” Her voice was soft as she resigned herself to his rule. He felt her bury her face against him. Slowly his heart eased, and finally he felt like he could breathe again.
They would find the Seers another way. Mammon watched the light of his heart close her eyes, sleep taking her almost immediately. A smile pulled at his lips. Hell, he couldn’t call himself Greed anymore, now could he? Not when he would give his life for her in a heartbeat.
Damn woman. She had taken a demon created from the Sin of Greed and instilled within him the virtue of Charity. He was sure this was breaking some ancient law somewhere, but he didn’t give a damn.