Темнейшее поражение

Lazarus rose, too. “So. This is go time, as the humans say?” No concern had entered his tone.

“This—” Juliette began harshly.

“I’ve been meaning to chat with you about something important, Julie,” Kaia said, cutting her off.

“Juliette.” Lavender eyes darkened to a deep violet. “My name is Juliette the Eradicator. You will address me with the proper respect.”

“Whatever. It’s a shame you can’t fight in the games. One would almost think you accepted the leadership position because you feared competing.”

A gasp of outrage. Black bleeding in that gaze, removing any hint of color. “I accepted the leadership position so that I could finally—”

“No,” Lazarus said with so much force the bar’s walls actually shook. “Enough.”

Finally. A glimpse of his power. And oh, yes. Something was definitely up there.

Juliette paled, cleared her throat. “What I meant to say was that something can be arranged. You want to fight me, we’ll fight. But really, even if you don’t want to, you’ll end up doing so. You challenged me all those years ago, but I was never allowed to respond.”

“Because you were too chicken?”

“First,” the bitch growled, “we had to recover from the damage you caused.”

“Me? What about him?” She jerked her thumb at Lazarus.

“You know the answer to that. He acted only because of your actions. Now zip your mouth and listen. Second, we had to replenish our numbers, so killing another Harpy outside the games was forbidden. Third, your mother would have declared war against my people.” Fury faded, replaced by more of that smug superiority. “But none of those things stand in our way anymore.”

Kaia flinched at the reminder of her mother’s denunciation.

Juliette pulled a necklace from her shirt and fingering the wooden medallion hanging on the chain. “Pretty, isn’t it?”

There was no hiding the trembling of Kaia’s chin as she eyed the medallion. “I’ve seen better.”

That’s my girl. Clearly, seeing the necklace hurt her and Juliette knew why. Now he wanted to know why. Still, that was his baby doll. Always had to have the last word, no matter what. He couldn’t fault her for that, was actually proud of her. Aroused by her.

He’d always thought this aspect of her personality was dangerous to him, and it was—but damn, when she turned it on other people, he wanted to pound on his chest like a Neanderthal. Maybe carry her back to his cave and have his wicked way with her.

Maybe? Ha! He wanted to dominate this female no one else could control. The female who scratched everyone else, but treated him to the tenderest of caresses.

Before Juliette could work up a stinging response, every Harpy in the building, even Kaia, stopped what she was doing and frowned.

“What?” Strider asked, concerned.

No answer was forthcoming. In unison, the females withdrew their cell phones. Kaia read the backlit screen and stiffened.

“The next location has been revealed,” she said, her tone devoid of emotion. “We have twenty-four hours to get there.”

Juliette chuckled. Though she was leader, she’d checked her phone, too. Shouldn’t she already know where they were headed? “Poor Kaia has a very tough decision to make, doesn’t she?” she murmured, and then called, “Let’s move out, team.”

At long last, the Eagleshields and their consorts, Lazarus included, stomped out of the bar. Juliette lingered in the doorway, smiling over at Kaia. “Too bad you won’t be able to hide behind your men this time, huh?” With that, she slipped into the sunlight.

“What’s going on?” Strider demanded, forcing her to face him. Why did Juliette seem to think he couldn’t go?

“We have to leave,” she whispered, agonized.

We. Good. “I’ll get my things.”

“No.” She shook her head, hair gliding over her shoulders, his hands, her gaze never quite meeting his. “We. Meaning me and my sisters. Juliette was right. You and your friends can’t come.”

Like hell. “Why? Where are you—we—going?”

A sigh shuddered from her. “The Odynia. Better known as Hera’s Garden of Goodbyes, since she used the place to get rid of her opposition without ever having to raise a hand against them. Of course, Rhea’s in charge of it now, so I guess she’ll be our hostess there.”

Rhea, the Titan god queen and true leader of the Hunters. Far more dangerous, far more powerful, than Galen could ever hope to be. If Strider attended this portion of the games he’d most likely walk right into a trap. If he stayed behind, Kaia could be hurt, and he’d be unable to reach her and help her heal.

No way in hell, he thought.

CHAPTER TWENTY

THE STUPID MAN WOULDN’T stop following her!

Getting away from Strider had been easy. Letting his demon “win” hadn’t. After dropping the Rhea bombshell, Kaia had requested a private moment to talk with him. And by talk, she’d let him assume she meant to kiss him senseless.