Dance With the Devil

 

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"It's like a homing beacon," Spawn explained, "and it's irresistible to anyone with Apollite blood. I can feel Thanatos even now calling out to me. I think the only reason I can resist it is because I'm a

 

Dark-Hunter. If I weren't… Let's just say you're in for one hell of a scary time.

 

"

 

Zarek snorted. "Doubtful. So how do I kill him?

 

"

 

"You don't. Artemis made him so that he could track and kill us. He has no known vulnerability. Not even daylight. Worse, he will destroy anyone who tries to shelter you.

 

"

 

Shelter you…

 

Again, Zarek's mind flashed to his village.

 

To the old woman who'd died in his arms…

 

What was his brain trying to tell him?

 

"Has Thanatos ever come after me before?" he asked Spawn.

 

Spawn scoffed. "You're still living so obviously the answer is no.

 

"

 

Still…

 

Zarek got off the snowmachine. "Here, take Astrid and—

 

"

 

"Did you not hear me, Zarek? I can't take her. Thanatos will kill her for sheltering you. She's dead if you leave her.

 

"

 

"She's dead if she stays with me.

 

"

 

 

 

 

 

"We all got problems and she happens to be yours. Not mine.

 

"

 

Astrid had the distinct feeling Zarek was flipping Spawn off.

 

"Not on your best day, Greek," Spawn said, confirming her suspicion.

 

Zarek sat back down on the snowmachine.

 

"Hey, Zarek?" Spawn asked. "Do you have a cell phone with you?

 

"

 

"No, it went down with her house.

 

"

 

She heard Spawn's footsteps crunching in the snow as he returned to them. "Take this and call Acheron when you're safe. Maybe he can help you with the woman.

 

"

 

"Thanks." The word was more inflected with belligerence than gratitude. "But what are you going to do without a phone or the snowmachine?

 

 

 

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"

 

"Freeze my ass off." There was a small pause. "Don't worry about me. I assure you, I'll be fine.

 

"

 

Zarek's arms surrounded her again. She heard him turn the snowmachine back on.

 

"Where are we going?" she asked him.

 

"Up Shit Creek sans the paddles.

 

"

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 11

 

 

"Well," Astrid said, her tone every bit as sarcastic as his, "I hope you have a map. I've never been there before.

 

"

 

"Trust me, I know it like the back of my hand. Been living there most of my life.

 

"

 

Unsure if she should laugh or groan, Astrid held fast to the tank before her as Zarek pushed the snowmachine to the limits. It vibrated so badly that she half-expected it to disintegrate underneath them.

 

"Cap'n," she said in her best Scotty accent. "I don't think she'll hold. The warp engines can't take any more. It's going to blow apart.

 

"

 

If she didn't know better, she'd swear she actually heard a rumble of laughter from Zarek.

 

"She'll hold," he said, his deep, penetrating voice in her right ear. It gave her chills that had nothing to do with the freezing temperature.

 

"I think I may be grateful for my blindness, after all," she said. "Something tells me that if I could see the reckless speed you're driving at, I would probably have a stroke.

 

"

 

"No doubt.

 

"

 

She rolled her eyes at his ready agreement. "You have no idea how to comfort anyone, do you?

 

"

 

 

 

"In case you haven't noticed, princess, social skills aren't my forte. Hell, you're lucky I'm housebroke.

 

"

 

Oh, he was an evil one.

 

But there was something almost charming about his caustic retorts. They were angry and biting, but seldom mean-spirited, and now that she had seen the real Zarek, the one he kept hidden from everyone, she knew those barbs for what they were.

 

Armor.

 

They were sent out to keep everyone away from him. If you let no one into your heart, then you never

 

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) had to be hurt by betrayal.

 

 

 

She didn't know how he stood living like that. In constant pain and loneliness. Letting hatred guide everything he did or said.

 

Zarek was a harsh man filled with more venom than the nine-headed Hydra. But even the Hydra had eventually met its match.

 

 

 

Tonight, Zarek had met his and it wasn't Thanatos.

 

Astrid wasn't going to give up on him.

 

They rode until her ears buzzed and her body was cold all the way to her bones. She wondered if she'd ever again be able to thaw out.

 

 

 

Zarek, who seemed oblivious to the freezing weather, continually zigzagged their course, as if trying to keep Thanatos from following them.

 

Just when she was sure that the concept that immortals couldn't die of frostbite was a myth, Zarek finally stopped.

 

He turned off the engine.

 

The sudden silence was deafening. Oppressive.

 

She waited for Zarek to get up and help her off the snowmachine, but all he did was tug the helmet off her head. He pitched it away with a curse.

 

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