Page 40 of The Guardian (Dark-Hunter 20)
Chapter 13
Terrified, Lydia started to open the door to tear this place down until she found Seth, but Jaden grabbed her just before she committed suicide.
"Don't be stupid," he snarled in her ear as he held her still with his hand on her upper arm. "They'll tear you apart-and enjoy every minute of it. And what good would that do any of us? Believe me, I don't want to scrape bloody chunks of you off the floor and ceiling. Or get your remains smeared on the bottom of my shoes."
She curled her lip in distaste at what he described. That was basically the last thing she wanted, too.
Releasing her arm, he nudged her aside so that she'd be hidden by the door before he opened it.
She bit her lip as he left her alone in his room. He was right. What she'd almost done would have been the worst sort of stupid.
Thank the gods, he'd stopped her. But she couldn't think straight after hearing that news. Seth couldn't be dead.
Tears choked her as an image of him lying in pieces haunted her.
Why do I care?
She had no idea. And yet there was no denying the pain crushing her chest at the thought of him ...
I have to know what happened.
Putting her ear to the door, she tried as hard as she could, but she couldn't hear anything else outside. No clue about what had happened or what was going on. Come on ... someone tell me something.
Anything.
Time ticked by so slowly that it nauseated her. She was about to go insane before Jaden finally returned. He manifested in the room, right in front of her.
"Well?" she asked hopefully.
He hesitated and her heart stopped beating as she braced herself for the worst. The longer he delayed, the more her pain built until she had no idea how she was able to hold back her sobs.
"He's not dead," he said finally.
For that mean pause alone, she could have kicked him as she let out one audible sob at the good news. The relief from those three words was staggering. And for that, she was so grateful, she could almost kiss him.
Seth wasn't dead.
Oh thank you, gods, thank you!
"Where is he?" she asked Jaden.
He swallowed audibly. "I don't think you want me to answer that." The note in his voice returned her terror tenfold.
What could have happened? Did Noir have him caged like they'd done to Solin? Her mind ran wild with horrific possibilities as she remembered all the images and stories Jaden had told her about this place and what went on here.
"Jaden," she chided. "C'mon. After everything else you've told me? I have to know where he is."
"It's that bad, Lydia. You're better off staying here for now."
Her heart pounding, she heard Noir cursing outside the door as he tried to open it. "Jaden! You worthless piece of shit, get out here. Now!"
Jaden vanished.
She pressed her ear to the door again, desperate for any nugget of a detail. She had to know something or she'd go mad.
"You yelled?" Jaden sneered contemptuously in a tone she was surprised didn't get him backhanded.
"Can you get that bastard dog down?"
"I can try. I'm not sure he'll be in one piece when I do, though. Hope that's okay with you?"
Was he serious?
What had they done to Seth now? She covered her mouth with her hand as horror for him consumed her.
"You better succeed, maggot. I need his power. Do you understand? You let him die and you'll take his place."
"Good luck with that."
This time, she heard the blow that sent Jaden slamming into the door that separated them.
"Bring him back alive. I need him."
She heard Jaden push himself up. "Then why did you send him out there alone?"
She heard the sound of another vicious slap.
"You better remember who you are now, worm. You're not my equal."
Jaden's voice was scarce more than a feral growl. "You're right, Noir. Free or enslaved, I'll always be superior to you."
"You better be glad I need you to fetch my dog. Otherwise you would pay for that."
"Yeah, fuck you very much, too."
Something hard struck the door, making her jump. But whether it was Jaden or Noir's fist, she wasn't sure.
"Don't let him get to you, babe." It was Azura's voice she heard this time. "We will have the key soon and then no one will stop us."
"I know I shouldn't let that smug little prick get to me, but I can't help it. He was always so arrogant."
"I know, brother. But let it go. We defeated, defanged, and emasculated Jaden a long time ago. All he can do now is raise your blood pressure ... Your pet will be returned to you shortly, and it'll heal as it always does."
Lydia grimaced at the way the bitch spoke about Seth like he wasn't human. Well, okay he wasn't fully, but he wasn't an animal or an object, either.
Damn them.
You better be glad I don't have my powers, puta. If she did, they'd be having a round right about now.
