The Darkest Promise (Lords of the Underworld #13)

He palmed two daggers and followed her out, cold air slapping at his cheeks. The entire Eagleshield clan had arrived, hundreds of Harpies congesting the area.

Cameo’s friends stepped from the shadows to lead the way. Their group stalked forward, menace in every step, and he’d never been prouder. My woman has this.

Up ahead, an even larger crowd of Harpies formed a circle—a booing circle.

“Out of our way,” Keeley commanded. “I’m not called the Red Queen for nothing. Bodies explode in my presence.”

“Or they could stay in our way, and I could use their severed skulls to create designer hag-bags,” Viola said.

Kaia and Gwen didn’t say a word, just pushed and shoved anyone foolish enough to remain in place. Cameo reached the center of the circle, where Juliette waited.

The sight of his former tormentor gave new life to the fury he’d lived with since their first meeting.

As in the days of old, she wore a bronzed breastplate, leather wristbands with a matching loincloth, and bronzed thigh and shin guards. How many times had he dressed and undressed her?

Cameo wore black leather with chain-mail inserts to cover her most vulnerable areas: heart, stomach, biceps, thighs and calves. The inserts were lighter than Juliette’s bulky armor. Even better, Cameo had made every piece herself, the craftsmanship remarkable.

As she walked, she anchored her hair in a braid. A braid he would later unwind. He would fist the strands as he kissed and licked her from head to toe. She would shout his name, her nails digging into his back. She would demand he take her—fully, nothing held back.

An Eagleshield stepped between the combatants to say, “All right. Let’s get this party started. There are no rules. The fight will last as long as it needs to last, and only one woman will walk away. The winner reclaims ownership of Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual.”

As Harpies cheered, he flared with indignation.

“Enjoy your thoughts about reclaiming him—they’re all you’ll have. Not that you ever had him. But I do. I have him. He chose me of his own free will. No Pairing Rod or compulsion necessary.” Cameo unsheathed her sword, the metal whistling.

While most of the crowd flinched or cried, he smiled and blew his woman a kiss. She’d just claimed him publicly.

Juliette screeched as she unsheathed her own sword. “The Mother of Melancholy dies today!”

Cheers resounded once again.

“What are you waiting for?” Grinning, the announcer rushed backward. “Go!”

The starting bell. The crowd whistled and called out advice as Cameo and Juliette circled each other, two hungry predators with a meal in sight. Cameo slipped but managed to remain upright, the tread on her boots offering little protection against the slick ice covering the ground.

Damn it! Why hadn’t he considered her shoes?

“Curious about Pandora’s box?” Juliette asked her. Her boots possessed small metal spikes, making her gait smooth and graceful.

“Where is it?” Cameo demanded, and Juliette cringed. “Do you know?”

Lazarus stiffened. She’d asked. Why had she asked? She’d said she wouldn’t trust the Harpy.

“You should question my consort,” Juliette said, smug now. “According to Hera, he stole it.”

He cursed. Cameo jolted and lost her footing. Of course, Juliette chose that moment to strike, lunging at Cameo and swinging her sword.

“No!” he shouted.

At the last second, Cameo spun out of the way and blocked. Impact caused her to slip, and this time she couldn’t stop her fall.

Juliette thrust her sword with deadly precision, but Cameo rolled the second she hit the ground and the sharpened tip hit the ice.

With a push of her legs, Cameo slid between Juliette’s legs and jumped up behind the Harpy, a semiautomatic palmed and aimed. Boom! Boom! Damn. Even at close range, the bullets pinged off Juliette’s armor without causing her any bodily harm.

Scowling, the Harpy turned and tossed a dagger. The weapon sliced into Cameo’s wrist. She dropped the gun, and a smug Juliette picked it up.

Lazarus settled his weight into his heels. Do not move. Do. Not. Move. Cameo has this.

Juliette fired at Cameo, emptying the magazine. Miracle of miracles, Cameo managed to dodge every bullet.

Dropping the empty gun, the Harpy stalked closer to her target...closer still. Cameo wrenched out the dagger and blocked Juliette’s next sword thrust. She parried, spun and delivered an attack of her own. Clang, clang, clang.

The females began a brutal dance, moving almost too quickly to track. Almost. Still he looked away, lest he step between the two combatants and snap Juliette’s neck like a twig. His gaze landed on a woman gliding on the ice just outside the circle, and he stiffened.

Hera.

She watched him with steady intent as she traced a fingertip down her biceps, letting him know she had noticed the crystals on his arm.

The red dots returned to his vision. Remain in place. Do not move. A command from the depths of his soul. If he distracted Cameo, heralding her harm, he would forever regret it.

Was that Hera’s hope? Propel him into action, make him become the catalyst to Cameo’s doom?

Bitch. He tightened his grip on his daggers but did nothing else. A task easier than it should have been, considering the wrath that lived inside him. But then, he remembered the vision of Cameo’s future. Kill Hera, kill Cameo.

One enslavement, coming up. He would defeat the queen and save the girl.

When Cameo grunted in pain, his attention returned to the fight, though he kept Hera in his periphery. If she made a play for his woman, he would be ready.

Juliette had landed a blow, slicing into Cameo’s vulnerable neck. Blood poured from the wound, crimson splatters decorating the ice. He inhaled sharply, unsure how deep the wound reached. She collapsed to her knees, the next collision knocking the dagger from her hand.

Her motions slowed, but still she managed to flip backward, avoiding another wound. When she straightened, she was covered in ice shavings, her body stripped of weapons. The diamond knuckles and few daggers she’d had left had been stolen by Eagleshields.

Kaia and Keeley managed to retrieve the diamond knuckles, and tossed them to Cameo. She caught them as a smiling Juliette dived for her.

Just before impact, Cameo crouched. The Harpy soared over her head, and Cameo latched onto the edge of her breastplate, jerking her to a stop and flipping her midair. Juliette lost her grip on her sword as she landed and gasped for breath.

Cameo straddled her shoulders and whaled, the diamond knuckles shredding the Harpy’s once-pretty face. Blood sprayed the ice. A tooth soared through the air. Finally, though, Juliette bucked free, tossing Cameo to her back.

In unison, they stood and faced each other.

The Eagleshields offered suggestions to Juliette. “Rip out her still-beating heart!”

“Kick her in the baby maker!”

“Take her eyeballs as trophies!”

Juliette raised an arm, and cheers rang out.

Cameo looked around, a look of resignation darkening her features. She raised her chin...and hummed a soft, haunting melody.