Chapter Nine

He spun around, marching toward Mal with determination. It was crucial to make sure his friend relayed a message to Amir in case he didn't survive the upcoming battle. As much as he longed to confess his feelings in person, he couldn"t bear the thought of dying without Amir knowing how much he loved him.

Amir was curled up on a Victorian-era love set in the lair's library, carefully examining the pages of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He'd discovered the rare first edition on a bookcase behind a stack of long-forgotten, dusty magazines while searching for something to keep his mind occupied. It made his gut clench to see the spine so loose and the foxing stains littering the old pages. One unthinking gargoyle had even dog-eared a page. He'd thrown up in his mouth a little when he spotted the desecration.

When Dante returned, he planned to have a serious discussion with him about the amazing antiquities that filled the lair. They were falling in disrepair, and half the time, when he'd ask someone about the history of an item he didn't recognize, they'd shrug as if they didn't care one bit.

Half the lovely objects in the lair deserved to be in a museum, but if the Slayers were going to insist on hogging them, the items could at least be treated with more reverence. If Khaled saw the sorry state the priceless pieces were in, he'd come completely unglued.

Amir's eyes burned, his bottom lip trembling as he fought to keep his erratic emotions under control, at least until he was somewhere private. However, crying over the death of his uncle didn't have anything to do with pregnancy hormones. The loss of his only remaining blood family cut deep. He wished so badly that Khaled could be here with him to meet the baby.

He sighed, gently closing the volume and placing it behind the magazines again, stacking even more ragged copies in front of the book. Maybe the historic volume would be spared further abuse.

Amir tucked his legs under his feet on the loveseat, adjusting a brocade-covered pillow so it supported the small of his back. He was so worried about Dante and, if he was being honest, a bit miffed at him as well. Why did he have to go directly from the meeting to search for a traitor?

A part of him felt he was being selfish. But after all the reassurances from Dante that he'd always be there to protect him, that it was his duty as his fated mate, his absence felt like a betrayal.

"Hey, Amir. Do you need anything?" Mal stepped into the room. I was getting ready to grab some coffee, and I thought you might like some ginger tea to help settle your stomach."

Amir looked up at Mal with suspicion, his smile a bit too jolly for a discussion about tea. He couldn't place what it was, but Mal had been acting weird ever since he'd returned from the big meeting.

"I'm fine, but thanks." He'd had so much ginger that he was afraid he'd turn into a root. "Hear anything new from the outside?"

Mal turned away, dragging his fingers through his hair. "No, sorry." He cleared his throat. "Uh, so I'm going to make my rounds then I'll be back shortly."

"You know, it's not necessary to sit with me."

Mal had been like a needy Chihuahua the past couple of days, following him around, turning up wherever he went. He'd even caught him lurking in the hallway by his and Dante's bedroom. He wasn't a complete idiot. All this cloak-and-dagger nonsense had to be related to the traitor he'd heard them talking about.

Mal chuckled shakily. "Of course not. Dante just wanted me to make sure you were…err…taken care of."

Amir tilted his head. "Taken care of? Is there something wrong, something you're not telling me?"

Poor Mal looked as though he might faint. "I know. Why don't I grab Ezekiel? That way, I can do my rounds, and you won't have to…"

His gaze darted around the room as if he hadn't no idea what he was talking about. Amir was willing to bet that was exactly the case.

"Sit by myself?" Amir finished for him.

Mal stared at the floor, placing his hands on his hips. He finally lifted his head. "All I'm saying is that Dante didn't want you to feel abandoned. There's nothing more to it than that."

"I thought once he was mated, his fighting days were over. No offense, but something seems off about him not coming back here to at least tell me what's really going on."

Mal scrubbed his face with one hand. "When there's an emergency, any Slayer can be called back into action. Dante had no choice but to obey Michael's decree that he join the fight."

Amir crossed his arms, frustrated with the whole situation. "I guess. But if it's so crucial that every Slayer join the fight, then why did you come back here?"

"I'm the new Sentinel, remember? And other Slayers have remained behind to make sure the lair is safe."

"Yes. I remember." Amir let out a small growl. "But it doesn't make sense to me that a mated Slayer is off fighting the big fight while unmated ones are staying here just in case something bad happens." He held up one hand. "Again, no offense. I'm only confused because…because…" He hiccuped a sob. "Dante swore he'd always be here to protect me and the baby."

Mal fell to his haunches in front of Amir. "I know. It sucks. He didn't make that promise lightly, I assure you. However, I'm afraid that nothing overrides a decree from Michael."

Amir let out a heavy sigh. "I guess I can understand that. It's just so frustrating."

Mal smiled. "Why don't I see if Ezekiel's busy? You know how he loves a good game of chess."

Maybe Mal was right. If he kept himself occupied, he wouldn't keep worrying about Dante.

Amir nodded. "Sure. But only if Ezekiel isn't busy. I don't want to be a hassle."

"Are you kidding?" Mal laughed. "Ezekiel loves a good game of chess, but most of us aren't interested."

"Cool."

His tension eased. Everything was probably fine, and he wasn't doing himself or the baby any favors by getting all stressed out. Right as Mal turned to leave, Caleb came rushing through the door, almost crashing into him.

"Hey!" Mal jumped back as if avoiding getting knocked over.

"Come quick!" Caleb's choked out through labored breathing. "The lair's being attacked. Rogues have breached the door and are pouring inside!"

Amir instinctively wrapped his arms over his belly as Mal jumped between him and Caleb.

"Then why aren't you down there fighting?" Mal snarled.

"Ezekiel ordered me to find you, that we need our strongest fighters. That sure as purgatory isn't me. Please," Caleb pleaded. "We're being overrun."

"Go!" Amir urged Mal, pushing him toward the door. Despite his fear, he knew the importance of their lair"s defense. He had to trust that Dante would return soon.

Mal hesitated, his features twisted in clear conflict. "Fine." He jabbed a finger at Amir. "But you stay here and hide. If the Rogues are after you, they'll check the living quarters first. By now, Ezekiel would've sent out a message that we're in trouble. You should be safe until reinforcements get here." He grabbed Caleb's arm. "Come on."

They took off at a swift pace, racing down the hall toward the entrance of the lair. By the time they'd both disappeared around a corner, the terrifying sounds of battle had reached his ears. Amir's throat tightened. He quickly shut the door, but the barrier was of little consequence. None of the public spaces had locks, and even if they did, a hunk of wood, no matter how thick, would be a useless shield from a Rogue.

Amir frantically searched for a place to hide. He remembered how he and his uncle had concealed the ring by using the decoy of a worthless box, the last place someone would expect to find a priceless artifact. But as he searched the room, checked for someplace no Rogue would ever consider, he recognized the futility. If one of those creatures were determined to find him, nothing in the library would keep him safe.

He crept to the door, placing his ear to the surface. The fighting didn't sound as if it was any closer, so maybe he could make a run for it, find somewhere better to hide. He bit his knuckle. What if Mal, Ezekiel, or even Caleb came back for him, and he wasn't there?

Amir stamped his foot. If only he were strong enough to fight. He had no other choice but to heed Mal"s instructions and find a hiding place, even though every potential spot in the library seemed too obvious.

After deciding that the best option was to hide behind a tall marble statue of a nude Greek figure, he waited, desperate to know what was going on. The only reason he'd chosen the well-endowed, headless man to hide behind was its nearness to the door. If Rogues burst into the room, he might be able to rush out and make a break for it. He'd certainly been down that road before.

Each minute was like an hour, and his heart ached for Dante. Was he okay? Did he know the lair had been breached? Caleb said Ezekiel was sending out a distress call. He grabbed his belly as a rigorous round of kicking started up. He couldn't stand to think that his fear might be upsetting the baby.

The door slammed open, ricocheting off the wall, and Amir slapped a hand to his mouth to hold in the scream that had almost broken free. He let loose a relieved sigh when he realized that the intruder was Caleb.

"Amir?" He whispered. "Are you here?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He stepped out from behind the statue. "What's happening?"

Caleb peeked into the hall then gestured for him to follow. "Come on. Ezekiel asked me to get you and the relic, then take the escape route out of the lair."

Amir stopped his forward motion as an icy chill slithered through him. "Wait. What? I'm not supposed to leave this room, let alone the lair. Dante would never allow that."

Caleb grunted. "Yeah, but Dante isn't here now, is he? Who's going to protect you, huh?" He took a step toward Amir, and Amir moved back. "Even Mal couldn't be bothered to take care of you."

"But…" Amir took another step away from Caleb. "Ezekiel told you to come get him. He had to go fight."

Caleb shrugged as he continued to advance on him. "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't." His lips curled up in a sickening grin. "I guess I created a bit of a problem when I let the Rogues in." He covered his mouth in mock surprise. "Oops."

Caleb fell into a bout of hysterical laughter, and Amir stood rooted to the spot, shock and disbelief rendering him helpless.

"You... you"re one of them," he stammered, backing up further until he hit the wall behind him.

Caleb"s grin stretched wider. "Not so slow after all, are we?" He took another step closer, his eyes gleaming. "Now, let"s make this easy. You come with me, and your baby won't get hurt."

Anger sliced through Amir at the threat to his unborn child. He glanced desperately around the room for something, anything that could serve as a weapon. But Caleb towered over him, a behemoth comprised of solid muscle that stood well over six feet tall. Escaping was out of the question.

Right as Caleb reached out to grab him, the room seemed to explode as Dante swooped into the library, his massive wings demolishing the walls surrounding the threshold. His eyes glowed a brilliant amber, his stone body imposing and fearsome. With a roar that shook the very ground they stood on, Dante lunged at Caleb.

The traitor barely had time to react as Dante"s sharp claws shredded through his clothes, biting into flesh. Caleb screamed, shrinking back, but Dante was relentless. Again and again, he swung his talons, each hit sending Caleb reeling backward until he was pressed against the far wall.

But Caleb wasn"t done yet. With a monstrous roar, he shifted to his Rogue form, pushing away from the wall and lunging at Dante. Their bodies met with a resounding crash that echoed throughout the room. Amir watched in horror as they grappled with each other, clawing and biting in a savage display of violence.

Dante's movements were swift, his strikes brutal. But to Amir's horror, Caleb was gaining the upper hand. With every passing second, Dante seemed to be slowing down, while Caleb appeared to be growing stronger.

"Dante!" Amir cried out as Caleb landed a solid blow on Dante"s side, sending him flying into the library shelves, books haphazardly tumbling from the cases to the floor.

Caleb laughed—a repulsive sound that made Amir's skin crawl. He lumbered toward Dante as if already victorious, his sluggish gait betraying the damage Dante's blows had caused.

"Traitor!" Dante spat, his voice a deadly mix of gravel and thunder. "You dare to endanger my mate and our offspring? I'll rip your heart out!"

He leaped to his feet and grabbed Caleb in one fluid move, hurling him against the wall across the room. The impact made the walls shake, dust falling from the ceiling as more books toppled over onto the floor. Caleb slumped to his knees, gasping for air.

Dante stalked toward him, every inch of his body radiating raw power. "This lair, the relic, your fellow Slayers, my mate—all were under your protection!" Dante"s voice boomed. "You have betrayed us all!"

"I... I..." Caleb stuttered, shrinking away from Dante"s terrifying form.

"Did the Rogues offer you something you couldn't resist?" Dante's voice was cold as ice, his eyes glinting with pure hatred. "Did they promise you power? Riches? Any Nephilim you desired?"

Caleb merely sputtered, blood dribbling from his lip.

With a growl, Dante seized him by the throat and lifted him off the ground with one hand. His claws dug into Caleb's flesh, drawing even more blood. "You don't deserve their promises," Dante spat. "You don't deserve anything!"

With a sudden movement, Dante threw Caleb across the room once more. He slammed into the wall, pieces of plaster crumbling over him as he fell to the floor. Caleb remained there in a heap, unmoving.

Dante advanced on him, angry growls still pouring from his mouth. He gave Caleb a hearty kick, rolling him over. The traitor's head lolled to the side, and his now dead, black eyes stared at nothing. Dante spit on him again right as wisps of white smoke started emanating from the corpse, growing thicker and more dense until Caleb"s body was fully consumed in the swirling fog. When it cleared, there was nothing left but ash.

Slowly, as if every movement was filled with agonizing pain, Dante turned from the ashes and returned to his human form. Amir slapped a hand to his mouth, bursting into tears at the sight of his grievously wounded mate. Dante staggered toward Amir, stumbling before he fell to his knees.

Amir rushed to his mate, landing on the floor next to him. He cradled Dante's head on his lap, careful not to touch any of his wounds. His chest tightened, and he choked on a sob as he stroked Dante's hair back from his face.

"Ezekiel! Mal!" He shouted as loud as he could. "We need help!"

He no longer heard fighting but had no idea whether all the Rogues in the lair had been defeated.

"Dante," he murmured, heart pounding as he examined the wounds that marred his mate"s body. Blood seeped from various gashes, and Amir feared the worst.

Dante smiled softly. "We"re safe now," he whispered, closing his eyes.

"No!" Amir panicked, giving him a small shake. "Don"t you dare close your eyes, you hear me?"

Dante chuckled weakly and nodded, his eyes fluttering open to meet Amir's gaze. "So bossy," he teased.

Amir let out a shaky laugh even as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I need you, Dante," he said, his voice breaking. "Our baby needs you."

"Amir," Dante murmured. "You have to know… I love you. No matter what happens, don't forget that since finding you, I've never been so grateful to be alive. You're everything to me."

Sobs wracked Amir's body. "Then you stay alive, dammit, because I love you, too. I love you so freaking much."

Mal rushed into the library with Ezekiel on his heels. They were in their human forms but in a defensive stance as they frantically gazed around the room, taking in all the destruction.

"Heavens above," whispered Mal as Ezekiel tended to Dante. Mal ran both hands across the top of his head. "Amir, where's Caleb?"

"He, like, vaporized."

"T-traitor," Dante croaked. "Fucking killed his useless ass."

Ezekiel and Mal exchanged glances. Ezekiel leaned over Dante, scanning him with his palms. Amir couldn't stand it.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Ezekiel gave him a soft smile. "He'll need a few days to recover and lots of poultices to heal these wounds, but I don't detect any internal injuries other than a few cracked ribs. I can easily take care of that with an auric infusion."

Without opening his eyes, Dante held up his middle finger. "What about this? Detect anything now?"

Amir gasped. "Dante! That's terrible! Ezekiel is helping you."

Ezekiel heaved a sigh. "It's okay, I deserved that one."

Amir frowned. "Why? You didn't do anything wrong."

Ezekiel shook his head. "When the Rogues started pouring in, my only thought was to summon our best fighters as quickly as possible. Caleb volunteered to get Mal, and I didn't think to stop him, didn't take into consideration that his duty was to protect you in Dante's absence. So for that, I'm deeply sorry."

"That's okay, Ezekiel." Amir tried to reassure him with a smile. Deep down, he knew Ezekiel had done his best given the circumstances. "I'm sure everything was chaotic." He looked back and forth between Mal and Ezekiel. "But how did the Rogues get in? I thought that iron door was demon-proof."

Ezekiel smirked. "Hypothetically. However, if someone opens the door, not so much."

"Oh, so they followed someone inside?"

Mal and Ezekiel exchanged glances again before Mal answered, "No. Caleb let them in."

Amir frowned. "What an asshole."

"What he said," Dante mumbled.

He sounded so weak Amir's stomach lurched. Ezekiel seemed to understand Amir's fear.

"It's all right. The infusion is lulling him into a trance. He'll be in a deep sleep for at least a day so his body has the opportunity to heal itself."

"So he doesn't have to fight anymore, right? Michael won't make him go back, will he?"

Ezekiel shook his head. "Nothing to worry about there."

Mal grunted. "Turns out, the big battle was a ruse by the Rogues to divert as many Slayer forces away from the lair as possible. They tricked that idiot Lucifer into thinking they had a second relic, but it was all bullshit."

While he'd never doubted the enemy's veracity and unrelenting quest for power, the sheer magnitude of their forces hadn't sunk in until now.

"Can I stay with him?" Amir couldn't bear to be parted from Dante, even for a second.

Ezekiel smiled. "As long as you promise to get your rest, too. Remember that your short pregnancy means your body is in hyperdrive. You need more food and rest than a regular human gestation."

"I promise. I'll even try to sleep the whole time he's out."

Ezekiel raised his eyebrows. "Except when you're up three times a day to eat a complete meal, right?"

Amir nodded. As long as he was in the same room with Dante, that's all he cared about.