Ruby Shadows Read online

  “Come back to me safe and sound,” she whispered at last. Then she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and finally released me. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears as she looked from me to Laish. “Take care of her,” she said, in a voice that trembled only a little.

  “I will,” Laish said simply. He took my hand in his and looked into my eyes. The expression on his face was so intense it sent a cool shiver down my spine. I couldn’t help remembering our bargain and wondering if he intended to collect on his debt the minute we landed in Hell. What would he do to me? What—?

  “Fear not, Gwendolyn,” he murmured. “Just take a deep breath. We’ll be there before you know it.”

  I opened my mouth to reply but just then I felt a hot wind rush over me, scouring my entire body from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

  Then, abruptly, it ended.

  “It’s over now,” Laish said quietly. “You can open your eyes.”

  I hadn’t even been aware of closing my eyes in the first place but when I opened them, I saw we were standing someplace else. Someplace dark and hazy with a red tinge to the black sky.

  Hell.

  Chapter Eight

  Laish

  I watched my little witch with some trepidation, wanting to make sure she took the dematerialization and rematerialization all right. She seemed a bit shaken at first but she adapted quickly, taking a deep breath and moving away from me as soon as she could.

  I frowned. I had hoped that being in such threatening surroundings would bring her closer to me, rather than driving her away. But she was wary of me—I could see the guarded look in her lovely green eyes. Inwardly, I sighed. Clearly I would have to work harder to gain her trust. Which wasn’t going to be easy considering the trip we were about to undertake and the way we were going to have to travel.

  “Wow.” Gwendolyn gave a shaky little laugh and tried to straighten her long black hair, which had been blown about during our trip. “That was some ride.”

  “It is the fastest and most efficient way to travel,” I told her modestly. “It is a pity we cannot simply dematerialize straight to the edge of the Abyss but there are laws governing movement through the circles of Hell which may not be broken, even by me.”

  She sighed. “Of course—there are always laws. Anyway, it’s a lot faster than the way I usually get here.”

  “How do you travel to the Shadow Lands?” I asked. I knew she had been here, on Hell’s front doorstep before, but I had never accompanied her on any of her trips.

  “It’s a long, complicated spell with a lot of expensive ingredients. It’s a real pain in the ass because if you don’t do it just right, it doesn’t work and then you have to start all over again.” She shook her head ruefully. “I tried something like fifty times and spent two months income before I finally got it right the first time.”

  “Fifty trials?” I raised an eyebrow at her. “You must have wanted to get here badly.”

  “I had to,” she said, looking down. “There were…things I needed here that I couldn’t get anywhere else.”

  “Things to work the revenge spell you’ve been trying to gather ingredients for?” I asked.

  I confess I wanted to know more about that particular spell—specifically, who Gwendolyn wanted revenge on badly enough to risk her immortal soul in order to get it. What had they done to her to raise the little witch’s ire…or a better question might be what would I do to them when I found out? I felt a possessive growl rise in my throat and swallowed it with some difficulty. Why did she affect me so? I had no answer.

  “Well?” I said, when she didn’t reply.

  “That’s none of your business,” she snapped.

  “Oh, I think it is.” I went to her, crushing the plentiful demon’s breath plants that grew in the arid soil under my feet and releasing their sickly sweet, rotten-ripe smell. “Let us have an understanding right here and now, Gwendolyn,” I said.

  “What?” She wouldn’t look at me so I lifted her chin, gently but firmly, and looked into her eyes. “What?” She repeated, meeting my gaze at last. The look on her lovely face was half defiant, half fearful.

  “You and I will be traveling together through difficult and dangerous terrain,” I told her, still holding her eyes with mine. “You will forgo your usual defiance and treat me with courtesy—the same courtesy I will show to you.”

  “You mean the courtesy you showed me when you told me I would have to…have to ‘yield’ to you while we were here?” she demanded.

  I sighed. “So that is the crux of the matter. Of course—I should have known.”

  “Yes, you freaking well should have.” She crossed her arms protectively over her breasts and I couldn’t help noticing that there were two spots of color high on her cheeks. “If you know anything about witches you know I can’t really ‘yield’ to you. At least, not all the way. If I do…”

  “Your power will be halved. Yes, I know,” I told her gently. “But I am not asking you to give yourself to me simply for my own gratification, mon ange. It is a necessary sacrifice if you wish to travel through the Infernal Realm.”

  She shook her head. “How can it possibly be necessary for me to have sex with you just to travel through Hell? I don’t understand.”

  “No,” I said, cupping her cheek—which felt hot in my palm. “But you will.”

  Her cheeks got even darker and her breathing seemed to quicken. She pulled away from me. “Don’t do that. Don’t touch me.”

  “You must get used to my touch,” I told her grimly. “Before this trip is over you will feel my hands over every inch of your flesh.” I knew she wouldn’t like that part and sure enough, she opened that lush little mouth of hers to complain. I raised one finger, cutting her off. “Again, it will be a necessary sacrifice,” I told her. “As will the fact that while we are here, you will be traveling as my concubine.”

  “Your what?” She shook her head. “Oh, no—I don’t think so. What the hell are you talking about, anyway?”

  I was rapidly losing my patience. “What we are talking about is the fact that I am smuggling you—a living corporeal being with an intact and non-damned soul—into Hell,” I told her. “The only way anyone will believe I am doing this without suspicion is if you travel as someone of consequence to me—specifically, my concubine.”

  “Look, Laish, I don’t care what kind of bargain we made—I am not going to be your sex slave the whole time we’re here.”

  Her eyes were wide and angry which didn’t surprise me. I had known she wouldn’t like this little detail—which is why I had purposefully left it out before.

  “You will be my concubine in name only,” I said. “But you will agree to this ruse or I will not take you a step further.”

  “I…you…this is blackmail!” she burst out, obviously furious.

  “Call it what you like,” I told her evenly. “But from the time we pass the Great Barrier until we reach the final circle of Hell—the Abyss—you will belong to me and obey my orders. And you will start by wearing this.”

  I reached into the air and pulled out the outfit I had chosen for her. I didn’t intend to argue with her anymore. I enjoyed her sharp wit and her stubborn nature but in this, I would not be refused.

  “Put it on,” I said, pressing the garment forcefully into her arms. “And let’s hear no more about it.”

  * * * * *

  Gwendolyn

  I stared at the clingy red gown he’d shoved into my hands with shock and incomprehension. The fabric was incredibly thin and filmy and it had spaghetti straps, meaning I couldn’t wear a bra under it. It was going to show damn near everything.

  “You’re joking,” I said, looking up at Laish, who was scowling down at me. “You can’t expect me to wear this thing. I might as well prance into Hell naked.”

  “I assure you, Gwendolyn, that can be arranged.” His deep voice was steely and I could see he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Not that it stopped me from trying.