Andros,Afanasiv said, using the link Gaia provided.You cannot allow Patsy to get between you and the others. Each time she starts to circle around you, drop back and cut her off. When she charges you directly, make certain not to use a circular defense. Always know where you are in relationship to the others.
Vasilisa’s heart began to pound. There were so many demons. How could her brothers possibly escape, especially with Lada in such terrible condition?Maybe this is a bad idea. The evil one might be so angry at them for attempting to escape that she might just kill them all outright.
This is no place to live, my lady. You see what she’s doing to your brothers. You don’t want them to become fully demon. Gaia is working on healing Grigor right now while Andros is making his opening moves. Once she has gotten rid of the evil one’s ability to control Grigor, then she will start on Andros,he soothed.
Vasilisa touched her brother Grigor. She could see the thick scars in his mind already dissolving. Gaia was fast at erasing them.
Can she get rid of your scars?
Your brothers’ scarring is new. It is also different from mine. They didn’t acquire it through a fault of their own. They didn’t kill over and over as I did. They chose to save the life of a loved one. Their scars are scars of sacrifice.
Instantly, Vasilisa was outraged.And your scars are not? You didn’t get them in the defense of your people? Of all people? Mine? Human? That is some bullshit right there, Siv.
In spite of the gravity of the situation, she felt his amusement wrapped up in a deeper, growing, very genuine affection for her. That felt—good. Authentic. She didn’t want him to be with her because she had guarded his soul and they were destined. She wanted him to be with her because of who she was—the real, flawed, imperfect Vasilisa.
A flood of warmth spread through her as he surrounded her with his strength and approval.Perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and it is supposed to be flawed so the devil doesn’t look too closely at it.
Vasilisa would have thrown her arms around him and kissed himif she had a body right then. The crack of a whip snapped her attention back to Andros. He had backed halfway across the arena toward Gaia, Grigor and the two women.
Did Gaia check to see if the evil one still had any control over Karine and Lada?she asked, worried. She still didn’t understand how the escape was going to work.
Yes. When she was healing them. That was the first thing she did.
Vasilisa was just a little annoyed that she hadn’t been in the loop on that.
I tried to fill you in, but you had shut me out. We will talk about that later.
There was an ominous ring to the way he put that, even though he’d used that low, compelling tone that felt like he was brushing velvet over her skin. She had shut off the connection between the two of them automatically, worried that if things went wrong, he would not be able to help her brothers. She checked in with him to ensure things were going according to plan, but she hadn’t told him what had transpired on her end—at least not yet.
Gaia was now up against the door, Lada with her. Lada seemed to be standing better, although Karine had her arm around her, so it was difficult to tell for certain. Grigor stood in front of the group, making it even more difficult to tell what was happening.
Why aren’t they going? Andros can’t keep engaging with Patsy. What if he slips and goes down?
Patsy charged him more than once. She was massive, as big as any bull and fast on her feet. She utilized her size and strength, sometimes on four legs and others on two. She wielded her sword expertly. On the other hand, Andros snapped the fire whip with equal or superior expertise, so much so that furious betting was taking place in the stands. He scored over and over, the sizzling-hot orange-red flames streaking out to flay flesh from Patsy’s massive body. Patsy stumbled when the whip wrapped around her neck several times and Andros yanked hard, taking his prisoner to her knees. He dragged her towardhim as he went backward, all the while continuing to wrap the fire whip around Patsy’s body.
Now, Vasi, the crystal flames. Turn the fire whip to a demon killer,Andros ordered.
She didn’t see how that was going to do anything but incite the demons to riot and possibly rush her brother and the others. She sent the blue flames licking along his whip, and Andros sent more coils around Patsy.
Smoke burst from her hide, and holes began to appear through her. She howled and stomped as he pulled the whip tighter and tighter around her neck and down her arms so that she was forced to drop her sword and shield. Flames licked up from her hooves to her horns, blue-hot, leaping high, spreading fast, jumping to the bodies on the arena floor and to the columns holding the structure in place.
The demons in the stands suddenly began humming low, and cracks appeared in the arena floor as the ground shook over and over. The greedy blue flames seemed to take on a life of their own, rushing over the crowds in the stands, finding the living demons and consuming them as they tried to run.
Gaia opened the door to the stairs. Instead of sending them up, she pointed to a very narrow door leading down. “Go that way. Hurry. I’ll be right behind you. Go, Grigor. Take the lead.”
Andros came behind them, coiling the fire whip around his arm. Afanasiv barely made it through the door before it slammed closed behind them. Gaia turned and safeguarded the door, blocking it from opening on either side.
CHAPTER
10
Afanasiv had taken this route with Gaia once before. Back then, so long ago, it had been just him running for his life. He had been severely wounded, drained of blood, so much so that Gaia hadn’t been able to replace what he’d lost. She had done her best to get him to safety, and he had been grateful, but she had insisted she stay behind. No matter what he said or did, Gaia refused to go with him.
Lada was in much better shape than she appeared, thanks to Gaia’s healing efforts. Once Gaia caught up with them, she led the way, with Grigor following right behind her. The two Lycan women were in the middle, with Andros bringing up the rear. Afanasiv stayed close to Gaia. He knew where the threats would come from. If Lilith had added any new traps in her house of horrors, he wanted to be able to find them before any of the others.
Pay close attention to the walls, floor and ceiling, Vasi,he cautioned.Note the slightest change. Anything that might indicate a difference. An insect. A smear of dirt where it shouldn’t be. The walls and floor are hostile. The ceiling could suddenly come down.
He gave the same warning to her brothers. He wanted as manypairs of eyes looking as possible. He didn’t include Karine and Lada simply because the two women were exhausted, and both had injuries. They needed to conserve strength for running in case of an immediate threat—and there was bound to be at least one.