She looked to Satara's lifeless body.
Nick scoffed at the pity on her face. "She wasn't a woman, trust me. She more than deserved what I did and she's done a lot worse to others, including me. I ain't ever going to be a pawn to no one else again." He left her to pull the dagger out of Satara's back.
Tory followed him. "That's Atlantean, isn't it?"
He smiled evilly. "You make sure you tell Ash I have it."
Then he took her arm and hauled her toward the door.
The instant he cracked it open, she realized that they were in a room that led out into a great hall filled with demons and Daimons.
She shrank back as Nick gave a low curse.
"We can't go that way, can we?"
He shook his head. "Not unless you want to be eaten." He was just about to pull back when the impossible happened. The bolt hole in the center of the room opened.
It flared bright and gold.
And when it dulled Acheron and Urian stood there, defiantly facing the Daimons.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Still hidden behind the door with Nick, Tory blinked, then smiled at the sight of Ash standing tough and large in the middle of the Daimons. His stance said it all, I'm here to clean your house and I won't be merciful while doing it. Fuck with me and you'll be nothing more than your mama's bad memory.
His black hair was streaked through with dark red. The hem of his long, pirate style double breasted coat swung around those cherry red Doc Martens that he'd worn the night they first met. The ruby stud was back in his nose and for once she adored the sight of the sunglasses perched on his face.
Man, Acheron was hot and her heart raced in gratitude that he'd come for her.
The tall, blond man beside him was much more sedate in appearance. With a black button down shirt that was rolled back at his wrists and jeans, his clothes were plain in comparison. But he was almost as handsome with perfect features and white blond hair that he wore pulled back into a ponytail. She also didn't miss the fact that but for the blond hair, the man bore a remarkable resemblance to Stryker.
Like Stryker, he had a deadly air that was only surpassed by the one enveloping Ash.
"I thought Ash couldn't come here," she whispered to Nick.
"Apparently he's willing to end the world for you. You should be impressed. I am."
Her eyes widening, she definitely was. Why would Ash take such a risk?
And every demon and Daimon was frozen into place by his presence. Not a single word was said by the crowd outside. It was as if they were all holding a collective breath as they waited for Armageddon to begin.
All except Stryker who glared at the blond man beside Ash with an expression that was best defined as pained hatred. "You dare to stand with my enemy?"
"Against you, Father, I'd stand with Mickey Mouse."
Stryker curled his lip. "You worthless sonofabitch. You should never have been anything more than a cum stain."
The blond scoffed. "I could definitely say the same thing about you. It would have saved the world and all of us a lot of misery now, wouldn't it?"
The Daimons started forward, but they were thrown back by an unseen force.
Ash turned to Stryker and growled. "Enough of the family reunion bullshit. Where is Soteria?"
Tory frowned at Ash's words. Though the voice was his, it had a thick Greek accent and not the more fluid Atlantean one he used whenever he wasn't speaking colloquial American. How odd. Even when he spoke flawless Greek, his accent wasn't that throaty and traditional.
"She's over there." A tall blond woman appeared a few feet from Ash and indicated the door where Tory stood with an imperious jerk of her chin.
Tory gasped at her beauty as the woman crossed the short distance to embrace Ash. "At last, m'gios. You've come to set me free." She placed a kiss on his cheek and whispered something in his ear.
Tory was stunned as she realized this was the goddess Apollymi. Ash's mother.
The goddess of utter destruction.
Ash hugged her close and nodded before he stepped back. With a sneer thrown at Stryker, he turned and headed for her room.
Before Nick could stop her, Tory shoved open the door and ran for Ash. She threw herself into his arms and held him close from her giddy relief. And when their lips met . . .
She went cold in confused shock.
This wasn't Ash. In looks he was completely identical, but he neither smelled nor felt like Acheron. And he definitely didn't kiss like him.
Nick ran at the Ash imposter, but before he could reach him, Urian grabbed Nick and shoved him back into the room where they'd been.
"We have to go," Urian said to her and the fake Ash as he slammed the door shut behind them. He looked at Nick. "And you need to come with us."