Dream Warriors - Ryder Part 3

Chaos stood outside his father's office, shaking with fury and humiliation. Two human weeks had pa.s.sed since the succubus first visited him. Each time, her torment worsened, her tactics grew more perverse. At first Chaos used the nightmares as motivation. The sooner he caught her, the sooner his torment would end.

The latest event changed all that. He knew when he was bested, when it was time to seek reinforcements. Dragging several deep breaths into his burning lungs, he raised his hand and knocked.

"Enter."

Hades looked up as his son opened the door. "Why aren't you hunting Delilah?"

"Because she's hunting me." Chaos crossed to the chairs in front of the ma.s.sive ebony desk and sat, not trusting his legs to support him. "I need your help. I can't fight her alone. I had no idea ..."

Folding his arms across his ma.s.sive chest, Hades stared at him. "What is she doing? What, specifically, brought you to me?"

Chaos explained as vaguely as possibly the nature of her torment. "Three nights ago, she made good on her threat. She arrived with others. One was a hideously deformed creature, the other --"

"I understand."

"No, you don't. This began three nights ago. I just awakened now."

"She held you hostage for three days?"

Chaos stiffly inclined his head.

Hades stood and moved around his desk, resting his hand on his son's shoulder. It was a rare and much needed show of affection. Chaos accepted it gladly.

"I can't help you, son. The Dream Realm isn't my domain."

He stared into his father's glistening eyes, dread twisting through his ravaged soul. "I can't go to them for help."

"Would you rather face Delilah again?"

The past two weeks had been some of the most enjoyable days of Ryder's life. Sheri fascinated him. Her quick wit and dry sense of humor kept him entertained. He'd only appeared to her twice in the Dream Realm; generally he just watched her sleep. The first time, she'd allowed him to kiss her, and he hadn't pressured her for more. The second encounter had been more heated, but ended far sooner than he would have liked.

He wanted to touch her, taste her, and spend the entire night making love to her. Why was he courting a mortal he might never see again? And he was courting her, flirting, endearing himself to her.

Shaking away the troubling thought, he strode into the Great Hall of Morpheus. The Dream Master turned from the reflection pool as Ryder entered and motioned him across the hall. "Have you become clairvoyant? I was just going to summon you."

Ryder's steps faltered. Surely Morpheus didn't mean to rea.s.sign him. Two weeks ago he'd wanted nothing more, but he and Sheri had unfinished business now.

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"Has there been any unusual activity surrounding your mortal female?"

"Define unusual." He'd avoided this meeting for two weeks. He didn't want to cleanse Sheri's mind of his memory any more than he wanted to leave her. In fact, going back to the way it had been before would be worse than leaving her.

"The Fates sent a message to me. Do you realize how unusual it is for them to seek out anyone?"

Kane strode into the hall, his practiced nonchalance ruined by the curiosity gleaming in his dark eyes.

"You summoned me, sir?" Kane joined them beside the reflection pool.

The Dream Master's form rippled as he turned to face Kane. "The incubus has yet to reemerge, but there has been a vicious string of attacks by a succubus."

"You believe they're connected?" Kane tilted his dark head, managing to look bored despite the interest in his gaze.

"They always work in pairs. I presumed the incubus was the stronger, but it's possible I was wrong."

Ryder grinned. "Can we have that in writing?"

The Dream Master ignored the playful jeer. "Have any male employees at the Carroll Foundation complained of --"

"The incubus is controlled by his sister. The true power lies with the succubus."

Ryder turned toward the arched entrance as the nearly forgotten voice echoed through the marble hall. It had been centuries since Chaos had ventured beyond the Underworld.

"What is he doing here?" Kane asked.

Chaos was generally more trouble than he was worth, but Hades kept him on a short leash, and everyone was happy. The conflict between Kane and Chaos was intense and personal. Kane refused to speak of it, and Ryder saw no reason to pry.

Ryder glanced between his friend and Chaos as their unexpected visitor made his way across the hall. Looking to his master for permission, Kane silently drew his sword. Morpheus shook his head. Kane kept his sword in hand.

"I have a proposition." Chaos sounded uncomfortable, almost resigned.

"What do you have that could possibly interest me?" Morpheus casually moved in front of Kane.

"A mutual enemy."

"And the proposition?"

Chaos folded his arms over his chest. "This is between you and me. Dismiss your warriors."

"If this involves the dream spirits, my warriors stay."

Fidgeting visibly, Chaos accepted the condition. "For reasons I will not explain, I released the succubus."

"The creature who calls herself Delilah?" Morpheus sounded aghast.

Chaos nodded.

"You intentionally set her free?"

Again he nodded.

The red in Morpheus's aura intensified, warning those who knew him to take cover. Morpheus advanced. To his credit, Chaos stood his ground.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"Delilah herself is helping me understand the true scope of my folly." Chaos cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. "My proposition is simple: information for protection. I will tell you everything I know about Delilah, if you a.s.sign one of your warriors to protect me in the Dream Realm. She has been -- attacking me for weeks."

"You're getting exactly what you deserve." Kane snarled out the words.

Tense silence descended as Morpheus paced the length of the reflection pool. Hissing out a frustrated breath, Chaos turned on the ball of his foot. "I knew this was a waste of time."

Morpheus immobilized him with an upraised hand. "You are not her only victim." He released Chaos and resumed his pacing. "Give me a moment to think."

"I'll protect this piece of s.h.i.+t when it snows in the Underworld." Kane stomped from the hall, forcefully sheathing his sword.

"Spoken like a true diplomat." Morpheus chuckled as he faced Chaos. "I have a proposition of my own. If you want the protection of a Dream Warrior, not only will you share your information, you'll help us catch her."

Chaos blanched. "I'm bartering for your protection, not offering myself as bait."

"You'll be protected by the son of Zeus. That's more than you deserve." Dismissing Chaos with a scathing glance, Morpheus turned to Ryder. "If you thought the incubus was vile, you better brace yourself for Delilah. You're the only one still a.s.signed to this case. The choice, my friend, is yours."

Chapter Four.

I'm sick of this, Delilah. Let's move on!

The rat-infested motel reminded Delilah of the Hall of the Dead. The stench of mildew and decay comforted her, made her feel ... closer to Hades. Fury rushed in on the heels of her melancholy. How could she spare Hades so much as a thought after all he'd done to her?

Strengthening her telepathic link to her brother, the succubus rubbed a blood-red crystal between her forefinger and thumb. Zared was a formless haze in the Waking Realm. They were dream spirits. This was not their natural environment. After eons of painstaking practice, Delilah had gained a level of control unlike any other succubus. She could move through the Waking Realm, manifest her image, and compel mortals to fall asleep. Still, with all her power, she could only materialize fully in the Underworld and the realm of dreams.

"You bore easily." She closed her fist around the crystal and floated across the room. "My business with Hades is far from complete."

Your business with Hades ended centuries ago. Why do you refuse to accept it?

"He left me in a pit to rot, cut off from my only source of energy. Am I to forget those agonizing years and simply walk away?"

I brought you energy. You were never close to starvation.

"I was alone! He sealed me in a cage like an animal."

While he frolicked with his wife. That's what this is about, isn't it? Hades spurned you and ... By all that's unholy, D. You're not still trying to win him back, are you?

Frustration clawed through her with icy talons. Why must she be surrounded by fools? Winning Hades back was the farthest thing from her mind. She had hardened her heart long ago. She hovered near the window, staring out into the night. "I'm not the only succubus left. Find another and do as you please. I set you free. Go!"

You're my sister. She sensed his presence close behind her. I will never abandon you.

"You're such a comfort to me," she grumbled. A long pause followed as Delilah considered her options and formulated her strategy.

Why do you hide in this filthy dive? Join me in the Dream Realm. We can fas.h.i.+on ourselves a palace. We're not limited by anything.

"That's exactly what the Dream Warriors expect. Do you doubt they're still hunting you? We must conserve our energy, conceal ourselves until I'm ready to attack."

What are you hoping to accomplish by all of this? I could almost understand it if you wanted the son.

"Chaos is a little boy." Heat washed over her body. Their frequent bouts of carnal pleasure would indicate otherwise, but Zared didn't need to know how well Chaos had entertained her. "I only indulged him for a time, hoping he'd tell his father what he'd done."

You tried to make Hades jealous by toying with Chaos?

"This is not about jealousy," she snapped. "No one betrays me and walks away. One way or another, Hades will pay for his treachery."

You punish the father by destroying the son.

Delilah smiled. Perhaps Zared wasn't hopeless after all.

Pausing to shake the rain off her umbrella, Sheri folded the device into a compact bundle, then unlocked her front door. The past two weeks had fallen into a bizarre routine. Ryder remained visible whenever they were alone, lessening her concern that he was spying on her.

The incubus had nearly destroyed Meagan's sanity before the Dream Warriors intervened. Whenever Sheri felt resentment swell at the invasion of her privacy, she pictured her friend's terrified expression and haunted eyes. Anything was better than being subjected to such abuse.

After hanging up her coat, she carried her laptop and briefcase into her small home office. Dream Warriors never slept. That fact fascinated her. They relaxed and trained in the Great Hall of Morpheus when they weren't on a.s.signment, but they spent the majority of their time in the Dream Realm. No matter how meticulously Ryder explained his life, Sheri had trouble grasping much of what he said.

She turned and found a man looming in the shadowy doorway. Tall and broad, his shoulders nearly spanned the threshold. A scream lodged in her throat as fear dried up her mouth. As she stumbled back, her hip hit the edge of her desk, and she yelped. There was pepper spray in her purse, but she'd set it down on the hallstand with her umbrella.

Blood roared in her ears. What should she do? She glanced from the silent stranger to her desktop. Where was the proverbial letter opener?

"What are you doing in my house?" She tried to sound calm and a.s.sertive, despite her wildly racing heart. He didn't appear to be armed, and she couldn't run past him.

"Ryder didn't mention how attractive you are."

Ryder! He was a friend of Ryder's. "Who are you?" He couldn't be a Dream Warrior. Ryder was the only one who could appear in the Waking Realm. "How did you get in here?"

He moved into the office as she fumbled behind her for the desk lamp. She had no intention of taking her gaze off him, but she wanted to see his face. Managing to switch on the light, Sheri stared at her visitor in terrified fascination.

It had been no trick of the shadows -- the man was huge. His jeans and tee s.h.i.+rt only accented the otherworldly appearance of his hair and eyes. Transforming from red to black in an ever-changing morph, his eyes dominated ruggedly handsome features. If he held still, his hair appeared black, but the tilt of his chin ignited flame-red highlights within the thick strands.

"What are you?"

He laughed, ambling farther into the room. "I've gone from a *who' to a *what'?" His deep, caressing tone lulled her, relaxed her. "That's not very flattering."

"d.a.m.n it, Chaos, I told you to wait for me." Ryder rushed into the office, holding a slender gold collar.

Chaos spun to face Ryder, his silken, s.e.xy voice suddenly a roar. "I take orders from no one!"

"Then return to the Hall of the Dead." The smoldering intensity in Ryder's dark gaze belied his casual shrug. "You came to us. I don't need the aggravation."

"No, you need the succubus, and your only hope of finding her is cooperating with me."

Tension arced between the two like jolts of electricity. Sheri could almost hear the sizzle as they glared at each other. "Would somebody tell me what the h.e.l.l is going on?"

"I'll explain everything as soon as I get this around his neck." Ryder raised the metal collar.