Demigod Down

by Kim Schubert

  I debated, slamming myself up and into his face to scare that satisfied look off his face, but I was tired. I shook my head instead, rubbing my temples.

  “You are such a fucking idiot.” I muttered, looking up. “You won’t find anything.”

  He tapped the file. “Oh, I found something.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. “What?”

  He grinned, taking a pleasure in his blackmail. “You didn’t exist six and a half years ago.”

  I raised an eyebrow, not commenting as he leaned forward with boyish glee, “It’s only a matter of time before I figure out who and where you were before that, but I’ll stop.” He whispered, licking his lips as he eyes roved over my chest.

  I actually wasn’t that tired anymore.

  Slamming up from my seat, I smacked the table with my open palms, learning forward so we were inches apart.

  “You are playing a dangerous game Hash and it will not end up in the bedroom like you expect.” Leaning closer, I whispered into his ear. “If I hear of this again, you will be dead. I will make you watch as I torture your wife, until she begs for it to stop, and I will gut you, letting the painful process of bleeding out take you.”

  He gulped, shaking slightly as I pulled back, sporting a smile as I sat back down.

  The fucker had rattled me and I did not enjoy the feeling. I had existed six and a half years ago as a slave to Selena. That information would not become public knowledge, if I could prevent it and I was willing to do a lot to prevent it.

  Why was my past so important anyways? Did it matter? Did it change who and what I was?

  No, it didn’t.

  Hash left quickly and another officer showed me out. He was silent but I could feel his brooding nature, he wasn’t a fan of the changes that were happening here, nor of the open wounds still on my back.

  Exiting, I was glad to see Alfie pacing worriedly on his cell phone.

  “Never mind. She is out,” he said, closing the phone quickly.

  “You okay?” He asked as I stomped to the car.

  “No,” I growled, “but I will be.”

  I tapped my fingers rapidly against the interior door handle. “Drop me at the manor,” I demanded through clenched teeth.

  Alfie cleared this throat, fingers tightening on the steering wheel, “You need medical attention.”

  “Do not presume to know what I need or do not need,” I growled lowly.

  What I needed was information and a kill.

  …

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve had to stitch you up, Olie,” Grams said softly in her large bathroom.

  Sitting on her pearl white toilet, I chewed into my bottom lip with equal measures of pain and frustration.

  “I want Franks’ family records,” I demanded again as Grams tied off the last stitch.

  She sighed, pulling off the surgical gloves and sitting down on her bathroom vanity stool. “Olivia, I need you to think this through. I know you are upset, and with good reason, but killing an innocent human family will do nothing good for us as a whole, only appease your damaged ego.”

  I growled, resting my elbows against my thighs holding my head in my hands. “He needs to pay,” I stated quietly.

  “He will, I have our attorneys filing suit against them now. We will ruin them,” she stated smugly.

  I sighed. “I do not feel that is sufficient.”

  Grams stood up, patting my shoulder gently. “They fired Mercer, trust me when I say this is personal and they will beg to have this lawsuit dropped when I am done with them.”

  I didn’t like it, but she was making solid points. Just because my ego was bruised by the human didn’t grant me the right to kill his entire family. It didn’t mean I wanted to any less though. Fucking humans.

  “Please tell me you have something for me to kill.” I groaned.

  Grams smiled. “That I do have. Follow me.”

  Hoisting myself off the toilet, I followed her, testing out the stitches as I rolled my shoulders. In her office, she pulled out a thick folder.

  “There is a talking snake in the sewers of Oklahoma. The local residents are claiming it is from the garden of Eve.”

  “Who is Eve?” I asked opening the file, flipping through pictures.

  Grams chuckled, “I forget. A human deity.”

  I nodded. “This snake is talking the religious fanatics to their death, literally.” I flipped though the pictures. “And leaving no bodies.”

  “Snakes eat their meals whole. Only the bones are expelled.“

  “I’m not going to ask how you know that.” Grams sat down at her desk.

  “Tommy and I watched a show about them after he watched Anaconda and was terrified to go into water.”

  “Speaking of Tommy, I was hoping you could spend some time with him when you get back.” Grams pulled down her glasses to watch me.

  “Sure, what’s going on?” I closed the file before tucking it under my arm.

  “He is having some difficulty in school.”

  “Fighting again?”

  “No, not this time at least not yet.”

  I nodded. “When I get back. I’m no good to anyone at this point.”

  Grams nodded. “I’ll have Grant drive you back to Blake’s. He could use the distraction.”

  I went outside while I waited. While I wasn’t leaking emotions, but I didn’t want the kids seeing me like this. I was a bad influence in my current mood and I wanted desperately for them to be better than I was. I wanted them to grow up safe, where what I did to keep them that way was not part of their normal life.

  Rubbing my temples, I sighed, feeling my frustration, anger, and inadequacy beating against my shields. I was a pathetic guardian for such precious treasures. They deserved someone better equipped at handling life, not a broken succubus who was the science project of an insane vampire.

  Gravel crunched under the tires as Grant rolled to a stop on the driveway. Lifting my head, I saw him about to tap the horn. The look on my face stopped him cold as he swallowed hard, his hands, gripping the steering wheel with unnecessarily force.

  Pushing off the stairs, I took pleasure in the pain my back was causing me. I deserved it. Sliding in next to Grant, I grunted a greeting and he was smart enough not to push it further. He depressed the gas pedal before I even had my seat belt on and we were speeding away from the manor.

  We rode in silence for a while before I asked, “Why does Grams think you need a break?”

  Grant shifted in the driver’s seat, clearly uncomfortable. “Ali and I broke up,” he confided finally after a long pause. “Grams warned us about getting involved, but neither of us listened.”

  “Hostile working environment?” I asked, quoting nonsense Grams had attempted to instill into me when I had terrified the cleaning crew.

  Grant huffed, “Something like that.” He paused again before words just spewed out from his mouth, “I can’t help that I talk to the dead, any more than she can control her powers. I also can’t help that the dead are more active in the night and like scaring her. I’ve tried to tell her before none of them can hurt her, but I don’t think she believes me.” His face fell, “I really thought she of all people would understand, you know?”

  He blinked, clearly having forgotten who he was confiding in, before returning to drive silently.

  I let his words roll over me, absorbing them and sat in silence. I finally had an answer as we stopped abruptly in front of Blake’s elegant home. Turning to Grant, I watched him turn pale under my gaze. “I understand what it is like to carry a burden so vast and so wide that no one else could possibly understand it,” I said and stopped, watching the color return to his face with a look of shock. “I don’t know what the trick is to a lasting relationship, but I think a meaningful one is where your partner doesn’t judge your baggage because he or she has plenty of their own. That in your preciously short time together, each of you helps the other unpack it.”

  Grant stared a
t me open-mouthed, even after I got out of the car and shut the door. Finally annoyed with him and slightly embarrassed at my heartfelt speech, I waved him off. He shook himself out of his stupor, rushing away.

  My words repeated in my mind as I knocked on the door to Blake’s house, not having the foresight to get my keys or phone before storming back to the manor.

  Did I believe what I had told Grant? Or was it a desperate attempt to justify the feelings I was having for Blake? If I was truly, openly honest with myself, I was scared. Terrified, that one day Blake would look around at everything I was and finally realize how pathetic, broken, and beyond repair I really was. He deserved better than the broken pieces of my soul.

  I loved him and he deserved the world. It was selfish of me to keep him for myself, but I was going to as long as he would allow it.

  Alfie flung the door open. His words died on his lips as I looked up at him. He gulped loudly before moving out of my way. He was not smart enough not to follow me as I stomped up to Blake’s room.

  “What is it Alfie?” I asked, mentally debating if I should shower before leaving.

  He cleared his throat as we made the turn down the hallway. “What are you going to do?” he asked worriedly.

  I sighed, making the final turn into Blake’s room. “I am not going to kill Franks and his entire family, yet.” I threw my duffle bag onto the bed. “Grams talked me out of it.” I grumbled, “A law suit is being filed.”

  Alfie nodded, crossing his lean arms over his chest as I stuffed clean clothing into my bag. “And the thing that attacked us?” he asked hesitantly.

  I huffed, turning around to sit on the bed as I undid my shoes, chewing my bottom lip, “Aside from the fact it was a demigod with the ability to manipulate air, that he had a buddy who wants me, I don’t know anything else nor do I actually know where to start.” I finished, standing up tall. “If there really are others, they will either come after me or smarten up and walk away.”

  “Aren’t you worried about them coming after you?” Alfie asked, stepping into the room.

  “I actually hope they do,” I muttered, looking away from my quick packing. It was easy since I didn’t have much. “I’d like to put this mess to bed.” I sighed.

  “Alfie, I owe you an apology. Blake asked me to respect his privacy in his family matter and I pushed you to tell me. I won’t speak of it again.” I said, meeting his pale blue eyes.

  Alfie cleared his throat and smiled, “I’m honored to receive an apology from the famed executioner.”

  Giving him a half-grin, I warned, “Get out, I’m changing.”

  The door slammed behind him as I chucked my ruined clothing into the garbage, changing into dark jeans and an equally dark navy t-shirt before checking my waterproof, shockproof watch, and donning my boots and leather jacket.

  Dressed, packed, and ready to kill a giant snake, I headed out of Blake’s home, not running into anyone. I had been putting off checking my phone and after starting the SUV, I finally did.

  Hope - that damn fragile and dangerous emotion beat against my ribs as I looked for a call or text from Blake. Nothing. I quickly reminded myself that he didn’t actually know about the incident so there was no reason for him to be reaching out to me.

  Other than the fact he missed me.

  I did however, miss a call from Kass. I dialed her as I pulled out the driveway and headed towards the highway.

  “Olie, where have you been?” Kass demanded, clearly annoyed at being ignored.

  “Sorry, I ran into some unexpected problems.” It was my second apology today. Something must have been knocked loose when I fell into the pool.

  “Darren’s parents are heading into town in three days!” She sounded weary.

  “Fun.”

  “Oh yes, especially since they are leaving their beautiful home in the south of France to stay in our humble, ramshackle, non-designer, home.”

  “Who cares, Kass?” I merged my car with traffic on the highway.

  “They are his parents, Hannah’s grandparents along with our unborn babies, they have to like me.”

  “I fail to see how your home would make them not like you.”

  “Because I don’t buy designer clothing, I don’t have a maid or cook, I don’t have ugly obscene paintings hanging on the halls. My home does not have a theme, nor is it color coordinated. I have Hannah’s art work from preschool hanging up along with family photos snapped with a cell phone, not a professional camera.”

  “Maybe they are more like you and less like Lorraine.”

  Kass laughed and groaned. “I don’t know Olivia, and honestly I’m not sure how many times I scrub the baseboards even matter.”

  I laughed. “It doesn’t.”

  “What are you up to?”

  “Heading back to Oklahoma to slay a giant, talking snake.”

  She laughed. “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, I know. I’ve never heard of a shifter transforming in a reptile before.”

  “True, and even when they do, speech is an advanced trait for them.”

  “Well now, look at you - learning all about shifters.”

  Kass laughed. “It still scares the shit out of me when Darren comes in as a giant lion instead of a man.”

  “I could see that.” I laughed too, feeling better talking to Kass.

  Picking up on my change in mood, she asked, “Everything okay with Blake?”

  I sighed. “I know I said I would leave it alone, but I did do some digging.” I waited for her scolding.

  “And?”

  “And one of his human family members got caught as a pet to a foreign vampire who knows her law exceptionally well.” I groaned.

  “Pet? That sounds unpleasant.”

  “It’s an old practice, mostly seen in the more violent, ruthless clans.”

  “Which have all either been eliminated or modernized.”

  “True.”

  “What are you going to do about it?”

  “Nothing. He knows I will help him.” I sighed. “I am trying to respect his decision to keep me out of it.”

  “How is that sitting with you?”

  “Badly, but what’s done is done.”

  “I suppose.” I could hear Hannah’s excited cry filter through the speakers.

  “I’ll talk to you soon Kass,” ending the call.

  Rubbing my forehead, I flipped open the file next to me scanning for where exactly in Oklahoma I was headed. Grove, Ok. It was only a half hour from Vinita, OK and the shifter hell I had eliminated. I wondered if they were related, but I couldn’t find a reason a talking over grown snake and the brutal shifter camp would have anything in common.

  I huffed. There was no sense in speculating until I arrived, which according to my watch, would be in about five hours. My day had been sucked up in the nonsense of the demigod asshole followed by the human assholes and twilight quickly moved into full dark as I was left alone with my thoughts and the winding highway before me.

  Chapter 9

  I checked into the hotel room well after midnight. It was a well taken care of, but still a dated establishment just a few miles from the reported snake sightings. I wasn’t keen on gallivanting around in search of giant snakes at night with limited information, so I opted for a late dinner at the all night truck stop diner.

  Grams had recently equipped me with a laptop and smart phone that Tommy, the resident boy genesis, had helped me learn. He found it comical, I found it a useful tool but annoying.

  Pulling up the search engine, I searched for air gods and was overwhelmed at the results. Every culture had gods of the wind. Some had one for each direction the wind traveled. Trying to narrow it down was impossible.

  Closing the lid of my laptop, I looked around the deserted restaurant, tapping my fingers restlessly against the table. Even if I could narrow down the parent of the dead demigod, it was a long shot that would yield any information on the other one who might or might not be coming after me.

&
nbsp; Pulling out my phone, I toyed with it, debating if I should call Blake. I had left in such a hurry I hadn’t told him I was leaving and I was fairly certain that was poor behavior in a relationship.

  In the end, I decided to text him. I didn’t want to go to voicemail, as I was certain he was still working on digging up information on how to free his family member.

  Had to leave for work, only be gone a day or two. Had an exciting day with Alfie. I sent over.

  The response was surprising and immediate, I heard. Be safe. Come back to me.

  I couldn’t help the stupid grin that split my face. Always. I answered, contentment filling me.

  Leaving cash on my table, I made my way back out to the SUV under the securement of the brilliant lights that lit the parking lot. I wanted something to happen, for the second and unknown potential demigod to make a move sooner rather than later, but I was disappointed as I made it back to the hotel room without any interruptions.

  Dropping onto the dark comforter, I heaved a sigh, taking off my boots, exhaustion seeped into my bones as I got ready for bed.

  …

  I was awake when the sun shone through the curtains. Sleep was illusive but I had managed to get in a few hours. Rolling over, I checked my watch. It was still too early to visit the witnesses to the talking snake, but I could look at the scene of the reported sightings.

  The drive was quick to the local park. It had a playground, running track, and bathroom shack. Taking my coffee to a bench, I sat on the table, and propped up my feet on the seat and watched. A few children walked through on their way to school, backpacks bouncing against their hurrying forms.

  Nothing snaked after the kids. There weren’t any strange voices without bodies nor a damn thing out of the ordinary except for the cold-blooded killer, drinking her coffee on the bench. I sighed, having killed enough time to make an acceptable appearance at the first witness on my list, Rosalyn Antigua.

  As colorful as her name was, she was beyond all expectations. Squinting up at me from bright blue glasses with rhinestones glittering from the pointed corners, she belched before asking, “What the in the seven hells do you want?”