Immortals After Dark 07 - Kiss of a Demon King

investigate a male? Really?"
    Holly sputtered, but Nix talked over her. "Just between us-if they can handle what the Nixanator's bringing, I might not ever leave. . . ." Her vacant gaze skittered over to the bed, and her eyes widened. "She's awake."
    Nix strolled over to the bed with Holly following. "Remember me? Nix, the Ever-Knowing?
    And this is my niece, Holly." Nix indicated the pretty blonde who gave her a weak wave. "She's Cadeon's wife."
    Nix put a glass of water to her lips, but Sabine turned away to gasp out the words, "Where's...
    Rydstrom?"
    "We finally peeled him away from you. We'll be your sitters this eve. Rydstrom, Cadeon, and myriad demons are out searching for your sister, so they can poach her portal." She laughed abruptly. "I'm sorry, this is not a funny situation, but 'poach your sister's portal' really sounded raunchy."
    Holly rolled her eyes.
    "He's bringing Lanthe back here," Nix finally continued. "And then he intends to take you to Omort and beg for the antidote."
    Sabine's heart stuttered-this time from emotion. "He can't... go through with this!"
    Nix said, "He's decided to sacrifice himself for you."
    "Omort will kill him this time . . . will read his mind ... discover any of his plans of attack-"

    "There won't be any," Nix said quietly. "Rydstrom's counting this as a one-way trip, sorceress."
    Sabine shook her head sharply. "You can't let... him do this!"
    "You try stopping a nearly seven-foot-tall demon who's hopelessly in love."
    "Nix," Holly murmured, "Sabine needs some clean sheets. They're dirty with all the blood . . .
    blood-" Her hand flew to her mouth, her face paling even more.
    "Are you having morning sickness again?" Nix asked. When Holly darted from the room, she called, "My gods, Holly, way to steal Sabine's thunder!"
    To Sabine, Nix said, "I'll be back shortly. Yell if you need anything." She heard Nix mumble at the door, "Poach her portal. So going on a T-shirt."
    Sabine lay quaking and stunned. Rydstrom planned to sacrifice everything for her.
    An idea arose, a plot. Could it work? She had little time before the next wave hit-did she have the
    strength?
    She would find the strength, because if he was going to save her, she was going to protect him. Or at least give him the means to protect himself.
    Gritting her teeth, she rolled off the bed, collapsing onto the plush rug. She could hear Holly retching in the guest bathroom and Nix running water for her. Sabine had no strength to hide herself with illusion, but as long as she could hear them, she'd be clear.
    She crawled on her belly from the room, sometimes digging her nails in the carpet to pull herself forward, When she reached the hall at last, it looked intermi- | nable, the distance to his study impossible.
    So weak . . . But she pressed on through the pain. One elbow in front of the other, her legs trailing uselessly behind her.
    Ever listening for the Valkyrie, crawling, crawling. Only her love for that demon kept her going.
    She spit up blood, choked back a cough, crept another foot. Just a few more to the study door . .. then finally inside.
    She'd made it to the armory! With effort, she craned her head to gaze up at the combination lock she'd have to reach. From her place on the floor it looked as attainable as the moon.
    Rydstrom will die if you don't do this!
    With that thought spurring her, she wobbled to her knees, then began dragging herself unsteadily to her feet. Have to reach it. She was about to crumple to the floor. Can't . . . cant do this.
    A shadow loomed behind her. Sabine twisted her head around. She cursed fate to find Nix standing behind her.
    "Did you need something, sorceress? Hmm?" She had blankets thrown over her shoulder and was fiddling with something in her pocket. A weapon! "Perhaps a Vicodin?"

    Sabine felt like weeping. "What do . . . you want?" She' d been so close.
    Just as Sabine heard the front door opening, Nix said "Rydstrom's back with your sister." . He'd already returned? "Nix, I .. . need ..."
    "And he's about to find you out of bed-"
    "Sabine!" Rydstrom's voice shook the walls of the mansion.
    Sabine's heart was about to seize again. She collapsed to the floor, dazed.
    "Do you want the sword, sorceress? Isn't that what you came here for?"
    Speechless, Sabine gave a weak nod in answer.
    Nix pulled a giant syringe out of her pocket, holding it up. As Sabine stared in astonishment, Nix blinked at it, as if she didn't understand where it had come from.
    The Valkyrie