He sure as hell hoped Warrick knew what he was doing, because the idea of entering Octavia in the madness chilled him to the bone. She was already years behind in training compared to most daemons. Though she might be a fighter, he very much doubted she’d survive long enough to even be entered into the trials.
He drove around to the back side of the building and parked next to the line of standard black vehicles most daemons drove while conscripted. Some were top of the line, while others looked no better than junkers. Despite appearances, each was carefully maintained.
As he shifted the truck into park and turned off the engine, he froze, not sure he could make himself exit the vehicle.
When he saw Octavia practically huddled in the back seat, the anxiety spiraling through him eased. She’d survived a harrowing life growing up and didn’t come out twisted or cruel. There was a ruthless determination to her that gave him the hope she might actually survive the coming weeks.
His resolved hardened—he’d do whatever was needed to make that happen, even if she came to despise him for it in the end.
The guys stared up at the compound as if they stood before the devil himself. Dark emotions swirled inside the cab, leaving a bitter taste that was part fear and part worry and a big dose of hatred. It brought home to Octavia that they honestly believed this was the only way to keep her safe.
Well, shit.
“Are you sure this is what you want to do? Once we turn her over to them, her future will be out of our hands. If they even suspect something, they’ll take her into custody and we’ll never see her again.” Nikos didn’t bother glancing at the rest of the guys while he surveyed the building. Tension held him stiff, the devil-may-care guy she first met gone.
“The trials are fucked up, but I fear something worse is coming.” Warrick waited a beat, then gave her an inscrutable glance. “I know you don’t have any reason to trust us, and the last thing you want to do is come here and enter the trials, but no one will be safe if we don’t do something. Can you really turn your back on what’s coming?”
As much as she hated to admit it, he was right.
If what she suspected was true, if Kronos was somehow working with daemons, she was the best person to expose the lies. Being here gave her the opportunity to do just that.
“I tried to keep my identity as the Valkyrie quiet, but if someone saw me, our plan could fail before it even starts.” She shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the name Eldon gave her, like she was trying to be something other than what she was.
“That could actually work in our favor.” Nikos flashed her a mischievous smile, holding up his hand when she opened her mouth to protest. “Hear me out. You’re the famous Valkyrie. If daemons somehow recognize you, it will give you an added layer of protection. No one wants to fuck with the Valkyrie.”
She gave him a sharp look. “You’re joking!?!”
Atticus gave her a small smile, his stunning green eyes whirling with warmth. “The Valkyrie is a legend to the younger daemons. Some might see you as a challenge, but I agree with Nikos. It’s better to be the target of a few than on the bottom of the food chain.”
“We’ll be your sponsors.” Keegan grimaced, giving her an apologetic look. “Unfortunately, some people might harass you for associating with us.”
She barely held back her snort, not surprised they didn’t have any fans.
“And I have to be a trainee? We can’t investigate any other way?” She pleaded with them, not wanting to draw attention to herself by openly fighting daemons. Terror shot down her spine at the thought of stepping out of the shadows and facing them with nothing but her wits. “What if a benefactor takes notice of me?”
Warrick didn’t even wait for her to finish before shaking his head. “Demigods normally don’t deign to notice daemon trainees until the trials. Just keep your head down, and you should be fine.”
Her nose crinkled at the likelihood of her not stepping on someone’s toes and pissing them off, then heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”
Nikos gave her a cheeky grin. “As long as you follow our rules, we should be able to keep you out of trouble.”
Somehow she believed him.
If anyone knew trouble—getting in and out of it—it was Nikos.
“And you don’t think they’ll sense that I’m not like them? That I’m not a true daemon?” She was stronger and faster than humans, but she wasn’t sure she was a match for full-fledged daemons and their abilities. While her intuition never led her astray, she couldn’t fart magical rainbows or sneeze lightning bolts out of her ass.
How could she protect herself against someone who had fucking superpowers?
Eldon said hers would develop over time, but fat lot of good that would do her now.
The guys exchanged a look that made her stiffen. “If you want me to trust you, then don’t lie to me.”
“You’ll be in our care the whole time. We’re your cover. No one would dare question us. Hopefully we’ll discover who’s plotting against the daemons and trying to incite a war before you have to worry about demigods or benefactors.” Keegan’s voice was low and soothing, almost enough to make her forget what he wasn’t saying.
“Too bad you can’t use the stone to discover the traitor without dying,” Nikos muttered, like he was actually contemplating the pros and cons, staring blankly out the vehicle at the building like it was the yawning pit of hell waiting to welcome him back with open arms.
A savage growl rumbled from Atticus, and the clown raised his hands in supplication, planting an innocent expression on his face. “Just kidding.”
Octavia didn’t completely believe him.
Not that she could blame him. “If it was that easy, Eldon would’ve done it a long time ago.”
He grunted, and the spark of rebellion in his eyes faded…leaving behind a flash of fear before he could cover it. She studied the building, pretending she didn’t see his reaction, but she couldn’t help but be wary of their hasty plan. Whatever happened to them inside this building traumatized these hardened warriors even all these years later.
That didn’t bode well for her.
“Will they be able to sense the stone?” She narrowed her eyes on the guys. If the fuckers were lying to her, she was calling it off right the fuck now.
She didn’t trust the stone and very much feared it wasn’t done with her yet. Her body transformed overnight, and she hadn’t had time to examine what else might have changed before they hauled her off. Now they were ready to dump her in this place, and she didn’t like not knowing.
“As long as you don’t tap into the powers, the stone should remain concealed.” Atticus glared at the other guys, bristling in challenge. “It’s one thing we will agree upon, or we stop now.”
None of the guys seemed happy, but they consented.
Octavia bit back her snort when no one bothered to wrestle a promise out of her.
If she didn’t have death breathing down her neck, she would’ve enjoyed being able to mess with the guys a little longer
“We’ll discuss the rest of the rules once we’re inside.” Warrick shoved open his door without further delay.
Knowing no amount of protest would stop them, Octavia kept quiet as the rest of the guys followed Warrick out of the truck. Octavia followed suit, observing the men as they stretched and searched their surroundings. Just as her foot touched the ground, they came to her side and fell into formation around her, blocking off her view as they headed toward some industrial security doors so thick no bullets could possibly penetrate.
Once they entered, the doors thudded behind them like a coffin sealing shut, and she instinctively sucked in a breath to make sure she still had air. The atmosphere inside was cool, almost sterile, the quiet absolute, not even the hum of air conditioning broke the stillness.
The tension among the guys was so thick she could cut it with a knife. Every daemon guard they passed gave them startled looks. Some were respectful, wh
ile more than a few glared, like the guys were traitors who needed to be taken into custody.
And everyone was armed to the teeth.
It didn’t take long for them to draw a crowd, and she wanted to curse. She leaned toward Nikos, unable to keep the hiss out of her voice. “Why didn’t you tell me you guys were legends around here?”
He gave her a slight smirk that melted away into a blank mask a second later. “We couldn’t risk that you’d back out.”
Bastard.
Then she sighed…he wasn’t wrong.
Every nerve ending came alive as more and more eyes tracked her every move. It went against every instinct, like a cat being rubbed the wrong way, and it was all she could do not to melt into the shadows.
The inside of the compound was like a warren as they burrowed deeper and deeper into the hive. The hallways were brighter, the flooring more expensive, evolving from cement to a classy wooden surface. The rough cinder walls became smooth, the paint muted but tasteful. Artwork began to show up on the walls. When they turned the corner, they came to a large, circular room. The place was stripped bare, no decorations, plants, or paintings to liven the huge space. A stylish oval reception desk stood in the middle.
There were six doors around the perimeter of the room, each with a Greek symbol carved into the door that she couldn’t read. Pure energy emanated from them, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out they were standing in the epicenter of the demigods’ headquarters. Part of her wanted to run—anything to remain hidden in the shadows—but she was afraid if she moved it would only draw more attention.
Even as she watched, one of the symbols shimmered and twisted, blowing a cool breeze through the room. “The doorways…”
“Are portals that lead to the demigods’ offices,” Keegan murmured. “They take turns, so there are six in the office at all times.”
Warrick ignored everything as he headed toward the reception desk.
A pretty blonde was stationed behind the counter, her eyes lighting up when she caught sight of Warrick, and it was all Octavia could do not to growl. The young girl licked her lips, like she could already taste him, and possessiveness swirled in Octavia’s gut, gnawing at her insides like carnivorous butterflies.
Mine!
Raw power tingled under her skin, the need to stake her claim like a compulsion.
Octavia gritted her teeth and turned away, ruthlessly cutting off the emotions. They were too wild, too reckless…they didn’t feel like her own.
She didn’t even like the asshole, so the flood of possessiveness baffled her.
Keegan glanced down at her, as if sensing her turmoil. His gaze flicked around the room, and it didn’t take a second for a corner of his mouth to quirk up in understanding.
The fucker saw too much.
She’d have to be careful around him or he’d learn all her secrets without her having to open her mouth. She glared at him, daring him to say a fucking word.
Instead of making fun of her like Nikos, Keegan leaned down and whispered near her ear. “Warrick is a celebrity to daemons. He’s practically royalty. They respect him, some even worship him. When he retired, a few saw it as a betrayal, and that reverence changed to hatred. Others saw it as a goal to achieve and will do anything to attract his notice. Guys want to be him, while girls want to mate him.”
As Warrick spoke to the receptionist, the girl twirled her hair around her finger, her lashes fluttering in a way Octavia couldn’t duplicate without looking like a bug smacked her in the eye. She didn’t know how to flirt, how to be sexy, or how to lure the opposite sex…at least not in the way this girl did. Most guys took one look at Octavia’s weapons, her skinned knuckles, and scurried off in the opposite direction.
One thing stopped her from going over there and beating the shit out of the twit…Warrick seemed oblivious to her charms.
She swallowed down the bitter, twisted jealousy, clenching her hands into fists, not understanding her emotions. Her whole life had been flipped on its head last night when magic laid claim to her, and she hated not being in control. She glared at Keegan, like it was all his fault, and he lifted up his hands in surrender.
“Why does my power crave him?” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder, indicating Warrick. “And how do I turn it off?”
The green in Keegan’s brown eyes twinkled behind his glasses, and he cleared his throat, seeming both amused and embarrassed. “Power is attracted to power—it chooses the mate best suited to whoever holds that power. While we make the ultimate decision, you’re playing against a stacked deck.”
Octavia was appalled. She tipped back her head, hoping to see that he was shitting her.
Unfortunately, he was dead serious.
Son of a bitch.
She crossed her arms and glared at him, like it was some cosmic joke. “Like hell.”
She needed to learn how to use her new powers just so she could turn them off.
Instead of trying to calm her, he shrugged. “Like I said…the ultimate decision is yours…if you can withstand the mating heat.”
She watched him walk away and clenched her fists against the need to strangle Keegan. She even took a step after him when Warrick pushed away from the receptionist desk. Not even sparing them a glance, he headed toward the elaborate doorway on the opposite side of the room. As he opened the door, a bright light blazed in the tiny space, preventing her from seeing anything beyond the portal. Warrick walked through the doorway and vanished, the door slamming shut behind him.
Her skin itched at not having him where she could see him. She refused to admit she was worried about him. The guys made a sacrifice in returning to the compound. If this didn’t go as planned, she wasn’t the only one who would be in danger. She doubted they’d be allowed to set foot outside the compound without a cost, and she bit her lip, imagining what punishment they’d have to pay.
Ten minutes passed without anyone speaking.
A knot twisted in her stomach—it had been too long.
Though the guys said nothing, tension practically crackled around them, as if they were bracing for an attack. Atticus grabbed her wrist, shaking his head slightly, and she realized she’d unconsciously grabbed her knife. It took an effort on her part to unwrap her fingers from the pommel, and she felt practically naked without it. She was shifting from foot to foot, debating the wisdom of going after Warrick, when the door he disappeared through opened and he strode out.
Ignoring the receptionist, who tossed her hair and smiled up at him, Warrick nodded toward the guys, and they trooped back into the hall.
“Well?” Nikos scanned the hallway, as if expecting an alarm to be raised any second.
“She’s enrolled in the trials.” He didn’t appear overjoyed and marched them back the way they came. Instead of being relieved, the guys remained alert and on edge. “We’re marked down as her instructors.”
For the first time since Warrick emerged from his meeting, he glanced down at her, his expression guarded, giving her nothing. “You’re about three months behind the current class, years behind on lessons, so I managed to convince the demigod you’ll need to stay with us and not in the barracks in order for us to get you caught up.”
Atticus hovered at her side, rubbing his palm over his beard, nodding in agreement. “We can make it work. She already has the skills, we just need to sharpen them. The challenge will be teaching her about daemons and their unique abilities.”
“They have us in the Parker Suite.” Warrick stormed off before she could ask any questions.
The rest of the guys looked grim and followed without a word. She hurried to catch up, then nudged Nikos. “Parker Suite?”
“Our old rooms.” He didn’t look pleased about returning to their old stomping grounds.
They fell silent while everyone piled into the elevator. Somehow, she found herself in the middle of the group, surrounded by a wall of muscle. Buttons were pressed, then they were on the move. The guys remained stiff, lost in
their own thoughts. While she knew it had been risky for her to walk into the compound, she never realized their return would be so fraught with danger…or that they would hate every moment of it.
Not that she could blame them, but she refused to feel guilty or take responsibility for their decisions.
She didn’t ask to be entered into the stupid trials. They did it to prevent the war hovering on the horizon, not for her.
They were just as trapped as her.
The elevator doors opened with a ping, but the guys remained motionless for a second longer. Then they moved as a group and entered the hall. She was just a step behind when another group of men turned the corner.
Smarmy-ass Travers was front and center.
Their eyes clashed, and pure avarice gleamed in his shit-colored eyes. His teeth were slightly crooked, resembling fangs ready to rip into her throat. He strutted toward her, his smile predatory as he stopped five feet away from her men, forcing them to halt as well.
“I heard whispers that the famous Valkyrie was in the compound, but I didn’t believe it.” He scanned her up and down, licking his lips.
Her skin crawled at the thought of him touching her, and she couldn’t hold back her shudder. He smiled, as if amused by her reaction, enjoying the power he had over her. It took everything in her not to reach for her weapons, slash his throat and show him real power.
He didn’t take his eyes off her when he spoke to Warrick, nodding in her direction. “Why don’t you let me take her off your hands? We can turn her over and split the bounty.”
Wait…bounty?
Betrayal sliced colder and deeper than any blade, and she recoiled.
Her lungs forgot how to function, her heart felt battered and bruised, which only pissed her off more. She smacked away Atticus’s hand when he reached for her. How could she have been such a fool to believe their lies? She knew better.
“No one owns me,” she snarled, reaching back to grab the hilt of her blade.
If they thought they were going to take her without a fight, they were wrong.
Daemon Grudge Page 11