Read Online Marked by Hades by Reese Monroe - Free Book Online Page B

The darkness inside she’d always wondered about blasted out in her fear for Justin. In her anger toward these two bitches keeping her from him.
    “If there really is a Great One, you two had better start praying for his help.” Yvonne lunged.
    …
    “Justin.” Someone shook his shoulder, stirring him from darkness.
    And then the residual pain registered. His side. His leg. His thigh. Images of demons slashing his body roared through him, and he let out a groan.
    “Oh. God. Justin.”
    Hands patted his side, then brushed the hair off his forehead. “What happened?”
    Was that Yvonne’s voice? His chest warmed, and a line of heat streamed to his neck and pulsed. Burned.
    He swallowed hard, flinching at the coppery taste of blood on his tongue. Halena had healed his wounds as best she could, but without Theo here to really heal him and no Mate…he had to finish recovering on his own. And that took time…and energy…and sleep.
    A warm cloth covered his shoulder, right where a demon had taken a bite out of him. Was Theo here?
    No, he’d been taken, snatched by the hordes of demons waiting for them when they’d arrived.
    Justin pried his eyelids open by sheer might. Yvonne’s nearly emerald eyes peered down at him. Purple bruises littered her face and blood dribbled from her cracked lips.
    He sat up with a roar.
    She jumped back, holding her throat. His jacket was covered with dust, a rip in her leather pants exposed pale flesh, but he didn’t see a wound.
    “What happened?” she asked.
    “Demons. Brutal fight.” He collapsed onto the bed again. The dim room came more into focus, and he realized he was at Halena’s. Framed landscapes decorated the walls. Yvonne leaned over him, regarding him with wide eyes.
    Wait. She was… “Demon.”
    “Justin. No. I’m not. She— I—”
    “It’s true, Justin. She’s not a demon.” Sadie limped in, holding her side and out of breath. “Damn you’re fast, girl.”
    “Bullshit. I say she still is and just found a way around my vanquish,” Halena said as she strutted through the doorway.
    Justin roared to his feet and rammed into Halena. “You did not try to vanquish Yvonne.” He clutched her throat and squeezed.
    “Stand down, Justin.” Sadie grasped his wrist. “Justin!”
    He released his hold on the infuriating Gatekeeper and fell forward, coughing.
    “I am never taking a Mate. Ever . I don’t care what anyone or The Great One says about it,” Halena said. “It makes you insane!”
    Lightning cracked outside, and rain pelted the window across the room. He reached out to steady himself against the tilting world, but two hands grabbed him instead.
    Gloved hands, of course. The black fingers contrasted against his pale skin like night and day. Pretty much like what Yvonne and Justin were.
    Demon and Shomrei. Shit . Was she really a demon?
    Yvonne guided him to the bed and settled him down.
    “You’re hurt,” he whispered at the sight of blood on her cheek. Wait, demon blood was black, and her blood wasn’t. “How?”
    “Your Gatekeeper friends got a little blade-happy.”
    Justin growled in their direction.
    “If that’s not proof enough, I don’t know what is.” Sadie shook her head. “Theo’s not here…to finish healing you.” Her voice hitched. “So rest. You need to heal so we can find my Theo—” Tears burst from her eyes, and she turned and ran out of the room.
    Theo’d been taken by a band of demons. The damned creatures had been waiting for the Shomrei gang as if they’d known to expect them at that exact time. “Damn it! It was a fucking trap!”
    Justin glared at Yvonne, who sat on the edge of the bed, gloved hand holding his. Had she fed the demons information somehow? A telepathic connection of sorts? He pulled his hand from hers and scooted to the side.
    God, he hurt everywhere. He would have sworn every bone was broken in his body, and despite Halena’s healing, he still ached. But when he’d heard Halena had tried to