She was his light. His only hope. The way out of the darkness.

“You are strong, intelligent and honorable,” she said. “And I’ve come to accept you will always solve problems with your fists and sometimes daggers. You have to. You’re at war. But there are some things you can’t—”

“Katarina,” he said, stopping her. He cupped her cheeks, caressing her silken skin with his thumbs. “You are—”

“Bored with this conversation? Yes.” Hades’s voice brutally murdered the tender moment. “Also, I thought a literal tit for tat was only fair. Now we’re even.”

Destruction came awake with a jolt and a desire to slaughter.

Baden scrambled from the bed, throwing a sheet over Katarina, who shoved her hands under the pillow she’d straightened earlier.

He glared at the king. “You made a mistake, coming here like this.”

“What are you going to do? Spank me? I’d probably like it. What you won’t do? Renege on our bargain. I’m ready for my conversation with the girl.”

A loud bang erupted at the door, as if it had just been hit by a Mack truck. Bang, bang. The wood cracked and split, and two large hellhounds prowled inside the room, their gazes locked on Hades, who stared at them with shock.

“It’s true, then,” he said, slack-jawed. “My hounds are—”

A menacing rumble rose from the pair, all not yours, never yours.

Hades narrowed his focus to Katarina.

Wrapped in the bedsheet, she stood, a vision of strength and courage, unwilling to back down in the face of danger. “They are mine.”

Hades turned his glare to Baden. “You have five minutes to dress and bring the girl to my throne room. You won’t like what happens if you’re late.”

31

“Baduction might be a brute, but he’s my brute.”

—Katarina Joelle, newly minted member of the hellhounds

KATARINA’S STOMACH FILLED with acid as she dressed in a clean T-shirt and pants, the coin clutched tightly in her fist. When the beautiful dark-haired man—Hades—had first appeared, she’d feared he’d come for it, meaning to snatch it before she could use it.

But he hadn’t. Now she had to deal with him. She had to use the coin, which meant she had to decide what mattered most. Since Baden no longer despised his bands, she could use it to become immortal, as he wanted, so they could share a future, or she could use it to save the dogs once and for all.

Baden dressed in his customary black shirt and camo pants before strapping weapons all over his body. He took hold of her wrist, staring at the hand clasping the coin—debating what to do?—before framing her cheeks with his big hands.

“I want you immortal.” His tone was firm, unbending. That he hadn’t simply tried to take the coin...well, it proved just how much he trusted and admired her.

“I know,” she said softly.

But he wasn’t done. “I love you, and I must have you in my life. Without you, I have nothing. Without you, I am nothing.”

I am his strength, she realized, her eyes growing wide.

“And I don’t want to put any pressure on you, but without you I will destroy the world and everyone in it.”

She choked on the combination of a laugh and a sob.

Once upon a time...

He is my new story.

Love changed everything, didn’t it?

She gave him a gentle kiss, a silent moment of communion. “I love you. Love being with you. But I also love the hounds.”

As she lifted her head, Roar nudged her leg.

—You go to Hades, we go to Hades—

“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t like the thought of you in danger.”

“Imagine how I feel about the possibility of you in danger,” Baden began.

Roar prodded him out of the way, letting the warrior know he wasn’t part of the conversation. —Hades knows we follow you. He will want you in his employ and will stop at nothing to get you. Do not agree. Our ancestors bled to free themselves from his rule. We will not make light of their sacrifice and submit to him.—

“Was he cruel to them before he killed them? Your ancestors, I mean.” How much pain and misery had he dished?

—He blamed the entire race for the centuries he spent imprisoned.—

So, yes. Yes, he’d been cruel. Probably more so than she could even imagine.

“The man Hades is today isn’t the man he was in the past,” Baden said. He couldn’t hear the hound, but he could guess what had been said based on her response. “There’s good in him. I’ve sensed it, even seen it.”

And had come to love it, she thought. Had come to love the man himself.

—Your mate is blinded by his bands.—

Or the hounds were blinded by their hate.

—We will go with you. Get used to the idea.—

“All right. But I’ll have to hold on to you when Baden flashes me.”

Roar gave her a just try it look and shook his head, dead fleas falling from his fur. First order of business when she returned: giving the entire pack a bath.

Wonder how they’ll react to that.

—I know you’ve only just met me, girl, but surely even you can sense my power. We will never need the warrior’s help.—

Great. She’d offended him.

“We must go.” Baden tugged her to his side. “Whatever happens, remember that I love you, that you are my top priority, and I will allow no one—no one—to hurt you or the hounds.”

“I love you, too.” She rested her head on his shoulder, trusting him, and by the time she’d wrapped her arm around his waist, he’d already flashed them to Hades.

A new room took shape—a throne room. The sight of it shocked her and, before she’d met Baden, might have made her vomit. Blood splattered the walls. Screams sounded in the distance. A pile of dead bodies rested in the corner. The pungent scent of what could only be brimstone stung her nostrils. And the throne itself—compiled of human bones—was a monstrosity. Now she merely thought: Hades should fire his decorator.

The male sat on that throne with a bored expression, as if he hadn’t ordered their attendance. An old man wearing a robe stood at his right, and four warriors were lined up at his left. Those warriors were a lot like Baden: scary-ass sexy.

Every man on the royal dais stared at her, taking her measure.