Chapter Twenty-Two

W e can’t just stay up here and do nothing,” Ryder said, pacing the beach and glaring at Lou.

“I agree,” Dalton added. “I can’t believe you let him go down there without us.”

“We’re a team of hunters,” Punk complained. “Not singular. A team. Goddammit, I’m itching to get down there and kick their asses.”

Lou crossed his arms and sighed; he’d known this was coming. He should have alerted them right away, but he wanted time to communicate with the Realm first. The other Keepers were outraged that he had allowed Derek to attempt to breach the surface and head underground in search of Gina.

Gina’s life was undoubtedly forfeit, the Realm had surmised.

A hunter could kill thousands of demons, save thousands of lives.

A valuable hunter should never compromise his own life in search of one lost soul.

Sometimes the Keepers didn’t have a grasp on reality, either.

And the Keepers didn’t understand how much Derek loved Gina.

Lou did, though. So he listened to them argue, accepting their recriminations for what they considered his bad decision, and in the end nothing had changed. Derek had done the right thing. Maybe not what he should have done for the good of the Realm, but he’d done what was right.

And dammit, if Lou had done that years ago, his beloved Anna and their children might still be alive today. If he had put his wife and children ahead of his duties as Keeper, if he had walked away from all this and hidden them, they would be alive now. But he had put his duties as Keeper first. He had put the Realm first, and his wife and children had died because of it.

The painful memories twisted his gut. Burying them deep, he focused on the hunters.

“You realize you could all die down there,” he stated.

Mutinous expressions greeted him. Even those of the newest hunters.

“We could all die up here,” Trace argued.

“If it were one of us down there, and there was a chance we were still alive, he’d have sent the whole team down after us,” Shay argued. “And you know damn well Gina would be the first one in line to go.”

“We succeed or fail as a team,” Olivia added. “If Gina is down there and alive, and Derek is obviously convinced she is, then we all need to help.”

They had all bonded. He couldn’t be prouder of them.

“Pack as much ammo and weaponry as possible.”

“Now you’re talkin’,” Punk said, grabbing his gear and loading up his weapons.

“Just one thing before you go,” Lou said, stepping up to the table where the weaponry was stored.

Dalton paused and raised a brow. “What?”

“I’m a little rusty on the weaponry, so while we’re traipsing through the jungle, give me a refresher course. I’ve a mind to kick a little demon ass myself.”

“Oh, hell yeah!” Linc said, clapping Lou on the back.

It was time to reenter the world of demon hunting.

Lou wanted Derek back, and he was damn well going to face the bastards himself.

 

Okay, this whole captured, damsel-in-distress bit was wearing thin. Gina had grown tired of being tied up and used as a pawn in whatever sick, twisted game Ben was playing with Derek.

She’d rather be dead than used this way.

“Derek, just let them kill me,” she pleaded as they bound her once again to an icy cold dirt table.

Derek stood next to Ben, his gaze unfocused as he shook his head. “I can’t let them hurt you, babe. Sorry.”

Well, this just sucked. Ben was going to have to die, and soon.

As soon as she figured out how. Maybe pleading with Derek, convincing him they weren’t going to let her off unscathed, would do the trick.

“They’re going to use me to make more of those half demons. Use my body to make more of them.”

Derek looked to Ben, who shook his head. “You have my word she will not be used that way. She is your mate, and you are a child of the Sons of Darkness.” His lips curled. “We do hold some things sacred, you know. We would never use the mate of one of the Sons that way.”

She didn’t believe a word he said. Surely Derek wasn’t buying into his bullshit. The Sons of Darkness thought very little of females. “What about my mother, Ben? Where’s my mother? You turned her into a baby-making machine for your twisted creatures.”

Ben moved to her side, running his cold fingers along the inside of her arm. Refusing to curl away in revulsion, she kept her gaze focused on his.

“Ah yes. The lovely Rebecca. She turned out quite a few half-breeds for us before she had to be destroyed.”

It couldn’t have hurt more had he plunged a knife in her heart. A part of her had always held out hope that her mother was still alive somewhere. Foolish, but childish dreams faded slowly.

Ben’s words shattered that dream.

Her mother was dead.

This pain was unbearable, a hollow ache so deep she really did want to die. But she refused to let him see it, unwilling to shed a tear in front of this monster. Instead, she let the hatred inside her flow, so that was the only thing he saw.

He arched a brow and inhaled. “The sweet scent of anger. It fills my soul, lovely woman. You will be an asset to the Sons of Darkness.”

Gritting her teeth to fight back the tears, she said, “I will kill you.”

He looked down on her and smiled, patting her arm in a patronizing manner, treating her as if she were nothing more than a tiny bug. “If you say so.”

Turning his attention to Derek, Ben said, “It’s time.”

Derek stepped forward, resignation rendering him expressionless. “I have questions first.”

“Go right ahead.”

“Who are the Sons of Darkness?”

“Twelve demon Lords originated the Sons of Darkness, charged with entering the human world to disrupt the balance of good, to gain souls for, I guess you would say, our side,” Ben finished with a smile.

“Soul stealers?”

“Sort of. Darkness and evil require much feeding, my son. They always hunger.”

Derek felt sick, unable to fathom being blood kin to this vile creature. “How did you choose my mother?”

“She was purity and innocence. We are most attracted to those whose souls are either troubled or incredibly white.” He looked pointedly at Gina.

“You feed off corrupting goodness?”

Ben folded his arms. “Of course. And soon, so will you.”

He’d kill himself before he ever allowed that to happen. But he’d rather kill all of them, instead. “Where’s Dominic?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Your brother is an amazing young man. You’d be quite proud of him.”

“Is he one of you?”

“He is just like you. And not at all like you.”

Cryptic much? That told him nothing. “Where is he?”

“Soon, Derek. First we must bring you into the fold. Then we will reunite you with your brother. There is so much you have to learn about us. Our power grows stronger every day.”

“What about limitations?”

Ben grinned and clasped his shoulder. “As I said, one step at a time. All will be revealed soon enough.”

He wasn’t going to get all the answers right now, no matter how many questions he asked. “Just tell me what you want me to do and let’s get this over with.”

“Release her,” Ben said to the demons watching over Gina. They untied her bonds and dragged her up, thrusting her back against Ben’s chest.

Derek clenched his fists when Ben smoothed his hand over Gina’s throat, her collarbone, letting his fingertips rest just above the swell of her breast. It sickened him to see Ben touching her that intimately. His father would pay for that.

Through it all, Gina kept her gaze on Derek. Her eyes were clear, trusting.

Trusting in him. She smiled at him, nodded, and he knew then she would accept whatever it would take to get them both out of this mess with their souls intact.

If that meant they both had to die by Derek’s hand, so be it.

“What do you want?” he asked Ben.

When Ben raised his head and looked at Derek, the darkness within him was evident. Derek had to force himself to stand firm and not back away against the malevolence reflected in his father’s glowing eyes. He’d never felt a force so powerful.

“Accept what lives within you,” Ben said, his voice deepening. “Acknowledge the demon blood that is part of you. Let it out, use it to transform Gina.”

“I won’t do that.”

“Then she dies.” Ben’s claws extended, a thick, sticky substance dripping down along Gina’s skin. Derek saw the horror on Gina’s face, even though she tried to mask it.

Derek could feel her fear, as well as the pure evil surrounding them. Darkness closed in, clawing at him, cutting off his air. His blood burned and he ached to dive for Gina. But not to save her. To take what was his, to ravage her as he’d wanted to do each time he made love to her, to drive himself inside her and possess her.

“No!” he yelled, clutching his head, squeezing his temples to force the darkness away. Fighting it hurt, the pain so intense it nearly dropped him to the ground.

“You can’t resist the urges,” Ben crooned. “They’ve been with you your entire life, but not until you met this woman did the physical urge to mate, to let the beast roar inside you, claw its way to the surface. Now you realize what you might be capable of. Take the pleasures offered to you. Become one of the Sons of Darkness. There is so much about us you don’t know. You only know the demons you’ve seen, but there is more. Much more. You will truly never have another experience like this. And you will be able to keep Gina by your side forever.”

Derek’s mouth burned, his teeth tingled, pain like a strike of lightning electrifying his insides. Evil surrounded him, more powerful than anything he had ever fought. Fangs tore through his gums and replaced his teeth, and the snarl that tore from his throat wasn’t human.

“That’s my boy,” his father said, loosening his grip on Gina as Derek approached. Ben’s claws traced a line across the top of Gina’s left breast. A thin trail of blood appeared, and Derek stilled.

“Now take what is yours. Make her one of us or I will kill her.”

Frustrated, powerless, and blinded by the haze of lust threatening to consume him, Derek knew he had no other choice. “You win, goddammit. Give her to me!”

With a loud roar, he spread his arms wide and finally let loose the beast he’d fought so hard to harness. A sudden gust of wind moaned and ripped through the room, nearly lifting him off the ground. Anger and violence sailed in on the wind, a haze of red covering his eyes like bloody blinders. Every muscle in his body popped, his blood surging with lust for blood and flesh, a hunger nearly uncontrollable. His gaze tore to Gina, to the thin line of blood above her breast, his stomach churning with a need so violent he could barely control it.

“Don’t fight it,” he heard Ben say. “Let the pleasure and pain envelop you, then do what the voices urge you to do.”

If he did that, Gina would be in pieces by now.

“You will learn to control your urges in time,” Ben said. “Take her. Do it now!” Ben pushed Gina into Derek’s arms.

Derek’s fingers dug into Gina’s skin and he knew he bruised her, but had no control over that. His mouth opened with the need to bury his face in her neck, to taste her flesh, her blood. He bent down and licked the thin trickle of blood at her breast. So sweet, but it burned on his tongue. Shuddering, he fought against his dark needs and swept her into his arms, instead taking in the scent of her hair, the shampoo she used.

Normal, human, the sweetness of her. He clung to those lifelines like a rapidly shredding rope, the only part of humanity left in this blinding vortex that was quickly sucking his soul from his body. He prayed his love for Gina was more pure, stronger than the demon blood coursing through his veins, prayed that he could fight this off and maintain his humanity.

If not, he mentally begged forgiveness for what he would do to her. Gathering her close, he whispered raggedly in her ear.

“I love you, Gina.”

 

Gina would have sworn she’d misheard Derek’s whispered words, especially considering what she’d just seen. The transformation had been horrifying, yet through it all she still believed he retained his soul, that he hadn’t yet given up the fight.

But then she heard a growl. Tilting her head back, the sight that greeted her had a shriek tearing from her throat.

That wasn’t Derek gripping her, his fingers gouging her skin. His eyes were blood red like a demon’s, his teeth elongated. A scowl of demonic anger marred his normally perfect features. His cheekbones had hollowed, lending him a gaunt and ghostly appearance. That same ugly visage she’d seen every time they’d fought those…creatures.

“Don’t do this, Derek,” she whispered.

His lips moved, but no words came out. She knew he was struggling to maintain his humanity as he bent low, his lips touching her ear. “Holding on by a goddamned thread here, Gina. Scream. Fight me. Now!”

Instinct kicked in and she did just that. “No!” she cried out, kicking and struggling against him. It wasn’t too hard to do considering the way he held her, his claws scraping along the flesh of her back and hip. She tried to extricate her arms but he’d pinned them at her sides, so she kicked his legs. It was like battling against a giant redwood tree, her attack on him having no effect at all. Nevertheless, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Her struggles will arouse you, Derek,” she heard Ben say. “The more she fights, the better it will be for you.”

What a disgusting animal Ben was. It was hard to believe that man was Derek’s father. She leaned into Derek’s chest, trying to get close enough to his ear so he’d hear her.

Derek breathed heavily against her, the sound more animalistic than human. She shuddered, realizing the man holding her wasn’t really Derek anymore.

She was losing him. Tears slid down her cheeks. This could not happen. She tilted her head back and rested her neck on his forearm, no longer fighting him. “Look at me, Derek.”

He did, and this time she didn’t flinch when she met his gaze. Ignoring the swirling red haze in his eyes, the dripping fangs, the horrible grimace on his face, she remembered laughing and sparring with him, arguing with him, remembered the way he touched her and kissed her.

Dammit, she wanted that Derek back.

“I love you,” she whispered, her heart hurting with the swell of emotion. “Do you hear me? I love you. Don’t let these demons overcome you. You fought them before, you can do it again. Don’t leave me.”

He frowned, his thick brows arching together in a point. He looked angry, but not at her. Then he shook his head and growled.

She worked one of her hands free, but instead of fighting him, she ran her palm against his cheek, nearly sobbing at the feel of his beard stubble against her hand. “I love you.”

Then he shocked the hell out of her by bending down and kissing her. Only it wasn’t a demon kissing her. It was Derek. Her Derek. The man she loved, kissing her with gentle sweeping motions of his lips against hers.

When he raised his head, everything about him was normal. His face, his eyes, his mouth…it was all Derek. Her Derek.

He pulled her upright, then turned to Ben. “This game is over. You’re going to die, asshole.”

Ben’s eyes widened. “This is not possible. You are one of the Sons of Darkness.”

Derek folded his arms. “Apparently not, old man. In this case, not like father, like son. I want no part of you or the Sons of Darkness. I am my mother’s son. You can all go back to hell where you belong.”

“I witnessed your transformation.”

“No, you didn’t. Derek’s transformation happened a very long time ago, Ben. You weren’t there to witness it. I was.”

Derek whirled at the sound of Lou’s voice, shocked to see all the hunters poised, guns drawn, at the entrance to the room.

His spirits soared as they surrounded the demons. The demons backed away, growling, rushing to surround Ben.

Dalton sidled up next to Derek and Gina, handing off weapons and shades. Derek took them, feeling much better now that he was armed and with his hunters again.

His brothers.

His family.

“Ah,” Ben said. “Louis. Welcome to my domain. How nice to see one of the Keepers of the Realm of Light again. It has been a very long time.”

“Again?” Derek turned to Lou. “What does he mean, again?”

“You never told him, did you, Louis?”

“No, I didn’t,” Lou said, his gaze narrowed. “He didn’t need to know what you’d done.”

“Sins of the father are always wonderful burdens to carry, though.”

Okay, what the hell was going on? Derek looked to Lou and then to Ben. The tension rocketed between them, a powerful force building in the room.

“It wasn’t his responsibility, Ben,” Lou said. “It was yours. The boy shouldn’t suffer for your sins.”

“Always the protector, aren’t you?” Ben said, shaking his head before turning to Derek. “Louis never told you about the night I visited his home in Scotland. The night I took care of his lovely Anna, and sweet little Henry and Edward.”

Derek’s gaze shot to Lou and saw the truth in Lou’s eyes. He felt sucker-punched. “Why didn’t you tell me? You knew, didn’t you? You knew who my father was all along.”

Lou sighed. “Yes. I knew. But I hoped you would never have to know.”

“Why?”

“Because it didn’t matter. I knew you had power beyond that of a human. I watched you. From the time you were a boy the Realm has kept its eye on you. But I never once thought you would turn out like your father. You have your mother’s strength within you, Derek. You proved that just now.”

What the hell was he supposed to think? How was he supposed to react to this bombshell? His father had killed Lou’s wife and children. Lou had known what he was all along, and yet had treated him like his own son for years, had taught him, sheltered him, trusted him. He’d brought Derek into the Realm of Light, knowing he carried demon blood.

Lou had been more of a father than Ben had ever been.

And Ben had wreaked more havoc in their lives than could ever be punished.

But he would be punished.

“I’m sorry, Lou,” Derek said, his voice low. He’d never felt such pain before, such anguish.

“It’s long ago. And it wasn’t your fault. Don’t take the blame for this, Derek,” Lou said, pointing his weapon at Ben.

“No, I know exactly who to blame,” Derek said as he looked to Ben.

The demons took a step forward, their growls menacing. They tightened their formation around Ben.

The coward.

“Spread out,” Derek ordered, readying his laser. “Cover the exits.” No fucking way was this asshole going to escape.

The lights faded and darkness descended. Derek slipped on his glasses, clarifying the room. The demons started toward them, but Derek knew who he wanted.

His father was going to die.

Derek was going to kill him.

 

Gina flipped her shades on, grateful to once again have a weapon in her hand. She didn’t play helpless very well, which was why she didn’t take those roles in her films. On top and kicking ass suited her much better, and there were demons in the way of her ultimate target right now.

Her heart hurt for Derek and for Lou. She didn’t even think of Ben as Derek’s father anymore. She knew Derek, or at least knew him better than she’d known any other person, and no part of Ben lived within him. There wasn’t an ounce of evil within him.

But Ben? Ben had to go down.

Way down.

She raised her weapon and targeted an approaching demon, melting it before it could launch at her. She’d never felt so empowered before. Tie her up and make her feel like a helpless ninny, will they? Man, she hated that shit. Another went down. Then another. The hunters were in sync, blasting in a protective circle, eliminating row upon row of demons as they worked their way through the line toward Ben.

And Ben stood against the wall, watching with a smug smile on his face, no doubt assured of his own victory.

Ha! Ben didn’t know his son at all, did he?

But Gina did.

She blasted another demon, watching it fall. She’d do this as long as it took, but the numbers of demons were dwindling, and they were drawing closer to Ben.

She knew Derek wanted to kill him, to destroy his own father. But she wanted to help him. She wanted revenge for her mother’s death, for the death of Lou’s wife and children.

As they fought back the demons, she noticed Ben moving along the wall toward one of the exits.

Oh, no. That was not going to happen. They had a demon Lord in their midst and they were not going to let him go. Her gaze shot to Derek, then Lou, who were busy firing off their lasers. No one else noticed Ben.

She did, though. And she was in the back of the group. Skirting behind the line of fire, she bent low and snuck around the edge of the action, intercepting Ben just as he was about to hit the doorway. Derek reached him at the same time.

“You’re not leaving us, are you…Dad?” Derek asked with a smirk.

Gina blocked the doorway, raising her laser and pointing it directly at Ben’s chest.

“He’s not going anywhere,” she said.

In fact, Ben was going to die.

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