Eternal Rider - Larissa Ione [137]
Ares’s entire body jerked. “Oh, hell. I didn’t… think of that.”
“Think of what?” Cara craned her neck to look up at him.
Hades turned around, his wings spreading and folding again with a soft whoosh. “You are human. If you die in Sheoul, your soul will be trapped here forever. I’m here to escort your soul aboveground.”
Oh, God. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He shrugged. “It’s my good deed for the millennium. And Limos promised to send me Baskin-Robbins.”
“Time’s up,” Pestilence shouted. “And did I mention my secret weapon? No? Ah, well, I’m forgetful sometimes.” He swept his arm in a dramatic gesture, and out of the sky, three dozen winged men dropped in front of Pestilence’s horse.
“Fuck,” Wraith breathed. “Fallen angels.”
“Well,” Kynan said grimly, “you said you wanted to fight.”
“I don’t understand.” Cara peeled her eyes away from one of the winged newcomers—Zhreziel, whose expression said he had an ax to grind, and probably on the Horsemen’s bones.
“The only beings that can harm me and Wraith are angels. Which includes the fallen variety.”
“And they’re hard as fuck to kill, unless you’re another angel. Or a Horseman. Even better, Pestilence probably knows about our charmed status, thanks to David.” Wraith’s fangs flashed. “Man, if I get killed, not even the fact that David is Serena’s brother is going to save him from her.” For some reason, he smiled at that. “My mate can be a total badass. It’s so hot.”
“Okay, boys.” Pestilence’s grating voice rang out. “Kill the human and the mutt, and let’s get this Apocalypse started!”
Thanatos released his souls, and they screeched as they shot toward the evil army. As if rejuvenated by the brief break, the demons swarmed, more vicious than ever. It was a nightmare of teeth, claws, and weapons. Helplessness splintered what bravery Cara held in her reserves, and somehow Ares knew. He tossed her a dagger, a last-resort weapon to be sure, but at least she had something with which she could strike a blow to any demon that made it through the wall of her defenders.
Assuming she had the strength to use it.
Everyone, including Hades—who made demons explode with a mere touch—fought hard, but one by one, the horses went down, and the Horsemen were crushed under the wave of monsters. Despair and fear became the air Cara breathed, so thick she couldn’t even scream when the rain of blows fell on Cara and Hal. Wraith and Kynan leaped on top of them, shielded them with their bodies, but somehow, blades found their way through the pile.
Pain ripped into her, as razor sharp as the weapons piercing her flesh and organs. Deep inside, a weird tugging sensation grabbed at her, and she felt as if she was being peeled like a banana. When the realization hit her, she cried out.
The tugging and peeling was her soul trying to leave her body.
Snarls rang out. Screams. Warm blood splashed on her face. A weight came off her as Wraith and Kynan pushed away. Ares. Where was Ares?
“Holy shit,” Kynan murmured. “Damn.”
Cara couldn’t move, could barely breathe as she lay on her side in a fetal position, wrapped around Hal. She figured she had about five breaths’ worth of life remaining, but dammit, she was going to watch the end come. With effort, she opened the one eye that still functioned, though it felt as if her eyelid was made of steel wool. Through uneven blurs and blood, she saw massive black paws. Teeth. Red, glowing eyes.
Hellhounds.
“There has to be thousands of them,” Wraith said.
The forest of black legs milled and parted. Something massive moved toward them, and before Cara could even blink, a monstrous, three-headed hellhound stood before them, easily twice as big as the largest of the others.
“Hey, Cerberus,” Hades said.
“Cerberus?” Kynan gasped.
“Yeah.” Hades scrubbed his hand over his mohawk. “This can’t be good.”
“And why is that?”
“He hates me for binding him to Sheoul-gra. He only gets to leave when I do. He’s probably here to rip me to shreds.