“I was foolish back then… running from a mob of angry husbands whose wives I’d deflowered.”
“Deflowered,” I repeat. “Are you always so poetic?”
“I’m trying to be respectful,” he says. “I can say fuck if you prefer.”
My eyes dart toward the bulge in his pants. “Yeah, I’d prefer that.”
Fuck. Stay focused, Alexis. Don’t let this asshole brainwash you.
“I was near the edge of the forest when I saw them saying goodbye to you. Your mother kissed your forehead, wrapped you up in a beige hemp sheet, and placed a strange-looking doll in your arms. She said something about Alice keeping you safe.”
I gape at him. No one else in the world, other than the family who raised me, knows about Alice. Nor about the hemp sheet. Papa gave this blanket to me when I was old enough to understand the significance of it. Instead of interrogating him on how he could have possibly known about any of this, I open my mind and listen, something that doesn’t come easily to me.
“I stepped on a branch, inadvertently capturing their attention. Your father turned to me, his eyes filled with tears, and he raised a hand like he was about to make me vanish with a click of his fingers. Your mother stopped him, saving my life, and asked if I could keep an eye on you to ensure that one day, when you were ready and powerful enough to defend yourself from the world, you’d know who your real parents were.”
I blink, unable to speak.
“How do you think it is that I can teleport?” he asks.
With tight lips, I shrug.
“Your father gave me the gift in exchange for my loyalty. He said he needed me to be able to follow you anywhere you went.”
He pauses, a heavy silence weighing down on us.
Could this be true?
Am I, in fact, a demigod?
The thought sounds preposterous.
“If you were so keen on protecting me,” I say, “then why’d you try to steal the Book of Origin from me in Adam’s house? Loyalty to my father and theft don’t exactly mesh well.”
“I was trying to protect you from yourself,” he says.
Humming, I rub my chin. “Okay, then explain to me why you waited this long to show yourself. I’ve been able to protect myself for centuries. Why wait until now?”
“Well,” he says, intertwining his fingers. “You haven’t been ready, Alexis. You’ve been living a life of anger and selfishness for a long time. Can you imagine the damage you could have caused knowing you were a demigod?”
I swallow hard, pushing away awful memories from my past.
“I came close several times,” he continues. “You were getting better at controlling your anger, but then Jamal died, and after that, well…” His forehead wrinkles like it’s obvious, which it is.
I part my lips, but nothing comes out.
Jamal.
I’m well aware that I went downhill after his death.
“I worried you might get yourself killed,” he finally adds.
Ace seems to know everything about me. How did I not know I was being followed for so long?
With wobbly legs, I move toward the bed and plop myself down, feeling both overwhelmed and depleted.
“Holy shit…” I breathe. “I’m a fucking demigod.”
Chapter 28
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Drax won’t stop going on about how now, I can rule the world. I’ve tried explaining to him that I have no idea what this means or what I’m capable of. He insists that I should be able to teleport like Ace.
“I mean, if your dad gave him that ability, it means it’s in your blood, right? Can you maybe teleport me back to San Halos?”
This is the third time in the last ten minutes that Drax asks me to bring him back to San Halos. Why is he so adamant about it? What isn’t he telling me? He’s never this eager to go anywhere. The guy could easily spend an entire week on a sofa.
“What’s going on with you?” I ask. “You’re obviously not out of weed—” I make my eyes go big at the bag of green on the bed. Lucky for him, Mr. Mushroom hates the smell of it; otherwise, I’d be yelling at Drax to keep his shit away from my dog. “So, what is it you need from there? You do realize that there are vampires everywhere, right? And that Jamieson might be looking for me? I’m even willing to bet he has a bounty on my head.” I laugh at the thought. “Ironically.”
The man who used to pay me to kill people must have some other hit man or hit woman trying to track me down. Let them try. I’ll tear out their throat with two fingers before they can even say, Found you.
Despite my ego, I’m not dumb enough to go back yet. Don’t get me wrong—I will. San Halos is my home, but with the world going to shit and all… it’s important that we focus on the task at hand and not get distracted by the idea of someone trying to kill me.
Drax sucks hard on his lit joint and sends a thick cloud of smoke toward the sky. “I may or may not have borrowed money from a Krim demon.”
I ball my fists until my claws puncture the skin of my palms. “You what?”
Everyone knows how dangerous Krim demons are, especially when it comes to money. They’re even more greedy than Gortons in that they’ll kill anyone who gets between them and their fortunes. What makes them one of the most dangerous demons, however, is that they possess the ability to enter anyone’s dream and do what they please with them. Heart attack while sleeping? Chances are it’s the result of a Krim demon.
Apparently, succubi and incubi are also known for entering dreams, but I’ve never mastered that skill. I prefer real-life interaction.
If this guy were anything other than a Krim demon, I’d likely deal with the situation through violence, but what’s terrifying about these demons is that they’re not solid form, per se. They reside in hosts—often feebles coming out of comas—and stay there until they want something shinier. So even if you kill what looks to be a Krim demon, all you’re doing is killing the shell of a feeble.
All of this to say: no one should ever make a deal with a Krim demon, period. I thought Drax knew better than that.
“How much are we talking about?” I ask.
“Twenty thousand,” he says.
A few days ago, I would have lashed out and called him a good-for-nothing lizard. I wouldn’t have meant it, of course, but sometimes my anger gets the best of me. Today, however, I’m a multimillionaire, which means a few thousand bucks is pennies to me.
I scoff. “Why didn’t you say so? You know I have the money—”
His lips stretch into a guilty smile that makes my stomach sink. “Actually, no one has money right now.” He raises his phone. “Internet’s gone. Cell has no reception.”
Mouth agape, I turn to Ace. “What about you?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing on my end, either. You think Jamieson is behind this?”
I don’t know what to think, but I wouldn’t put it past him. This is why I wanted to pull my cash out before giving him the chance to manipulate his bank puppets into clearing my money.
I rush to the nearest light switch and flick it on.
Nothing.
“Could be our location,” I say. “Maybe San Halos is fine.”
“I doubt this is Jamieson’s doing,” Drax says. “What would he have to gain cutting all power? Besides, I know the guy’s got reach, but I doubt he has that much.”
I don’t think it’s Jamieson either, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is the situation we’re in now, thanks to Drax’s thoughtlessness. Infuriated, I throw my hands up in the air, and Mr. Mushroom runs under the bed. “Why the fuck did you borrow money if you couldn’t pay him back?”
“To find you,” Drax says, and I feel like an asshole. “You went missing, Alexis. I thought maybe someone had gotten to you. Rachel and I portaled back to San Halos to figure stuff out, and this guy said he was the best of the best and that he’d locate you within twenty-four hours.”
“Well, he sucks at his job, because—” And then it hits me. “Where�
��d you find this guy?”
Drax shrugs. “There was a poster at the entrance of our apartment building. Said if anyone needs to find someone, to give him a call.”
I roll my eyes so hard it hurts. “Were you high, Drax? When you called the guy?” I don’t give him the time to answer. “How convenient that a poster with some bounty hunter would appear the day after I go missing. Let me guess… He asked you for something of mine.”
Drax parts his lips, and I know he’s about to say yes, so I stick out a flat palm.
“You got screwed big time, buddy. Not only did you help Jamieson find me, you fucking paid him to do it!”
Everyone looks away, no doubt sensing the fury coming off me. It all makes sense now. Those vampires who interrupted Veerka and me weren’t sent by Lucius—they were Jamieson’s men and they got tipped off by Drax without him even knowing it.
“Great,” I say, pacing back and forth. “Fucking great. I could be found at any time.” I whip a hand toward Drax. “And why the fuck are you trying to get back to San Halos if you don’t have the money to pay the guy?”
Again with the guilty look. “I wouldn’t worry so much, Alexis. I’m sure that with everything going on, Jamieson is too busy to come looking for you. And I intended to ask you for the money, but now that everything’s shut down, well, I figured I’d offer him your bike as payment.”
My jaw drops. Is he for real? This can’t be happening.
“You have lots of money now,” Drax says. “You can buy another one.”
“And you didn’t think of maybe… I don’t know, asking me?”
“There’s a war going on, Alexis. I didn’t want to add to your stress. I figured I’d get this taken care of and then I’d tell you about it… you know… after.”
The rational part of my brain understands where he’s coming from, but the emotional side is about ready to tear him a new one.
Inhaling a deep breath, I do my best to talk Red down. Getting angry won’t solve the problem. Despite how pissed off I am with Drax, I don’t want him to die in his sleep.
“When’s the payment deadline?” I ask.
“For who?” he says, heavy lids fluttering above bloodshot eyes.
“The one who’s going to fucking kill you, Drax! Can you please take a break from your fucking pot, for like, twenty-four hours? Is that too much to ask?”
It’s obvious the thought of it is hurting him, but it’s only fair. I set aside my drinking problem to focus on saving the world. He could at least do the same.
Sighing, he crushes his joint over the top of an empty chip bag and throws the rest of it inside.
“Tonight,” he says, one last cloud of smoke bursting out of his lungs.
Smiling to avoid blowing another fuse, I shake my head. The timing couldn’t be worse. Rachel’s gone to who knows where, and when she returns, we won’t be here. Then again, she seems adept at locating me no matter where I am, which, for the first time, is a relief.
With hands planted on my hips, I turn to Ace. “How many people can you bring with you when you do your, you know”—I twirl a finger at him—“teleportation thing?”
His eyes scan the room. First, he glances at Mr. Mushroom, then at Riskus, who looks like he’s grieving, and then at Drax. No doubt this is the first time he’s had to consider something like this, which means it’s never been done.
“I’m not sure,” he admits. “I’ve never done it.”
“Can’t he do one person at a time?” Drax asks.
My focus shifts to Mr. Mushroom, whose snout is sticking out from underneath the bed, and then onto Riskus. Bringing these two along would put them in harm’s way, and Rachel would never forgive me if something ever happened to Riskus.
Careful to remain sympathetic, I move toward Riskus. “Hey, man,” I say.
His watery eyes roll up at me and his pointed ears wiggle.
“I know Rachel’s usually the one who makes portals, but I noticed you have some of that powder on you.”
He glances over at Ace, who’s staring at him, and then back at me and nods.
“Do you have magic abilities, too?” I ask.
Again, he nods, though he doesn’t seem overly confident. I’m assuming his abilities aren’t quite as advanced as Rachel’s. If I were to guess, I’d say he amplifies her magic but doesn’t support it.
“If I asked you and Mr. Mushroom to stay behind, would you be able to make a protection spell?”
Without a word, he nods again, and this time, his long nose wiggles up and down.
Although I don’t want to leave Mr. Mushroom behind, I think he’ll be much safer in this torn-down motel than anywhere in San Halos.
A few leaves blow into the room from above, bringing along with it the scent of lavender. I move toward the bed, bend down, and call Mr. Mushroom over. He comes running to me like his life depends on it and I scoop him up.
“I won’t be long, okay my little Shnookums?” I plant a firm kiss on his forehead and he squints with his ears folded back. I pet him hard and he licks the side of my face. “Riskus here’ll take good care of you, okay?”
He licks my face again, almost as if telling me he’ll be fine.
With his body still tucked in the elbow of my arm, I yank at the bed’s blankets to form a pile. “There you go, you cute little fucking nincompoop.”
I can sense everyone’s judgmental gazes, but I don’t care. Mr. Mushroom and I understand each other. He knows that no matter what I call him, I mean it in the most loving way.
He pants, his snout widening into what resembles a smile, and lets out a high-pitched bark.
“Yes, I promise,” I say.
Again with the stares.
“Would you guys stop staring at us? He wants to make sure I stay safe.”
Riskus climbs up onto the bed, a feat that requires great effort for such a short creature, and cuddles up next to Mr. Mushroom. It’s downright adorable and makes leaving that much more difficult.
“Riskus, make sure—”
But before I can finish telling him to watch over Mr. Mushroom, he throws a fine powder over his head, and a green energy sphere forms around them, encompassing the entire motel bed.
“Holy shit,” Drax says, moving away before the magic sears his ass.
From behind the green barrier, Riskus grins, pats Mr. Mushroom on the head, and says in his squeaky voice, “Safe.”
I’m too impressed to say anything, so I pucker my lips and nod slowly.
“Well, that’s settled,” Ace says. “You two ready to go?”
“Can you guarantee one of us won’t end up part fly?” I ask.
He smirks. “No, I can’t.”
Drax opens his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. “In and out, you hear me, Drax? Let’s find this guy and make him an offer. Once that’s done, we come back, you got it?”
His jaw hangs slack, a look that could easily be mistaken for condescension. “That was the plan.”
“And I expect you to repay me when this is done,” I say.
He frowns like a teenager told they can’t use their parents’ car. I don’t mean it—I could give two shits about twenty grand at the moment—but I don’t want him thinking he can get away with stunts like these and expect me to get him out of trouble with my riches.
Hey, I like the sound of that.
My riches.
Then again, my riches depend on this war. If the End of the Divide goes full-blown, vampires will jump at the opportunity to take absolute control of the Underworld. If that happens, all the money in the world won’t be enough to protect me.
Chapter 29
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The three of us stand in silence atop PolyKure Inc—a multibillion-dollar industry owned by San Halos’s second wealthiest man, Ronald McGuire. Jamieson is number one. And the only reason Ronald’s name is relevant—it certainly isn’t important—is because PolyKure Inc’s headquarters happens to be the second tallest building in the city.
The view is beyond words. A sense of calm washes over me as I gaze down at the city. The sun, or at least what remains of it, bounces off thousands of glass windows, making the entire city look like a giant diamond. It gives off a warm, yellow hue that makes me forget how dangerous San Halos can be. It’s almost like taking an average picture and applying a colorful filter over it, or laying on a thick layer of high gloss polyurethane over an old worn-out coffee table.
It’s magnificent.
While sitting atop skyscraper buildings isn’t new to me, it isn’t something I’ve done all that often at sunset. Being that I’m not allowed to show my magic to feebles, I soar through the clouds late at night.
It’s funny how I used to fly up onto nearly every building in the city except this one. Why? Jamieson would have blown a fuse if I were caught anywhere near this building. It’s not like he’d ever find me on the rooftop. The guy doesn’t even know I’m a succubus.
Well, half-succubus, apparently.
Then again, maybe he does know. Maybe he’s known all along and rather than saying anything, he played stupid. There’s a reason the asshole owns half the city. He may be a two-faced prick, but he’s a businessman, and he’s far from stupid despite my innate desire to perceive him as a half-brained monkey.
Below, people run around like a bunch of lost ducks, though from up here, they look more like ants inside a man-made colony.
Yellow taxis drive chaotically, zooming past parked cars and almost hitting pedestrians. Despite their unnecessary speed and obvious rage, taxi drivers are without a doubt the best drivers out there. They know the dimensions of their car and have no qualms about brushing past someone, or something, with their side mirrors millimeters away from the other guy.
That takes talent.
A cool breeze sweeps through the air, creating waves in my long black hair. I pull it all back, relieved by the weight it takes off my shoulders, and pull it up into a ponytail.
I glance sideways at Drax, and he smirks. I don’t have to say anything for him to know what I’m thinking. This is the reason I always keep several elastics on my wrists. When I want my hair out of my face, I want it out now. He once told me that keeping elastics on my arm makes me look like a prepubescent teenager wearing old-school goth bracelets. Coincidentally, this also happened around the same time I told him to go fuck himself.
Lethal Blow: (Succubus Hitwoman Book 2) Page 16