Bound By Darkness: Eternally Mated Novel Read online

  “You summoned us?”

  Lyzander turned and faced the two men who still followed his command. Cade was a couple hundred years younger than Lyzander, and Raze, by angel terms, was still a baby at a good thousand years younger. Lyzander motioned for them to sit as he settled himself into a black leather chair near the window. “We have trouble so I’m going to come right out with it.” He stared straight at them. “You remember the assignment Malik sent us on twenty years ago? The one where we were ordered to kill every demon in the house, including the child?”

  Both men nodded.

  “The memories you have of her death... I planted those. The child was hiding in the house, and the moment I sensed her, I hid her presence from you.”

  “What reason did you have to disobey Malik? Did you suspect him of foul play even at that time?” Cade asked.

  “Not until I sensed the child. She carried angel blood.”

  The color drained from both warriors’ faces.

  “Yes, so that is why I kept her hidden. It was then I suspected Malik had fathered the girl and was trying to cover his tracks. I never spoke of it to anyone,” Lyzander said.

  “Shit. Zander, that child is Kelana, isn’t it?” Cade asked, his fingers digging into the arm of his chair and anger etched lines around his mouth.

  “It is.”

  Raze looked from Lyzander to Cade. “I’m confused. You mated with the female? You realize when she finds out, you will be sleeping with one eye open?”

  With their bond firmly in place, Kelana would be unable to kill Lyzander herself. However, it wouldn’t stop her from hiring an assassin, but he believed in her and their bond. “She knows as I have already told her. However, I have not revealed the two of you. I have taken full responsibility for your actions as your commander.”

  Cade fingered his hair. “I feel sick. So the story Malik told us was false? They didn’t break the treaty by murdering an angel?”

  “But we witnessed his memories,” Raze stated.

  “Memories that I fear now were fabricated by Malik himself. It’s likely he killed that angel.” Lyzander’s jaw tightened and he swore he would make that bastard pay. How low did one have to fall to kill one of their own? Even if the angel had done something that required punishment, it was not for them to pass judgment. Hunters such as Eli were tasked with bringing back rogue angels for sentencing. Even Eli had his wings stripped at one time for killing a few fallen angels that were too far over the edge. It was forbidden unless the Maker herself gave permission as she had done for Kelana.

  “What do we do now?” Raze asked.

  “As far as I’m concerned, you two will remain nameless unless Malik rats you out. The Maker has given Kelana permission to pass judgment on all those involved. As I said, I have already taken responsibility for your actions.”

  Cade jumped out. “Fuck no. You don’t go down for me.”

  Lyzander rose and stood several inches over Cade. “You will stand down. That is an order.”

  Raze stood and folded his arms over his chest. “With all due respect, sir. I’m with Cade on this one, and I decline your order.”

  Cade jerked his head toward Raze. “What he said.”

  Lyzander stared at both men. “While I can’t kill you for disobedience, I can make your life hell. Shackles with spikes?” He’d worn those once when he’d thought to disobey. Nothing worse than needle-like spikes digging into your ankles, tearing at muscle and scraping bone, to clear your head. Perhaps it was why he had tolerated his torture in Lulerain as well as he did. To disobey your commander was a sin on its own, and each elite angel meted out punishment in his own way. Malik had tortured, Tegan guilted but both worked.

  “Do what you will, but I stand firm on my choice to not hide behind my commander’s skirt,” Raze said.

  The two warriors in front of him stared him down and never flinched. Lyzander let out a laugh. “Very well then. Face your punishment like the true warriors you are. Just know that it still will not stop me from begging my mate to spare your lives.”

  “The weight on my shoulders is heavy, Zander, as I’m sure it is yours. None of us would have killed those women had we known.” Cade fell back into his chair, a look of utter defeat on his face.

  “What can we do to help?” Raze asked.

  “If you really want to help, we need to find out what Malik is up to. Kelana has gone to Hell to do recon, but if I know my mate, she won’t stop there. She will try and take her father on her own, and he will kill her. We need to flush him out in this world where we can help her fight him.”

  “Done,” both men replied.

  Lyzander felt slightly better, but now he had to get his mate out of Hell.

  * * *

  Kelana sat across from Michael in Ashley’s dining hall. Earlier they had tested her strength and discovered she had all the powers of any warrior angel and still those of a demon. However, it would take practice and guidance for her to hone her angelic skills. Still, Kelana was determined to find her father while she was here, and she would do so on her own.

  “You question your bond with the angel,” Michael stated because he knew Kelana as if she were his daughter.

  “Of course. He didn’t ask how I felt.”

  He took a swig of his beer. “You would have said yes?”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “Of course not.” Not then, but would she now if he were to ask?

  He pinned her with the knowing stare she supposed any father would use. “Yet you expected to use him for your own gain? Did you ever give one thought to how he felt?”

  She chewed her bottom lip. “Not at first.”

  “Of course not. You have been too hell-bent on revenge to see anything else––”

  She started to protest, but he held up his hand to silence her.

  “The man is a warrior, and we don’t question a command. To do so may cause the death of your brethren as well as your own. If you live, your commander will make you wish you were dead. There are rules for a reason, and you damn well know it.”

  She did, so why couldn’t she accept it? “You questioned your commander.”

  His gaze narrowed. “Because he thought to take my mate for his own. Before that, I killed plenty and never flinched. Your mate may be an angel and I a demon, but in the end, we are men. He had balls enough to go against everything that was ingrained in him when he sensed you were there. He could have killed you, but he didn’t. When he became aware of who you were, he could have left you alone. Allowed your bond to dissolve. Instead, he chose you for his own not because he had to but because it was what he desired.”

  She stared at him. Tears stung her eyes. “How can you know this?”

  He tipped back his mug and finished off his beer then wiped his lips. “Because it is what I would have done.”

  She blinked. “Out of guilt?”

  “No. Because I believe in fate.” He stood and shoved back his chair. “Don’t be foolish, Kelana. Follow your heart for once. You and I have both lost loved ones. The difference is you have been given a second chance to live again. Take it.” He bent down and kissed the top of her head, and then he was gone.

  Kelana let his words sink in. Why couldn’t this be simple? She could have met any other angel. There were hundreds of them, yet this one man stood in her path. He had saved her life, and later she had come back to save his. Both men were right, this was no coincidence. She closed her eyes and pictured the depth of Lyzander’s blue eyes, how they indicated his mood. Darkened to the bluest sapphire when aroused. Lit with a tinge of blue flame when angry. She traced imaginary fingers along his strong jawline, down to his chest, and made sure to take her time studying every rigid valley and plane all the way to his abs that were mountains of strength. Did he have to work at being so perfect? Or was he simply blessed?

  She smiled and heat licked along her skin as she recalled his erection. So thick and perfect as if it were made only for her.

  Kelana forced him from her tho
ughts. This wasn’t helping her. Michael was right, she needed to embrace life, but she had made a promise to her mother and grandmother and would keep it. She would do it on her own, though. She didn’t want Lyzander or anyone else to get hurt because of her.

  She shoved her feelings deep into the darkness for the warrior who had given her a glimpse of what it would be like to have a man love her. Emotions made her weak, and right now, she couldn’t afford that. She needed to go for a walk. Maybe fresh air would help clear her mind so, she crept down the corridor. The palace was as quiet as a human home on Christmas Eve. Kelana would have thought there would be some demons awake, but it was as if the place was deserted. Finding her way out a side door, she slipped into the darkness and began to walk. Deciding on heading south, she figured she would take a short hike and perhaps tire herself out. She remained tuned to her environment in case danger lurked, though she no longer held the same fears as she once had. She was an enigma. Angel and demon who could walk on the wild side and still retain her full power.

  In the distance, a beast howled. Hellhounds, perhaps? They liked to hunt in the middle of the night when most prey slept. They were too far away to be a threat to her, but she remained on watch as she decided to hike up a nearby mountain. One of the smaller ranges in Hell made of black rock, it was an easy climb. As she picked her way upward, the clouds broke to reveal the two moons. A sliver of light in Hell’s sky. After half an hour, she made it to the top and stood there enjoying the view. One had to live in Hell to appreciate the odd beauty it provided. Some areas were desolate, barren landscape of nothing more than sand and rock, while other parts were pristine. Green grasses and blue water gave the impression you were someplace else. It was where demons with morals lived. Seemed the landscape fit the people who occupied it. The more evil the population, the more desolate the surroundings.

  “I had heard a rumor there was a demon angel in our midst, so I had to find out for myself who this abomination was.”

  Kelana swung to face the deep voice that sent shivers across her entire body. What met her gaze was a tall, powerful man. Short hair the same color as hers, but it was those green eyes that gave away exactly who he was.

  “Father.”

  He smirked. “I should have done the job myself, and you’d be dead now rather than standing here irritating me.”

  She studied him. His wings were nothing like Tegan’s beautiful gold. They were so black she was surprised she could see them at all. If not for the ribbons of crimson that threaded through the feathers, they would have gone unnoticed in the night’s sky. Her breath caught as realization hit.

  “Yes, daughter. I am a fallen and more powerful than you can imagine.”

  “What a fucking hypocrite,” she spat and summoned her own wings, allowing the power they gave her to flow through her body. “You call me an abomination, yet look at yourself. You fell from grace, Daddy.” Kelana wasn’t stupid enough to believe she wasn’t in some serious shit right now. The power this man gave off snapped in the air and took on a life of its own. She should have believed Lyzander when he told her she couldn’t take down Malik on her own. Making a snap decision, she opened her mind and reached for the only person who would likely hear her down here.

  Ashley. I think I’m in trouble. Father has found me.

  Kelana, help is on the way.

  She tried to cloak herself, but nothing happened. Instead, she found herself frozen, unable to move or summon any power. Her father’s laughter rang in her ears as her eyes grew heavy and darkness took her under.

  16

  The call from Ashley rang out to every angel alive, and Lyzander went into instant warrior mode. As difficult as it was, knowing his mate was face to face with her father, he had to fall back on instinct. Years of training allowed him to turn off all emotion and become a cold-blooded killer. He was at the rendezvous point within minutes of the call. A vast valley in the center of the clouds where he met with Tegan, Eli, and several others.

  “Do we have a status?” Lyzander asked.

  On cue, Ashley appeared. “We went to her last location and there was nothing. She and her father vanished without a trace. I have my best men looking for her.” She gave Lyzander a sympathetic look. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what she was doing out alone.”

  Emotions welled deep inside him, but he locked them away. He knew what had to be done, what he had planned to do all along if it became necessary.

  “Eli and I can enter Hell,” Tegan stated, reminding everyone his family tree was shaded and allowed him to enter the realm on his own.

  “I’m going with you,” Lyzander announced.

  “I’ll escort you myself,” Ashley replied.

  “We came as soon as we could,” Cade announced with Raze at his side.

  “I’ll not require a demon escort to Hell.” Lyzander took in a deep breath. There was only one way to make this work. To save his mate. This was the day fate would test him, and he vowed to pass. “I disavow the Maker. I no longer pledge my service to her.”

  “Zander! You will not!” Tegan commanded, but it was too late. Lyzander had made up his mind.

  The blood in his veins heated until he swore they would explode, killing him in the process. He tried to unclench his jaw so he could finish the deed. “Let.” Sweat slicked over his skin. “Let the darkness reside in my soul.” The light inside him flickered and dimmed until it was barely visible, and the last thing he saw was the Maker herself as she turned her back on him. Then everything went black.

  He was falling, somersaulting through the air as nothingness rushed past him. It was eerily quiet, and then the mouth of Hell opened and swallowed him. He landed on his back with so much force the air was knocked from his lungs. He lay there, trying to gather his wits and ran a scan of his body. All parts were accounted for and no bones broken. Slowly, he pushed himself to sitting and looked around. Black rock littered the landscape, and a lava flow snaked to his left. With no real idea what happened when an angel fell, he quickly searched and discovered he still had his soul. During their last fights, when angels were falling, Lucifer took their soul, which made them hunger to fill the void. They became vampires, drinking the souls of others. He swiped his tongue over his teeth.

  Awesome, no fangs. That was a good sign.

  There was a sound in the distance. A loud thud then another.

  “Son of a bitch!”

  He recognized that voice and jumped to his feet. “Cade?”

  The angel popped up from behind a large rock. “That fucking hurt,” Cade hissed.

  “No shit.” Raze struggled to his feet next to Cade.

  “What the fuck did you two do?”

  Raze brushed rock off his shoulder. “Followed you. If you think we were going to allow you to tackle this on your own, you’re fucking insane.”

  “Yeah. We were there that night. It was the two of us that swung the deathblow. We owe Kelana, and we want to help find her,” Cade replied.

  Lyzander shook the cobwebs from his head. “You do realize what you’ve done? You have fallen, you dimwits. I have no idea if we can ever go back or what kind of twisted evil we might turn into down here.”

  Both men approached. “Then I guess we’d better hurry up and get our job done before we turn into pumpkins or some sorta shit,” Raze snorted.

  Lyzander scrubbed his face. He hadn’t meant for anyone else to follow him, but he admired his men’s dedication and secretly welcomed the help. More commotion commenced and a very angry Tegan stormed forward. Before Lyzander could defend himself, Tegan let loose a fist straight to his jaw, and Lyzander went flying, landing hard on his ass.

  “You disobeyed my direct order,” Tegan snarled.

  Lyzander rubbed his jaw. “You don’t command me anymore.” He rose back to his feet, ready to battle the man he admired most. Probably the worst thing about falling was the disappointment he caused Tegan. “And I certainly didn’t expect these two goons to follow me.”

  Tegan shoo
k his head, and Ashley came up beside her father and laid a hand on his arm. “What’s done is done. They will serve under my command, and I will make sure they stay on the right path. Not all fallen become evil.” She glared at the three angels, and Lyzander understood pissing her off might prove more fatal than crossing her father. She’d rip their damn souls out without batting a pretty eyelash.

  “Zander, can you reach your mate now?” Eli asked.

  Lyzander looked from one to the next. Two of those under his command had fallen to help him. His best friend, Eli, could come and go because his mate was the Angel of Death. And then there was Tegan, a powerful elite. He had a small army by his side. Hopefully, it was enough and his mate was still alive. He reached out.

  Kelana?

  * * *

  A warm, soothing, and welcome voice slipped inside Kelana’s mind.

  Lyzander? I didn’t think we could connect between worlds.

  I’m here, love, and I’m coming for you.

  She shivered in the corner of her cell, the cold seeping into her very soul. He was coming for her. Lyzander must have found a way in. I have no idea where he’s taken me. Somehow, he knocked me out. Oh Lyzander, be careful. You were right, I was such a fool to think I could overpower an angel so old. He’s fallen and I could sense the evil inside him.

  Hush. Your only job right now is to stay alive. I will be there soon.

  She pulled her knees to her chest and wondered how long she had been locked away. She had woken only a little while ago and had no sense of time. The room was dark, damp, and cold. So very cold and she swore she would never complain about the heat of Hell’s two suns again. Every muscle in her body screamed in pain, and she wondered what he had done to her. Pulling in a ragged breath, she slowly pushed her way to her feet, using the wall at her back for support. Her legs rebelled and nearly sent her crashing to the floor. Somehow, she managed to fight through the pain.