“What?” I demanded as shock and anger strove to churn up my gut.
“I have lost my ears and eyes in the ANC,” he started as he glanced at Quillan with a frown. That meant Quillan had been his informant in the ANC all along and once Knight and I discovered Quill was double-dealing, the Head had to find a new ANC man.
“No way,” I started.
“You do value the Loki’s life, do you not?”
I swallowed hard. The bastard had me.
The fucking bastard had me.
I didn’t respond so he continued. “Yes, Dulcie dear, I want you to work for me, take over Quillan’s position in the ANC.”
I felt tears stinging my eyes. “And you will allow Knight to live?”
The Head of the Netherworld laughed. “Yes, quite so, I’ll even put him back on duty and you both can work together. Of course, he could never know that you work for me; it must remain top secret. Anything else would mean the end of his life.”
I couldn’t respond. I felt like throwing up or collapsing into a mass of tears. I glanced at Quillan and realized I’d been beaten and dropped the gun. “How could you do this?” I demanded of him, even though I suspected he probably was pushed into a corner just as I’d been.
But Quillan never responded. Instead, he lowered his eyes and shrugged like he didn’t have an answer for me. Not that it mattered because the Head of the Netherworld was suddenly on his feet and approaching me.
“I have wanted you for a long time, Dulcie girl,” he said with a smile. “You are very good at your job.”
I didn’t want to correct him about the fact that I’d failed to apprehend Quillan… mainly because he already knew that.
“Do we have a deal then?” he asked.
I gulped as I thought about it. “You swear Knight’s life will be spared?”
He glanced at Quillan. “Once she says the word, you will call Caressa and instruct her to release the Loki and take him immediately to the portal.” Then he faced me again. “Well?”
I didn’t have any other option and even though I hated the thought of working for this bastard and selling my soul to the proverbial devil, I would if it meant Knight’s safety…
I didn’t say anything but nodded.
The man clapped his hands together and a huge smile spread over his lips. “We will be a family again.”
I faced him in surprise, wondering what the hell he was going on about but I never got the chance to speak.
“Ah, I haven’t introduced myself, dear,” he said as he extended his hand. “I’m Melchior O’Neil, your father.”
H.P. Mallory lives in California with her husband and son, although she’s also lived abroad in the U.K.
She enjoys traveling, snorkeling, antiquing and being a mom.
If you are interested in receiving emails when she releases new books, please sign up for her email distribution list by visiting her website and clicking the “contact” tab: www.hpmallory.com
Be sure to join HP’s online facebook community where you will find pictures of the characters from both series and lots of other fun stuff including an online book club!
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Discover other titles by H.P. Mallory:
The Dulcie O’Neil Series:
To Kill A Warlock (Book 1)
A Tale of Two Goblins (Book 2)
Kiss Me, Kill Me (Anthology with Dulcie O’Neil short story)
The Jolie Wilkins Series:
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Book 1)
Toil and Trouble (Book 2)
Be Witched (Jolie novella coming December 2011)
Witchful Thinking (Book 3: Coming from Random House February, 2012!)
Find H.P. Mallory Online:
www.hpmallory.com
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http://www.facebook.com/people/Hp-Mallory/10000124964376
Great Hexpectations, A Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy (Dulcie O'Neil Series #3) Page 23