Chapter 2
Dante yanked me across the landscape as the ground hissed at our feet.
“Which way?” he barked.
“I don’t fucking know!”
A howl from behind us made my heart go in overdrive. Cerberus was supposed to be a creature of mythological proportions, a guard-dog of Hades and not actually… well, real.
Yet here we were. Hell had frozen over and we were about to get eaten.
A different howl responded to Cerberus’s challenge, echoing through my mind with piercing clarity.
Logan.
Seriously? He thought he could save the day?
The idiot would freeze to death if he stepped out onto the wasteland, but Cerberus was packing enough heat that the snow around us was already melting. I drew in a breath of the humid air as I searched for my Virtue.
There you are, cocky Alpha-hole.
“There’s another one?” Dante asked as I redirected our path towards the sound.
“That’s Logan,” I said as I drew from my super-strength and bolted us across the melted grounds. This layer of Hell could have been beautiful in the full light of day. A long horizon of sweeping grass perked to life from the warmth of Hell’s dog and a few rocky structures revealed themselves.
“The entrance to the tunnels,” Dante said with a relieved breath.
The ground shook again as Cerberus gained on us. I glanced over my shoulder and immediately regretted it.
The beast didn’t have any fur. Caked, red blisters ran across his crusty hide and beady red eyes locked in on us as one of the heads howled with victory. The other two salivated and the vile liquid landed on the ground, sending steam hissing into the air.
Gross.
“I do not want to be eaten by that thing,” I said as I turned back toward the patch of rocky landscape.
“Then hurry it up.” Dante reached for his blade with his free hand. “You’re going to get into the tunnels while I hold it off.”
“With your dagger?” I scoffed. “That creature will use it as a toothpick!”
Another howl pierced the air and a silver wolf sprang from an opening in the rocks, making me screech as I dove out of the way.
Logan, the dumb, overprotective Alpha that he was, ran straight toward Hell’s guard-dog.
“Logan! You stupid wolf! Get back here!”
To my surprise, Cerberus sidestepped Logan’s small wolf form and pranced around him, pulling his paws up in an undeniably playful manner.
What the fuck?
Logan yipped, causing the creature to bow down and stick his butt in the air like some kind of puppy. The two stared off and the air hummed with energy before Cerberus released a roar—one that I thought was meant to be playful—before springing off the way he’d come.
Logan shifted with a crack of bones, wincing as he gripped his bleeding side.
“Do I even want to ask how the hell you just did that?” Dante asked, holding up his dagger.
Logan shrugged. “It’s a dog thing.”
“A dog… thing,” Dante repeated.
Logan’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he winked at me. “I’m an Alpha, or have you forgotten? That’s not just a title for show. It means I can command any canine that isn’t a shifter, and even if the thing had three heads, it was still just a big mutt that wanted to play.”
“What did you tell him?” I asked.
Logan laughed. “I told him to bring me a stick and then we’d play tug-of-war.”
“And it fell for that?” Dante asked while waving around his weapon.
“I wasn’t lying. If he comes back, I’ll play.” Logan staggered toward us, naked, and glared at Dante. “Really, a dagger?” He glanced at the pitiful blade. “You come up against a three-headed guard dog from Hell and you’re going to offer it a toothpick?”
“That’s what I said,” I replied, propping my hands on my hips.
Dante huffed before tucking the weapon back into a scabbard at his waist. “You both severely underestimate my skills with a blade.” He pulled off his coat and offered it to the shifter. “Put something on.”
Logan took note of Dante’s rejuvenated hand, but didn’t comment on it. Regrowing an appendage was apparently one of the Hunter’s skills before I’d come along.
Instead of taking the offering, Logan chuckled. “Why? Am I turning you on?” He shook his hips for effect.
Dante swiped a hand over his face. “No, but you might be affecting other… people.” He glanced at me.
My face turned red, but Dante was just going to have to accept that if he wanted to be with me, I came with other Virtues, including the Alpha-hole shifter who had a penchant for walking around naked.
Logan burst out into one of his wolfish grins that was all teeth. His brilliant blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he shoved past the Hunter and slipped an arm around my waist. “I sure hope so, Hunter, because I’ve paid my dues and it’s time to reap the rewards.”
He tugged me with him as he guided us toward the tunnels that disappeared into the cracked wasteland. I swallowed hard as the obvious intent of his growl rumbled throughout the enclosed space.
My Alpha had finally found me, and this time, I wasn’t going to get away from him before he claimed me.
Dante followed from a short distance as we wound through the tunnels. A warm glow cast our surroundings in red and didn’t offer much light, but I could see just fine in the dark thanks to my Demonspawn side.
Based on Logan’s flawless navigation of the rocks and Dante’s silent steps, my Virtues had no problem navigating the shadows with me. I glanced back at Dante to see his eyes glowing orange, giving him a predatory appearance.
He watched me with a mixture of emotions I wasn’t used to. Pensive hope, irritation—adoration.
A part of me wanted to slip back into his arms, but Logan’s warm hand on my hip reminded me of a Virtue I’d neglected for far too long.
Dante wasn’t going anywhere, but that was precisely what I was afraid of.
I had… matters, to resolve with my wolf.
Matters that I wasn’t sure Dante was ready to face with me.
Sighing, I fell into step with Logan.
“What did you mean by ‘pay your dues?’” I asked him, hoping to break the awkward silence.
“I’d rather tell you about it once we’re alone,” Logan replied as he dug his fingers into my hip to keep me close. He tugged me away from a rock before I stumbled over it.
Dante growled. “If you think I’m leaving her alone with you, you’re stupider than you look.”
“You’re the stupid one you—” Logan stopped mid-sentence as he jerked me to a halt and crouched. He sniffed the air as his nostrils flared.
“What is it?” I asked, my voice going up a pitch.
He growled and slammed a hand over my mouth before glancing up. “A spirit.”
He flinched when I bit him. “I don’t care if there’s an army of spirits; you do not silence me.”
“Shut it,” Dante added as he squeezed in beside us, trapping me between his back and Logan’s hard chest.
Irritation bubbling, I was about to give them both a piece of my mind when a translucent woman dipped into view. Horrible, hungry eyes locked in on me as white hair flung around her haggard face.
Dante pulled out his blade and it glowed red, causing the spirit to snap her gaze to him. She snarled before disappearing into the wall again.
“I’ve been dodging those things ever since we got here,” Logan said as he straightened.
Dante pointed the glowing dagger at the shifter. “I’ve seen those things before. Those are witch spirits.” He offered his palm as he held up the blade. “Give me your hand.”
Logan frowned. “What? Why?”
“Because I need to make sure you’re not possessed.”
“Dante…” I rolled my eyes. The Hunter just wanted an excuse to slice up my wolf.
Dante blatantly ignored me. “You know how I got my powers as a Hunter? From witches. I know them better than anyone, which means I’m your only defense here.” He lowered his voice. “Now give me your fucking hand.”
“Fine,” Logan snapped and did as requested.
The Hunter didn’t hesitate and sliced Logan’s palm, leaving a bright red line as my shifter growled.
Dante murmured a chant under his breath, one I didn’t recognize, and the wound glowed with the same ruby power as his blade. It reminded me of the Blood Stone, but a lingering scent of spice hit my nose, distinctly different than the burning aroma magic the Blood Stone typically supplied.
Logan clutched his arm as his veins lit up. The spell traveled through him with impressive speed, running through the arteries until his entire body glowed.
“Damn it! That fucking hurts!”
Dante smirked. “Well, if you had been possessed that spell probably would have killed you. But now you’re immune to witch spirits for a few hours, so you’re welcome.”
I shoved myself between them. “Dante!”
He grinned, showing off those dimples that made him look deceptively sweet as he sheathed his dagger. “Relax. I’m going to scout the tunnels and clean out the spirits.” He jabbed Logan in the chest. “So you keep her safe or I’ll do more than slice up your wrist when I get back.”
The shifter growled. “I thought you weren’t going to leave her alone with me?”
Dante huffed and twirled his blade. “My magic’s in you, wolf.
I’ll know if she’s in trouble and I can get here fast enough to rip your head off, so don’t fuck it up.
” He pushed Logan aside to get to me. He swept in and brushed his lips over my neck, making goosebumps spread across my skin.
“I’m not an idiot. We’re facing literal Hell here and your Awakening is long overdue.
” He glanced at the wolf as he gave me another sensual kiss on my pulse, making me shiver.
“Just promise you’ll think of me when you seal the mate-circle. ”
Logan shoved Dante off of me before I could reply, which was just as well. I’d forgotten how to breathe.
“Stop getting on my last nerve, Hunter.”
Dante flung up his hands. “She’s all yours, wolf. I work faster alone and there’s a lot of ground to cover to meet up with the others.” He adjusted his blade as his orange eyes fell on me. “I’ll be back soon.”
Logan chuckled. “Take your time.” His arms slipped around my waist and pulled me against him, making me squeak when his erection hit my backside. He brushed away my hair and buried his nose into my neck to breathe me in. “She smells delicious and I’m going to take my time.”
I swallowed hard.
To my surprise, Dante smirked as he wrapped his cloak around himself, masking his silhouette against the cave walls in the darkness. His mind briefly touched mine as he slipped out of sight.
As I said… think of me.