Dark Promise (Underworld)

7



Eric cradled Cassandra's limp body close to his chest.

The Wraith pointed. “The portal will open when you arrive at the park, Prince.”

The Wraith disappeared leaving him alone with Cassandra. Not exactly how he'd wanted this to go. Her jasmine scent calmed the rising frustrations inside him. She had no idea the power she had over him.

When Cassandra had left the restaurant, the dragon fire roared within him, and he lost his mind. His mate had skipped out on him. No woman had ever done this to him. At least, not in the Underworld.

What the hell was Aiden Blackstone doing in Frisco? The Kachina spirit had left the Underworld years ago and now just happened to be a cop in Frisco? His heart stopped when Blackstone almost hit Cassandra with his car, but she'd torn it out of his chest when she denied being his mate. How was he going to convince her and get her to accept her fate?

Every time he appeared in Cassandra’s dreams, he had no problem charming her. His plan of wooing her had gone up in smoke. He should have known summoning the Wraith would have frightened her, but he’d hoped it would have created a bond between them.

He headed toward Walter Byron Park. Cassandra moaned in his arms and he ran his palm over her back, trying to calm her.

“I’m here Wraith.” The ivory covered park grumbled and a large crack formed, swallowing trees, swings and a slide. Bracing Cassandra against his chest, Eric soared into the pit. Mist and chilly air swarmed around him as he crossed the barrier between Earth and the Underworld. Wind screamed in his ears. He turned her head and admired his sleeping beauty.

Her sweet breath caressed his neck and a strand of her silky hair brushed his face. Raging desire surged through him. The dragon fire roared, demanding he take her. “No.”

He fought the darkness. He would never take Cassandra against her will. She was his mate. A mate was cherished, loved, honored.

Through the whirling tornado, the Underworld’s two suns burned bright. The tornado dissipated into a tiny cloud of dust as the opening closed and Eric sped toward Basilisk Castle. He passed the small village of Hydra. Demons worked and lived in the little village like their human counterparts, but now the darkness had overcome them and work consisted of honing their warrior skills. Squabbles of various sorts from minor to violent occurred daily, and what happened at the nearby middle and elementary school—straight out of nightmares. He had to find a way to stop the madness.

His father had loved the ocean and built the structure in the shape of a ship. It offered comfort to those living and toiling in the village, but his father also ensured the castle was strategic in case of an attack. His father had kept the swift River Styx at its backside and dug a wide trench to protect the three remaining sides.

Now, day or night, Basilisk was the lair of dark despair. Its foul dungeons were filled with those who had not succumbed to the darkness. By his father’s royal decree, they would remain there indefinitely. No silver-eyed demons who valued their hides wanted to pass the fiery jaws of the fortress gates and find themselves in the Chamber, a vile place where Gryffin Drake delighted in using his wicked devices to elicit screams from his victims.

The pitiful screams haunted Eric. More than once he tried to convince his father to banish Gryffin, his pleas fell on deaf ears. A lump formed in Eric’s chest. His father had not always been cruel. He had abhorred torture, and now, he applauded Gryffin’s methods.

A tall building was in the middle of the courtyard near the Golden Tree. Damn it! A few leaves clung to the golden tree’s brown and twisted branches. The dazzling white bark had turned ashen. Only a faint whisper of the Song of Tranquility reached his ears. A leaf floated to the ground, joining a shadowy ring around the trunk and the song grew dimmer.


His heart pounded and blood pumped faster through his body. Dragon fire roared within his chest. He took in a deep breath and power surged through him, but it felt different. Darker.

Destroy. Destroy. Destroy.

Cassandra sighed and her sweet breath doused his fire. He pushed back the urge, and his body shook. Shit, his magic was restored, but it had turned feral. He couldn't dare use it.

He flew toward the second highest of the four turrets where his bedchamber was. As he landed on the balcony, the glass doors swung open and the heavy curtains parted. He marched through and the doors and curtains closed behind him. He laid Cassandra on his canopy bed. She sighed softly. He grabbed a quilt and covered her. When she woke, she’d demand to go home. Hell, if he was kidnapped that’s what he would do.

He brushed her hair out of her face. “I’m sorry, Cassandra,” he whispered. “I had no choice.” He kissed her lips, tasting her sweetness one more time.

She groaned and he slowly backed away. He sat on the chair and waited.

Cassandra put her hand on her forehead and her eyes fluttered open. She scowled. “Where am I?” She scowled. “What are you?”

“Let me answer your second question first. I'm Eric Wyvern, Prince of the Dragon Demons and you're my guest.” He bowed to her and swept his hand across the room. “I brought you to my home, Basilisk Castle, located in the Underworld, which is a parallel universe to your world.”

Eyes wide and face pale, she scooted up on the bed. Her lower lip trembled. “What? I'm in hell?”

“No, I just told you that you're in a parallel universe. I know you’re confused Cassandra., Please listen.” He didn't want to terrorize her, but she needed the truth. “A long time ago, we were at constant war with all the inhabitants in the Underworld. We were destroying our world. Angels intervened and helped us contain our fire through music. This music resides within the Golden Tree and calms our dragon fire. Without it, we will grow dark again, vicious. The angels touched the Wraith, our Goddess and she has the Gift of a sight. She said only the human tainted with angel blood can save the Golden Tree.”

She moved to the edge of the bed, farthest away from him. “Excuse me?” Her hand shaking, she twisted her ring. “What does this have to do with me?”

God, this wasn’t going well. “A Rocky Mountain beetle from your world got through the portal and infected the tree. The Golden Tree is dying. The Wraith is our Goddess and she has the Gift of Sight. She sent me to Earth to bring you back, because your blood is tainted with angel blood and you alone have the ability to return the Light to the Golden Tree.”

“Angel blood? My father is Michael the Archangel?” Her green eyes narrowed.

“Something like that. You’re my soul mate.” He held his breath, waiting for her to digest what he just said.

Her eyes peeked open and her brows wrinkled. She chewed her lip. “I’m your what?”

She hadn’t run screaming out of the room yet. “You heard me.”

She put her hands on her hips and stood. “Eric, I don’t know if you put a roofie in my drink or not. I want out of here.”

He stiffened, not liking the accusation. “A what?”

“The date rape drug.” She tapped her temple. “Any of this ring true?”

“I don’t rape women, demons or humans, Cassandra.”

“And I know because?”

“Because I give you my word of honor.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “Oh, and that means so much to me.”

Heat fled his cheeks. “No one has ever challenged my honor before. Believe it or not, demons do hold honor.”

She smirked. “And I’m supposed to believe this because why?”

Her words tore into his heart. “Because I have never lied to you.”

“Oh, right. You never lie.” She tapped her chin with her finger in an exaggerated motion. “Not.” She glared. “You can’t keep me here.”

“Actually, I can.”

She stormed back and forth across the room. “I’m a prisoner here?”

“No, you’re my guest.”

She stopped. “Well, Mr. Demonkidnapper, a guest is allowed to leave when they want, not so much for a prisoner.”

This wasn’t how he imagined introducing her to the Underworld. He wanted to show her his world in happier times when his mother would open her arms to meet her and his father would welcome her into his kingdom. “Cassandra, let me explain.”

“Can I leave or not?”

He met her angry gaze. “No.”

She marched to the bed and sat. “Then I’m a prisoner.”

“Cassandra…”

She held up her hand. “Don’t Cassandra me. Either I can leave or not.”

“If there was another way…”

“There isn’t. Can I at least leave this tower?”

He walked to the window. Outside guards paced the castle wall. “No.”

“No?”

He shut the curtain and turned around. “Cassandra, if you leave, my father will know and he’ll not take kindly you being here. You’ll be arrested and thrown in the dungeon.”

“I’m stuck here?”

He leaned against the wall. “Unless you agree to be my mate.”

“If I say ‘yes’ to being your mate, then what?”

“You can go back and forth from here to Earth.”

“Either I say yes and I can leave, or say no and I’m stuck in this damn room?”

“Yes.”

“You bastard.” She threw a pillow and it fell at his feet.

“I’ve been called worse.”

She scampered across the bed and ran to where he had been standing. “Stay away from me.”

“I told you I would never hurt you.”

She glanced at the bay window and jumped back. “God, how high are we?”

“At least ten stories.”

“Shit, shit, shit. I can’t believe this is happening.” She kicked the pillow. It soared straight into the air and bounced off the ceiling. “You’re not going to keep me here. I have a life.”

She wasn’t giving him much choice. He wished he could return her to her world, but his way of life was dying. He’d give her…if she’d only save his first.

He headed for the door. “I’ll leave you for a moment.”

“So, this is my prison?”

“Cassandra, I would give anything for this to be different. Forgive me.”

“Where are you going?”

Taking the coward way out, he left her. He shut the door and leaned against it. Her angry sob tore his insides. She hated him. All those dreams were for not. He had failed. How could he convince her to be his mate? It wasn’t only about her saving his people and the Golden Tree. He needed her. Admit it. Damn it. You’re in love with her.