Page 3

He steps back, letting us see the tunnel that opens into a huge, circular cavern where glowing blue water resides. There is another dark tunnel across the water.

He nods at us. “This is as far as I’ll go. Do not fall into the water, as it’s Serancha’s territory.” He whistles and disappears into the darkness behind us. Eyeing the water, I agree with Torrin’s thought that this will be difficult.

Golems are not made for water. We sink, and I cannot swim, but every problem has a solution.

Raiden and Bram simply start solving the problem, and within seconds, Raiden shifts, and with Torrin’s strength, he’s tossed across the water, landing on delicate paws on the other side of the tunnel. His bright white and blue fur is stark in the darkness, and lightning races across his fox’s body. Bram simply leaps up onto the ceiling, carefully forcing holes into the rock with his hands, and swings one-handed across the impasse. He lands next to Raiden, who has shifted back, and with a grin, he leans into the wall and waits. Torrin and Emrys follow Bram’s path, and when Emrys is a good distance out, I leap up and hold onto the rock, ready to follow them. When I’m halfway across, something hisses below and breaks the surface as rocks tumble into the water, awakening the beast.

“Serancha, I guess,” I say as I stare at the creature that rises from the depths below me. It looks like a mix of a kraken and a mermaid. It’s horrific and beautiful at the same time, with fangs gleaming in a human yet flared face, but as it rises, the rest of its body is that of a beast, with scales covering it as it propels itself from the water. Before it can wrap around me and drag me down, I simply let go and sink into the water. My weight instantly carries me down. Pulling my blades free, I slide across its body. Its roar and hiss shake the water as it splashes and circles around me, coiling its body tightly like a snake, but I simply change. My skin hardens to pure rock, dragging me deeper as I drive my blades into its chest. The beast’s eyes widen before it uncoils and lets go, its blood filling the water. Leaving it to its death, I hit the bottom of the pool and walk across it. It slowly angles up, then I climb the rocky edge, hauling myself up and out, dripping wet.

“So much for not making a mess,” Raiden jokes as he winks at me and turns, sauntering away, his other thoughts flowing through my head.

Torrin nods at me and follows Raiden, while Bram looks me over before we continue on our way.

The tunnel goes only one direction, and before we know it, we step through another entrance. Unlike the past cavern, this one is massive, bigger than most castles we have been inside. The black rock reflects firelight that burns deep below, the flames reaching the surface we stand upon. There are more rocks floating in the air that lead to a floating platform above us. I spy a crudely made bed and other personal items, but it’s the woman who draws my gaze. Her back is to us, but I cannot look away.

Is she the one we are searching for?

She’s easily six foot, and not one inch of her is soft. The muscles on her arms and back are defined, flexing under golden, scarred skin as she turns. Her chest and stomach are exposed, the dips of her defined abs impressive and sexy as hell. Her thighs are thick and muscular as she wanders to the edge of the floating platform and looks down at us. Her hair is a bright blonde at the roots, then her locks fade to bright orange then yellow, falling to her shoulders with a slight curl. She’s beautiful and has a face I have only seen on statues, but her features aren’t small and delicate. Her face is made of hard angles with sharp lines. Her eyes glow, and one of her eyebrows has two slashes through it, but she is so striking that something stirs within me as I stare at the woman. “Fresh prey? I haven’t had anyone to play with for a long time.”

I try to regain my composure, knowing the others are experiencing the same struggles. She is not what I expected at all.

Should we still go ahead? someone mutters in my head.

We have our job, I reply.

With an impressive show of strength and control, she leaps from the platform and glides like she weighs nothing, then she lands before us, looking us over with her magnetic eyes.

“Do you not speak? How dull. I don’t get many visitors.” I follow her gaze to the pile of bones tossed haphazardly to the side.

“I like your décor,” Raiden teases before our thoughts silence him.

Her eyes run over us. “Let me guess, Bodhi sent you?” My eyes widen in shock, and she laughs. “I wondered when he would grow tired of waiting for me to die down here. If the one person who knows the truth still lives, they could ruin it at any time. So, you’re assassins? Not normal ones, since most wouldn’t step foot down here, not for all the money in the world, especially with no way out . . . or do you have one?” Her eyes sparkle with intelligence, another surprising thing.

How is she not mad?

I stay silent, and she sighs. “How boring. You are pretty though, the prettiest ones who have tried to kill me, but I’m afraid you won’t be doing that today. Your deaths will be so sweet, and knowing he failed again turns me on.”

My eyes bulge as flames burst to life in the shape of glowing wings behind her as she smirks at us, like a goddess looking down at the weaklings worshipping her as she stops before me. Close enough that her strength presses against mine, our eyes almost level, she’s so tall.

“I might as well have some fun before I kill you.” She slides her hand into my hair and pulls me closer, pressing her lips against my hard, stony mouth, catching me off guard for the first time in my life. This is something I can use, though, so I raise my blade to sink it in her back while she’s distracted, but my hand spasms and drops the weapon. Desire blasts through me so strongly, my rocky exterior cracks and my soul screams. I don’t understand why until realisation comes through Bram.

Mate bond.

I feel it snap into place, and horror washes through us all as I pull myself away from her.

Laughter bursts from her lips as she watches me, clearly feeling it as well and knowing what it is. “Well, isn’t that interesting? I guess that ruins your plans.”

CHAPTER

TWO

Istare at five matching incredulous expressions while concealing my own.

Mates . . . but not just one, five. I can feel all of them, as if they are connected to the first man I kissed. The awareness and connection solidify in my chest, ready to be consummated and united forever. My eyes land on the man I kissed, as I sense he does most of the talking. I wouldn’t say he’s in charge, since they almost feel the same to me and I swear their eyes turn distant, as if they are conversing between themselves. It’s little things, like mannerisms, that make me think that. Down here, you learn to read people well enough to survive.

Take the man I kissed, for example. There is not any fat or softness on his body or face. He’s wide, but his physique is pure muscle, the type that doesn’t have chiselled abs but pure strength. His arms are bigger than my entire torso, as are his legs, and his face is thick and wide with matching thick lips, but they were hard, like granite. The sides of his head are shaved, leaving the rest of his deep brown hair pulled back on the top in a bun. The shaved sides also have markings, but I don’t know what they mean. His beard, despite looking a little unruly, is long and tame, matching the colour of his hair. His eyes are bright grey with flecks of amber and are surrounded by thick, dark lashes. His nose is wide, matching his face, and there is a streak of war paint across one eye and down his sharp cheek.

“Not possible,” he rumbles, his voice like crashing rocks as his fists clench at his sides. He’s danger incarnate. I have no idea what kind of monster he is to have survived journeying here, nor do I care, as long as he can get me out.