Page 96 of Blood Bound (Blood Mafia 3)

His dark skin is coated in what looks like ash. Not the kind from dry skin but the kind from a raging inferno. Still lit from a fire contained within his being, Kerberos’ eyes land on me.

“You are Demetria.” His voice is deeper than any of the men’s, and sends a shiver of apprehension down my spine.

I can’t shake the feeling that this man—this hellhound—is bad news. An oily yet transparent sort of energy swirls around him.

“I am.” I lick my lips and clear my throat. “Thank you for agreeing to help us.”

Evelyn eases her way toward Blaze when Kerberos glances at her. She doesn’t scurry, but she definitely walks faster than normal. Once she’s safely behind Blaze’s back, the wolf sighs.

“You don’t need to fear Kerberos. He is a friend.”

The man in question tips his head, and I’m not sure he entirely agrees with Blaze.

What is he?I want to ask. I don’t, even though I need to know why his presence makes my stomach roil.

The portal behind him is spinning at the same speed it was before, except it starts to pulse between bright and dark. He turns to face the portal, and turns his head from side to side as though listening for something.

Kerberos nods. “They are not a threat.”

I share a look with Colt and Grayson, who both look to Mateo to see his reaction. The vampire holding on to me is steady as a rock and is not outwardly fazed by the presence of Kerberos.

Well, at least one of us has balls.

Kerberos faces us; his unsettling gaze lands on me once more. “We have limited time to retrieve your friend. My brothers will hold off the hell scorpions for as long as they can, but even they cannot keep them at bay forever.”

Hell scorpions?

Can I get ahellno?

I pull my shoulders back, knowing we have no other choice. We were all prepared for the dangers in the Underworld. There’s a very good chance none of us will survive. I refuse to let that deter me from trying to save X. She needs us.

Seeing the resolve in my gaze, Kerberos smiles. It’s all sharp teeth and black gums. His tongue swipes over his teeth. It’s also black. Nothing about this guy is remotely normal.

“You’re brave, Hunter. Try not to die.”

With those sage words, he turns toward the portal and shifts in one smooth motion. The beast growls and jerks his head in the direction of the glowing oval.

“All right, everything will be fine,” I say more to myself than the others. I remove myself from Mateo’s hold and start after him.

The road to Hell is cheaply paved and has a few potholes.

I avoid the one on my right, the parking lot we’re standing in is in dire need of repair, and walk through the wall first.

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