Instead, he'd deposited her in Lucien's room after removing the barricade-overkill, if you asked him, when there was a perfectly good lock on the k.n.o.b-and cleaned his own. Then he'd found himself summoned to the entertainment room where there was, apparently, nothing but more bad news to pa.s.s around.

"Tell them, Aeron," Lucien said on a sigh.

Pause. Then, "I've felt the first stirrings of Wrath. Nothing drastic. Yet." He propped himself against the far wall. He pounded a fist into the stone behind him as if to punctuate his admission. "It's manageable, but I'm not sure how long that will last."

"He can smell the humans now, and their scents won't leave his nose," Reyes said.

Maddox wondered at the fury in the man's tone.

Paris paled. "f.u.c.k. That was fast."

"No one knows that better than me," Aeron replied.

Maddox suppressed a growl. How much more would he and the others be forced to endure? He'd learned a bit ago that there were other Hunters out there, hiding in town. According to Aeron, they appeared even stronger and more capable than their predecessors.

Because of what Ashlyn had revealed about her ability, Maddox had to wonder if they were here for her, too. A woman whose job it was to listen for nonhuman creatures would be a valuable tool indeed. The very notion infuriated his demon, made them both want to torture, maim, kill.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can go without hurting them." Aeron rubbed the back of his neck. "Already I see their b.l.o.o.d.y bodies in my mind and I like it." There at the end, his voice cracked. A slight change, but there all the same.

"Does no one have an idea?" Reyes tossed his knife in the air, caught it and tossed it again. "Anything that might save them?"

Silence.

"Talking about it is pointless," Torin finally said. "We're only tormenting ourselves, trying to come up with a solution that isn't there. We can't approach the t.i.tans; they'll give us all another curse. We can't set the women free and tell them to hide. Aeron will only be forced to follow them. So, I say let him do it."

Reyes glared at him. "That's a little callous even for you, Disease."

What would he do if Aeron were ever ordered to kill Ashlyn? Maddox wondered. Cruel as he was learning these new G.o.ds were, he suspected they'd issue the command without hesitation. He leapt to his feet with a roar, smashing his fist into the wall.

All conversation stopped.

The act felt good, so he did it again. And again. His hands had yet to fully heal from his battle with Aeron, and this didn't help.

The spirit must truly feel bonded to Ashlyn, too, because even it wanted to kill something at the thought of losing her. Go get her. She's ours. She belongs to us.

Almost always before, he and the spirit had disagreed. Man and beast, each against the other. To share a common desire was shocking. He punched the wall again and stone crumbled to the ground.

"The little woman isn't calming us, I see," Torin said with a short laugh.

Maddox turned away from him in time to catch Aeron exchange a loaded glance with Lucien. "What?" he snapped at them.

Lucien held up his hands, all innocence.

"Nothing," Aeron said. "Just... nothing."

"How many times do you have to be told? She's Bait, man." Reyes gave his dagger a final toss, end over end, and the tip embedded just above Maddox's shoulder. "Surely you know that by now."

"If you don't, you're a fool," Aeron said, maintaining that conversational tone. "Maybe I'll kill your precious Ashlyn when I kill the others, and break her spell over you once and for all."

Just like that, the spirit erupted fully, washing over him, consuming him. No one threatens our woman. No one. Black spots winked over his vision, followed quickly by red.

"Ah, h.e.l.l," Lucien said. "Look at his face. You knew better, Aeron."

Knocking over tables and kicking chairs, Maddox fought his way toward Aeron. He left a trail of destruction in his wake, even picked up the plasma screen and tossed it to the ground, shattering it.

"Hey," Paris protested, as his game went silent. "I was winning."

Only one word drifted through his mind: kill. Kill, kill, kill. Kill. Woe to anyone who was foolish enough to get in his way.

When he reached Aeron, the man had already unsheathed two blades. Maddox didn't bother with a weapon; he would flay the b.a.s.t.a.r.d with his bare hands. He wanted blood soaking his fingers, wanted bones scattered on the-Ashlyn's face suddenly flashed through his mind.

Her head was thrown back, her golden hair wet and cascading down her back. Water droplets slid over her stomach and caught in her navel. Pleasure shuddered through her.

Reyes and Lucien leapt on him, dragging him to the ground and shoving Ashlyn from his head. He bellowed, a howl so loud he expected gla.s.s to shatter. Fists flew-his, theirs, he didn't know. Someone kneed him in the stomach, knocking the breath from his lungs, but he didn't stop.

Kill. Kill.

If he'd had fangs he would have bitten, so badly did he crave the taste of blood. He would have drained someone dry. As it was, he brought up a booted foot and kicked somebody in the cheek. Grunted in satisfaction when he heard a howl.

"Pin his f.u.c.king legs.""Can't. Got his arms."

"Knock him out, Paris."

"Sure. Want me to spew diamonds from my a.s.s while I'm at it?"

A fist collided with his jaw. His teeth rattled and he tasted the blood he'd craved.

"That's for ruining my game." Paris. "Bunny was about to spread oil on Electra."

"I'll kill you. I'll-" Ashlyn's pleasure-drenched image flashed once again. Her eyes alight with pa.s.sion. Her head thrown back as she enjoyed his mouth on her, licking every drop of her femininity.

He stilled, realization slamming into him. What was he doing? What the h.e.l.l was he doing? He didn't want blood and death on his hands. He didn't. He wasn't a monster. He wasn't Violence.

Suddenly he was ashamed of his actions. He should have had more restraint. He knew better.

Panting, he tried to sit up. The men tightened their grips. He relaxed, not forcing the issue. No more, he vowed. No more attacking my friends.

We have to protect Ashlyn, Violence growled.

A desire to protect? From the demon?

We will, just not this way. Not like this. The more he gave in to the spirit, the more he became Violence. When had he stopped fighting against it so fervently?

Sometimes, when he was alone, he liked to think that if he'd been born a human, destruction would have been the furthest thing from his mind. He would have married, had a loving wife and laughing children who played at his side while he carved. Carving furniture-chests, dressers, beds-had once been a pleasure for him.

Since he had destroyed everything he'd ever created, he'd given up the hobby.

"He's stopped moving," Reyes said with surprise.

"I can't see the spirit anymore." Aeron. Confused.

"Hey. We didn't even have to chain him." Paris.

"This is a first." Torin. Still laughing.

They released him and stepped away in unison. Maddox shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and piece together what had just happened. He had been consumed by Violence, yet he hadn't murdered everyone in his path. Nor had his friends been forced to bind him to impede him.

Gingerly, he sat up and glanced around the room. Total destruction greeted him. Wood splinters, ripped foam cushions, black TV shards. Yes, he'd been consumed.

His brows puckered in confusion. Usually he had to be knocked out and chained. Or beaten so badly he could only wait in bed until Pain and Death came for him. Yet thoughts of Ashlyn had soothed him completely.

How?"Good now?" Reyes asked him.

"Yes." The word was raw, hoa.r.s.e. Someone must have choked him.

He pushed to his feet and stumbled to the couch. No cushions, not anymore, but he didn't care. He fell onto the hard springs.

They squeaked under his weight.

"Good thing Torin knows how to invest," Paris said, glancing around as he sat beside Maddox. "Looks like it's time to splurge on new furniture."

"Where were we?" Lucien asked, getting them back to the business at hand. There was a cut on his forehead, one that hadn't been there a few minutes ago.

A wave of guilt swept through Maddox. "I'm sorry," he said.

Lucien blinked at him in surprise, but nodded.

"The women," Reyes grumbled, settling at Maddox's other side. "I say we give it more time. Unlike some of us-" he sent a pointed look in Maddox's direction "-Aeron has his spirit under control right now, whether it's stirring or not."

"I agree." Lucien walked to the overturned pool table, the scent of roses drifting from him.

A nice smell, but not as good as Ashlyn's, all honey-warm and spiced with secrets and moonlight. Ashlyn... Thinking about her again caused his body to harden, to ready. Should have taken her when he'd had the chance, he thought again. Should have penetrated that tight, wet sheath.

"Uh, I'm happy to sit close to you and everything, but I had no idea you would like it so much," Paris muttered.

For the first time in hundreds of years, Maddox felt a blush creep into his cheeks. "It's not for you."

"Thank the G.o.ds," was his friend's reply.

"Speaking of G.o.ds, Maddox, now might be a good time to tell the others about the voice you heard," Lucien prompted him.

Maddox didn't want to burden them but knew there was no other choice. "Very well. Someone came to me, in my head, commanding me to send every one of you to a cemetery tonight at midnight, unarmed."

Lucien motioned to Aeron. "You know these new G.o.ds better than any of us. What do you make of this? Does it sound like something the t.i.tans would do?"

"I'm not an expert on them, but I do not think so, no. There would be no reason to concern themselves with our weapons.

Useful as they are in battling Hunters, they'd be futile in a war with the G.o.ds."

Paris woohoo-ed, and everyone shot him a surprised glance. He shrugged sheepishly. "Got my game back on with the mini-TV I'd stashed in case something like this happened."

Maddox rolled his eyes.

"Let's a.s.sume for the moment that the voice belongs to a Hunter," Lucien said, bringing them back to the main topic. Again.

"That means we're now dealing with a Hunter who has a formidable ability. And since it's doubtful he's working alone, we have to wonder if his friends have similar powers."

Aeron said, "We're stronger than mere mortals, special powers or not. We can take them.""Yes, if we can outwit them. Remember Greece? The Hunters were not as strong as we were but they managed to hurt us time and time again. Now a trap has most likely been set in the cemetery." Maddox eyed each of them in turn. "I can't go-I'll be dead-but everyone else can. You can turn their trap against them and kill them."

Lucien shook his head. "At midnight, Reyes and I will be here, with you. That leaves Paris and Aeron, since Torin can't leave, either. We can't send the two of them to fight a battle when we don't know the odds."

"Let's leave now, then," Maddox said. He hated leaving the fortress, but he would do it. To protect Ashlyn, he would do anything. If this new breed of Hunter meant her harm..."There are seven hours until midnight. That's plenty of time for me to fight and return."

Everyone blinked at him in silent surprise. He'd never offered to go into the city before.

"Someone has to stay here and protect the women," Reyes finally said.

"I agree." He couldn't, wouldn't, leave Ashlyn alone, defenseless. What if she became sick again? What if Hunters were able to breach the fortress and hurt her?

"Well, I don't agree." Lucien gave them both an apologetic smile. "Killing the Hunters is more important than guarding the women."

Since they'll be dead soon, anyway. He didn't have to say it when they were all thinking it.

Reyes's hands fisted. Maddox ground his teeth together.

"Someone stays behind to guard," he said, "or you fight without me." Aeron might be Wrath and Lucien might be Death, but no one fought like Violence. Taking him into battle all but guaranteed their victory..

"We'll go without you," Lucien said, finality in his tone.

So be it. He wasn't leaving Ashlyn unprotected. The fortress was well-fortified, yes, but it couldn't stab an opponent, rendering him ineffective. It couldn't sweep her away from danger and into safety's arms. "Tell me what you intend to do, then, to ensure victory."

A pause. Lucien and Aeron exchanged a tense look. Before he could comment, Lucien bent down and picked up a long, rolled- up paper that had fallen to the floor during Maddox's tirade. He strode to the couch and unrolled it, anchoring it on the edge.

"Would've been nice to do this on the coffee table," he muttered. "Even the pool table. As thorough as you are, though, you overturned and cracked both."

"I have already apologized," Maddox said, guilt increasing. "And tomorrow I will repair them."

"Good." Lucien pointed to the paper. "As you can see, this is a printed map of the city. Earlier, when we were planning and you were otherwise occupied, we decided to set a trap in this abandoned area." His finger circled a b.u.mpy-looking stretch of land to the south. "There are hills and no houses, which makes it the perfect place to strike. We'll wait there and let the Hunters come to us."

"That's it? That is your plan?"

"Well, that and kill them." The fragrance of roses became stronger as Lucien's eyes glittered menacingly. "It's a good plan."

"They may not come. They may be at the cemetery."

"They'll come," Lucien insisted."How do you know?"

He paused, glanced at Aeron once more. "I have a gut feeling."