Larissa Ione - Lethal Rider

He was such a dick.

Regan offered a polite smile. “Thanks, Ky, but I’ll be fine.”

He nodded. “Offer still stands. When’s your next doctor appointment?”

“Tomorrow. Dr. Rodanski is concerned about the baby’s size, so he’s going to do another ultrasound and decide if we’re going to do a C-section instead of a natural delivery.”

“You really should see—”

“No.” She cut Kynan off before he could suggest allowing a demon doctor from Underworld General to take care of her. It was one thing to be working with demons to prevent the Apocalypse, but allowing one to touch her intimately? Not unless things got dire. Way dire.

“Regan,” Ky said. “Your body reacts badly to medication. You can’t have a C-section without meds and pain management.”

“Rodanski said he’d figure it out.” She hoped so, because what Ky, a former Army medic and physician at Underworld General, mentioned was a huge concern. The baby’s delivery could be potentially dangerous. Still, she wasn’t ready to deal with demon doctors and their alternative therapies.

Her stomach growled loud enough for Decker to hear. “Want me to get you something to eat?”

“I don’t suppose you have a chocolate milkshake in your back pocket.” She’d always been a bit of a health nut, but pregnancy had given her a major craving for all things ice cream.

He wrinkled his nose. “That crap will kill you.”

An image of Thanatos popped into her head, and no, it wouldn’t be the milkshakes that killed her.

“So,” she said. “Tell me why you’re here at this hour of the morning.” The boys exchanged glances, and her gut twisted. “What is it?”

Beepers went off, three at once. Decker grabbed his phone first. “It’s Lance. Fuck. Demons loose in the building.”

Instantly, Ky and Decker drew weapons and closed rank around Regan. “What the hell is going on? If we hadn’t come to discuss rousing Thanatos, Regan could be dead.”

Regan gripped the podium so hard her nails dug into the wood. “You were thinking about rousing him? Now?”

“Long story, but yeah. We came across new information. We need to consider waking him right away.”

“You’re a little late for that, Aegi.” The deep, rumbling voice from the doorway drained every drop of blood from Regan’s face. She broke out in a cold, clammy sweat as she looked up to see Thanatos at the auditorium entrance, his big body radiating danger even his armor couldn’t contain.

And she knew, without a doubt, that her nightmare was about to become reality.

Regan couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t swallow. All she could do was stare death—literally, Death—in the face. Thanatos was going to kill her. His yellow eyes drilled into her, but when he spoke his words were for Ky and Decker.

“Leave us.”

“Listen to me, Thanatos,” Kynan began. “If you have a beef with someone, it should be me—”

“Shut up.” Than’s voice echoed through the auditorium, carrying as if he was talking through an amplifier. “Leave now . Last warning.”

He moved toward them, his boots thumping like death knells on the carpeted floor, the bone plates of his armor clacking, the sword at his hip more menacing than she remembered.

“Go to hell, asshole,” Decker drawled.

Regan reached out to grasp Deck’s shoulder in warning, but it was too late. Shadows rose up around Thanatos, the souls of those he’d killed. Once released from the prison of his armor, they were deadly, nightmarish weapons Regan had no desire to encounter again. She had no idea if one of them could kill Kynan, seeing how he was immune from harm by anything but fallen angels, but Decker would be easy prey.

So would she. Her ability to rip souls out of a person … or to defend against an attacking soul, seemed to have been affected by the pregnancy. The loss would have been a relief not long ago. Now it left her vulnerable in a way she hadn’t thought possible.

“Go,” she said softly, never taking her eyes off those swirling souls. “I’ll be okay.” She hoped. Kind of doubted, really. But she would not be responsible for Decker’s death.

“We’re not leaving,” Kynan said.

Thanatos smiled, and Regan shuddered. “I just killed a fallen angel.” He threw out his hand, and one of the souls, its inky form sprouting wispy wings, darted toward Kynan. It halted mere inches away, straining as if tethered by invisible chains. “He can suck the life right out of you, human.”

“Dammit,” she hissed. “You guys go. Hang out in the hallway, but please…go!”

Ky and Decker both glared in stubborn defiance, but finally, they stalked off. When Ky got to the door, he turned around and shot the Horseman a deadly cold look. “You’ve got five minutes.”

Five minutes? That would be an eternity, given that Thanatos could end her in under a second. The moment Ky and Decker were gone, Thanatos struck, wrenching her away from the podium and pinning her against the wall with his upper arm across her throat. She couldn’t even reach for her handy-dandy anti-Horseman dagger.

“You betrayed me.”

“Please,” she whispered.

“Please.” His voice was guttural. Low. Downright evil. “Say it again. It won’t help, but I want to hear you beg before I kill you.”

She would never beg for her own life, but she’d do anything for the child. She licked her lips, but she had no moisture on her tongue. “Please don’t do this.”

Closing his eyes, he inhaled, and a wicked smile curved his mouth. “The scent of your fear is intoxicating. How does it feel to be restrained and helpless, Regan?”

Horrific. It was horrific. “Do what you want to me,” she rasped, “but don’t… don’t hurt the baby.”

His eyes popped open. For a moment, he stared at her, his blond eyebrows pulled low over golden eyes. “Baby?”

How could he have missed the fact that she looked as if she’d swallowed a watermelon? The baby kicked, as if aware he was being talked about, and Thanatos looked down.

“What the—?” Thanatos leaped away, eyes wide and glued to her belly. “When?” He swallowed audibly. “Who’s the father?”

Now she had to tread carefully. The plan had been to wait until after the baby’s birth to rouse Thanatos and tell him about it … the hope being that if he came after Regan in a murderous fury, at least the baby would be safe. Now… shit. She wasn’t sure what to do. Weird, since she’d always been able to think on her feet.

“Listen to me—”

“ Who? ”

She inhaled a shaky breath. “I’d feel better if Kynan was here—”

“ Kynan? ” Thanatos let out a godawful snarl, and she swore she saw the flash of fangs. “The Aegi is the father? He dared to touch you?”

Dared? “No—”

“Kynan!” His roar shook the entire building, and then his sword was in his hand and those creepy shadows were circling his feet.

“It’s not Kynan,” she blurted, but Than wasn’t listening.

“Kynan is a dead man.”

“ Thanatos! Yo, deaf Horseman. It’s not Kynan. It’s you.” She smoothed her hand over her belly. “This baby is yours.”

Thanatos had lived during the days when being poleaxed wasn’t just an expression. He’d managed to avoid it … until now.

Now he knew exactly how it felt as he stood there like a dolt, staring numbly at Regan’s belly. He dragged his gaze upward, to breasts that seemed larger than before, to her slender throat, and finally, he met her hazel eyes. They were as beautiful as he remembered, bright, with a warrior’s hard ice behind fire. But they were also tinged with fear, proving she wasn’t stupid.