Tortured Mate (Sassy Ever After Universe #62)
Sheri Lyn
Dedication
To everyone out there who’s ever had their own demon’s living in their head. I hope you find peace with someone you love.
And as always to my family. Thank you for staying up late with me, reading, editing, formatting and the thousands of countless other things you do for me!
Valac’s finally found his freedom from his brother and Hell, literally. But neither are ready to let him go. He’s on the run with only the cries of the damned to keep him company. Each day a new hell on earth is unleashed and each night a new nightmare unfolds. His time is growing short, either insanity will claim him or his brother will.
Rogue’s name fits him for a reason. He’s part of a pack, but he doesn't like people. On a simple errand in town he stumbles upon his mate fighting for his life. Now it’s a race against time and the demons who hunt them. Will their love be strong enough to rescue him from the hell that awaits at his brother’s hands?
Love is powerful, but is it enough to battle the forces of Hell and win?
Chapter One
Valac was running out of options. His energy stores were running on fumes, leaving him open to those searching for him. His brothers weren’t going to give up, they wanted him to pay for his transgressions against them. Even if it had been in the service of one of their own. He didn’t regret helping Jericho and his friends, but he hadn’t counted on this level of hatred and determination to make him pay.
“Run little rabbit, run. We’ll find you anyway. The longer it takes the worse it will be for you.” Aeron taunted.
“Get out of my head.”
“Little brother, is that any way to talk to me, your beloved oldest brother?”
“We may be of the same blood, but we are not brothers. We are nothing. Leave me alone.”
“Tsk, Tsk and here I was going to offer to go easy on you if you came back. Because I loved our father, I’ll do it anyway. Come back, face your punishment like the demon you are and I promise it won’t be as bad for you as it can be.”
Valac bit off a sarcastic laugh, “Love and our father do not belong in the same sentence. There was nothing to love about that man, and you’ve proven you’re cut from the same vile fabric of decay.”
Aeron sighed, “You wound me, brother, in spite of that I’ll give you fair warning. My beasts are close on your heels. You won’t be able to hide forever, even now I can feel you straining to keep your shields intact.”
He wasn’t lying, Valac cursed silently as he wiped the sweat pouring down his face. For a split second, his focus wavered and he felt Aeron’s beasts latch on to his presence. They were close, too close, he could feel their hot breath down the back of his neck. He wanted to gag as the smell of their rotting corpses grew steadily worse the closer they came. “Run you idiot, there’s still a chance.” He scowled himself as he glanced around the alley already knowing it was too late. It was fight or be dragged back to Hell.
“Come on, you can do this.” Valac scowled, “Great, now you’re losing your mind and talking to yourself on top of things.”
Valac turned and headed deeper into the alley, with luck he’d survive this if he could figure out a way to eliminate at least one of the beasts first. He almost laughed with joy as he saw the perfect spot. Maybe there was someone out there watching over him after all he thought as he took position behind one of the dumpsters and waited. Each second that passed felt like an eternity. He couldn’t stop his mind from picturing all the things Aeron would do to him if he was dragged back. The things he’d see his brothers do to others made his stomach roll. But that would be nothing compared to what awaited him.
The hair on the back of his neck prickled and stood up, they were here. He had to time this just right or all would be for naught. He peered around the edge but couldn’t see anything, he just had to hope for the best. Valac took a deep breath, centered his concentration and reached out to the Third Plane. He knew he was running a risk of depleting the last of his energy stores, but he had to know their exact position for this to work. He’d only have one chance to take the lead bastard out and buy himself a fighting chance.
As soon as his senses tuned in, the world became alive in awash of vibrant colors and sensations. Each step the beasts took he could feel with every fiber of his being. Their hunger, hatred, and determination permeated the air, it was a foul taste that he knew would take days to get rid of. Come on he silently chanted as the beasts came closer and closer. That’s it, you assholes, just a bit closer. Just as Valac pushed the dumpster with everything he had to crush the lead beast in between the two dumpsters another presence entered his awareness.
“Fuck,” he snarled as the beast turned to face the newcomer, missing the trap he’d so carefully set up. He closed his sight of the Third Plane, it was time to find out how screwed he was. Three against one meant he had a one-way trip back to Hell.
He was stunned to see a beautiful Gray Wolf standing at the mouth of the alley. As much as he longed for the help, he knew he couldn’t let this magnificent creature die or face the same fate that awaited him. “Wolf, this isn’t your fight, go now while I distract them.” Valac manifested a fireball and threw it at the beast standing a few feet away.