THE HIKE TOOK AN HOUR, a slow torturous hour as well as a too-quick span, and then Geryon found himself standing a few yards from the wall. When he comprehended the carnage around him, he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. The demons had worked so fervently, they had bled all over the stones—stones that had been shredded, almost paper thin. A hole was imminent.

Worse, the horde of Demon Lords was still there. They were huge, all of them at least seven foot, their bodies so broad that even Geryon, massive as he was, would not be able to stretch his arms wide enough to measure them. Skeletons were visible underneath the translucent skin. A few had wings, a few scales, and all were grotesque in their evil. Red eyes, horns like Geryon and fingers like knives.

“Kadence,” he said.

“I’m trying, Geryon, I swear I am.” Each word was softer, weaker. “But…”

One of the…things spotted them. Laughed, a sound that raised every hair on his body.

“Now,” he shouted to Kadence. Please.

“Freeze, demons. I demand that you freeze.”

They did not.

“Try again.”

“Am.” She glared over at them—nothing. Pointed her hands at them—nothing. Groaned with the force of her will—but still nothing happened. The Lords did not freeze in place. “I can’t,” she gasped out.

“What’s wrong?” He glanced at her, even as he moved in front of her, repositioning his arm around her waist. She had paled, as she had while working in the bar, and her trembling had returned. Had his arm not been around her, he knew she would have fallen. Had the bonding not worked, then? “Talk to me, sweetheart.”

He watched the demons as they rallied together, watching him. Laughing. Imagining how they would kill him?

“I’m bound to you and the wall. I can feel your strength, its weakness, and it’s tearing me apart,” she cried. “I’m sorry. So sorry. All of this was for nothing, Geryon. Nothing! I’m doomed. I was doomed all along.”

“Not nothing, never nothing. We have each other.” But for how long? “I won’t let you die.”

“Nothing can be done.”

Slowly the demons stalked forward, predators locked on prey. Eerie delight radiated from them. “I’ll kill them all. We’ll run. We’ll—”

“You are the best thing that ever happened to me,” she said weakly, leaning her cheek against his back.

“I forbade you to talk like that, Kadence.” To say goodbye. For that’s what she was doing, he knew it was.

“Kill them and run, just as you planned. Live in peace and freedom, my love. Both are yours. You deserve them.”

No. No! “You will not die.” But even as he said it, the wall, so badly damaged, began to crack, to crumble, the hole appearing. Widening. “Swear to me that you will not die.”

Kadence’s knees finally gave out, and he turned, roaring, easing her to the ground. Her eyes were closed. “So…sorry. Love.”

“No. You will live. Do you hear me? You will live!”

Her head lolled to the side. Then, nothing.

“Kadence.” He shook her. “Kadence!”

No response. But there was a rising and falling of her chest. She lived still. Thank gods, thank gods, thank gods.

“Tell me how to help you, Kadence. Please.”

Again, nothing.

“Please.” Tears burned his eyes. He had not cried for the wife that left him, had not cried for the life he’d lost, but he cried for this woman. I need you. She wanted him to stop the demons from leaving this realm, and then leave himself, but Geryon couldn’t bring himself to move from her side.

Without her, he had no reason to go on.

Something sharp scraped at his neck, and he jerked his head to the side. The Lords flew around them, cackling with glee. “Leave us,” he growled. He would spend however long was necessary, holding her until it was safe enough to move her.

“Kill her,” one demon beseeched.

“Destroy her.”

“Maim her.”

“Too late. She’s gone.”

More laughter.

Bastards! One of them swooped down and raked a claw over her cheek, drawing blood before Geryon realized what was happening. She did not react. But he did. He roared with so much fury, the sound scraped at his ears.

The rest of the demons scented the lifeblood and purred in delight. Then there was a moment of absolute stillness and quiet. The calm before the storm. For, in the next instant, they attacked in a frenzy.

Geryon roared again, throwing himself over Kadence to take the brunt of their assault. Soon his back was in tatters, one of his horns chewed loose, a tendon severed. All the while he swung out his arm, hoping to slay as many as he could with his poison, but only one failed to dodge his blow.

On and on the laughter and abuse continued.

“I love you,” Kadence suddenly whispered in his ear. “Your scream…pulled me from…darkness. Had to…tell you.”

She had awakened? His muscles spasmed in shock and relief. “I love you. Stay with me. Don’t leave me. Please. If you stay awake, just long enough to defend yourself, I can kill them. We can leave.”

“I’m…sorry. Can’t.”

Then he would find a way to save her and continue protecting her. He never would have brought her into Hell had he known this would happen. He would have spent his entire existence at the gate, fighting to protect it. Her.

Wait. Fighting to protect. These demons wanted to escape. That’s why they were here.

“Go,” he screamed to them. “Leave this place. The mortal realm is yours.” He didn’t care anymore. Only Kadence mattered.

As if the wall had merely been waiting for his permission, it finally toppled completely. Which meant—

“No,” he screamed. “I did not mean for you to collapse. I only meant for the demons to fly through.” But it was too late, the damage was done.

Gleeful, the Demon Lords abandoned him and flew into the cave, then disappeared from view.

A new stream of tears burned Geryon’s eyes as he gathered Kadence in his bleeding arms. “Tell me the wall no longer matters. Tell me I can now carry you to safety. That we can be together.”

“Goodbye, my love,” she said, and died in his arms.