Andrus instantly felt enraged. The thought of men, lots of them, laying their hands on her made him furious. “You’re an asshole, Zac.”
“Did it work?”
“Yes. Text the address, please.” The moment he said those words, he experienced an odd little glow in his heart. And perhaps a bit lower, too. He actually felt excited to see Sadie again?
Crap. I must be losing my mind. But that kiss, he now realized, had been replaying in the back of his mind. It had felt oddly arousing. No, it’s simply been too long since you’ve bedded a woman. This is all.
Yes, that had to be it. However, just to be sure, perhaps he should kiss her again?
No, you idiot. You should not. You are to meet this…mate woman.
Two hours later—Damned L.A. traffic!—Andrus pulled up to a dingy, pea-green apartment complex in Hollywood. For clarification purposes, it was not a nice neighborhood. One could practically smell the malevolence and human decay in the air.
Parked on the street out front, he grabbed his sword, strapped it to his back, and threw on his leather duster. Unfortunately, it was hotter than hell today, but cooking was far better than being unprepared.
He exited the vehicle and made the usual sweep of the surrounding area with his eyes. Late model cars lined the street, and the neighborhood was densely packed with run-down apartment buildings and an Indian restaurant. Garbage littered the sidewalks, and some unruly sorts hung out on the corner in front of a liquor store. They were trying to be casual about it, but the men seemed very interested in his vehicle.
Andrus shot them all a look, using his eyes to send a clear message. Touch the car, you die. The men scattered with the stench-filled wind.
This is where she lives? It was no place for a single woman, let alone anyone unarmed. Or not of the rat species.
He made his way to the side of the building, stepping over a man who’d decided to take a nap with his empty gin bottle in the middle of the stairs. Suddenly, he scented something unusual in the air, and it wasn’t the drunk’s urine-stained pants or the burning curry coming from the restaurant next door.
When he found apartment 2E toward the end of the hall, the strange scent became stronger.
“Sadie?” He knocked on the pea-green, graffiti-covered door. Several long moments passed, but she didn’t answer. “Sadie, it’s Andrus.” Obviously, you idiot. Not like the woman forgot your manly voice in the space of a few hours.
He gave the door one more knock, debating if he should come again later; however, something—that strange scent perhaps—made him feel uneasy. He tried the door and found it unlocked.
He pushed it open, gripping the handle of his sword behind his neck. Sadie sat in the middle of the cramped, dingy room on her small bed, staring at the wall.
“Sadie?”
She did not respond, but that strange smell permeated the room.
His eyes made a quick sweep of the tiny space. A small bathroom in the corner. A closet. Aside from that, there wasn’t much else apart from a kitchenette and bed. No room for anything more.
Cautiously, he walked to the closet, listening for signs of an intruder. He slowly drew his sword, not making a sound, not breathing. He pushed open the closet door—one of those accordion types—ready to strike, but found it empty of any persons.
He then checked the bathroom and underneath the bed. All the while, Sadie remained in a daze, staring at the wall.
He put away his sword and then turned his attention to her. She wore black shorts and a white tank top and had scratches up and down her legs as well as welts on her pale arms. Her hair was messed up, as if she’d had a ponytail but had been in a struggle, some of the locks falling loose around her shoulders.
“Sadie?” he said quietly, careful not to startle her. He’d seen the same look in his men’s eyes after a bloody battle. Standing over her, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder. “Can you hear me?”
The moment he made contact with her skin, she jumped from the bed and screamed. “What the fuck?” She pressed her back to the wall, holding out her hands defensively. It took a moment for her to register who he was. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you.”
“Did ya think to knock? I mean, who just comes in and wakes a person when they’re taking a nap?”
He studied her for a moment. “Do you normally nap sitting upright while staring at the wall?”
She gave him a look. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“What happened to your legs, Sadie?” Her eyes followed his gaze down to her thighs.
“Oh my God,” she gasped her words. “What did you do to me?”
“Me? I found you like this.” Something strange was definitely happening. “Do you recall anyone here with you?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean, Tim came by earlier, but he left and then I lay down for a nap.”
“Who is Tim?”
“My boyfriend—well, he was, but I broke up with him. At least, I think I did. I don’t remember.”
That didn’t sound right. “Where does this Tim live?”
She scratched the back of her head. “I don’t know, actually. I remember going to his place, but can’t remember where it is. Why? What do you want with him?”
Someone had done something bad to her and then made her forget. His first thought was this reeked of Obscuro—an evil vampire—but they’d all been wiped out. Not that more couldn’t be created, but the smell in the air was unlike anything he’d ever come across.
Definitely not vampire.
“Do you know anyplace else I might be able to find him?” Andrus asked.
“Ummm…he owns an art gallery, but I can’t remember where that is either.”
Shit. She’d definitely had her memory toyed with.
“But I do remember giant vaginas,” she offered.
He gave her a look. “Giant vaginas?”
“Yeah, it was an exhibit he had—walking vaginas, talking vaginas, vagina furniture.”
Sounds like my kind of art. “Then it won’t be too hard to track him down, I’m sure.”
“Why do you want to find him?” she asked, still sounding mildly disoriented.
Andrus wasn’t sure how to ask this question, but he needed to know what he was dealing with. “Sadie, someone has harmed you—there are welts on your arms and scratches on your legs. The rest of your body must be inspected.”
“What?” She rolled her eyes. “Nice try, asshole.”
“This is not a sexual thing. But I must know if…”
The gist, at least part of it, finally hit her. “Andrus, you’re starting to frighten me.”
It seemed that whatever daze she’d been in had suddenly worn off.
“I do not mean to,” he said, “but…can you please go into the bathroom and remove your clothes? Tell me if you see any bite marks on your body or if you’ve been…you know.”
“You think I’ve been…” She covered her mouth in horror and ran into her bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.
Moments later she emerged in her black underwear and bra. “Okay,” she said, panting, “I haven’t been touched from what I can tell.”
Andrus looked at her body and felt a painful shock wave of lust bolt through him. Not the time, my friend. Still, she was beautiful and it was an image he wouldn’t soon forget.
Sadie must’ve notice him trying desperately to be a gentleman and not to look. “Oops. I forgot my clothes. I’ll be right back.” When she turned around, he noticed more claw marks on her back and a bite mark on the back of her shoulder. His pulse switched gears to rage mode.
“Sadie, it is not safe for you here. Please pack your belongings. Immediately. Do not plan to return.”
“Andrus, I’m not leaving, but I am going to the police. I think that sleazy bastard roofied me.”
“The police cannot help you. But I can.”
“Listen, Andrus. You’re a big macho guy. I get it. But
you’re an actor. This asshole may not have raped me, but he did God only knows what while I was passed out. He needs to be stopped.”
All right, the rules regarding telling humans about immortals were fairly clear—it was on a need-to-know basis. She definitely needed to know because something nonhuman had been making her its lunch. He only hoped she didn’t think him mad when he told her the truth.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I am not an actor, Sadie. Just like Tim is not simply your ex-boyfriend.”
Sadie began gathering up her purse and car keys, completely ignoring him. “Idiot. Thinks this is a game,” she mumbled.
“I do not believe this is a game. I am not an actor. I am an assassin. Well, I was, but now I’m just an immortal.”
She swiveled with her keys in her hand. “Stop it, Andrus. Can’t you break character for two seconds? I’m completely freaked out right now.”
Fine. He would have to show her.
Staring into her eyes, he removed his leather duster.
“What are you doing?” she asked nervously.
He removed his sword, threw it on the bed, and then ripped off his shirt over his head.
She backed away. “Andrus, don’t.”
“There is nothing to fear,” he said, able to smell her panic. He then slipped his dagger from his boot. “Don’t scream,” he said.
Sadie’s golden-brown eyes widened in terror as he took the knife and plunged it right into his gut.
Terror filled her eyes. “Oh my God!” she screamed.
Ow. That fucking hurts! He pulled the knife out. “I told you not to scream! Now watch.” The wound closed up and only a bit of blood had trickled out.
She pointed to his stomach, a frantic expression on her face. “What the hell was that? A fucking magic trick?”
“No.” He flipped the knife and held it out to her, handle first. “Take it. The knife is real.”
She took it from his hand and inspected the blade. The moment she realized it was real, she dropped it to the floor. “What the hell is going on?”
“I told you; I am immortal. Technically a demigod, although most of my existence has been as a hybrid vampire demigod, called a Demilord, created to hunt and kill evil vampires. I am simply a demigod now. My vampire bloodline died.”
“Demigod? Like Percy Jackson or something?”
Sadie must not be digesting this well. Calling him Percy Jackson was like calling the Terminator an Ewok.
“No. Demigods are immortals, generally without powers, but much stronger than humans. In my case, I’m extremely strong and well trained.”
She covered her mouth. “You’re serious.”
Most humans were aware on some level that they were in the presence of something nonhuman—call it a hunch, gut feeling, or sixth sense, but deep down they knew. It was merely a question of believing the unbelievable.
“Quite,” he responded.
She stared with an expression that reminded him of someone trying to read a map. Only the map was for a different city than the one she occupied.
“I knew there was something different about you,” she finally said. “But…I don’t…I’m really…I’m confused.”
“Well, you may complete the ‘soaking it in’ phase elsewhere. Something strange is going on, and you cannot stay here.”
“Andrus?” she asked, blinking her worried brown eyes at him.
“Yes?”
“Are you really a demigod?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my god.” She blacked out, but he caught her and laid her on the bed.
“Correction, oh my demigod.”
CHAPTER TEN
Andrus had no clue what he was dealing with here, but the likely suspects were the species with the ability to glamour humans, such as shifters, who were extremely rare and even rarer in the more densely populated areas; a vampire who’d decided to stop obeying the Pact (the rules that all vampires had to obey, which included the prohibition of dining on innocent humans as determined by the color of their auras); some sort of fae, however those rarely came near humans or this world (too lowly for them); or an incubus, who’d been all but wiped out by the gods long ago. But frankly, it was the scent in Sadie’s apartment that had him stumped. It was rancid and dark and unlike anything he’d ever smelled.
“So where are we going?” Sadie said, her voice void of any real emotion as they drove in his car.
“I am taking you to stay with a friend. His name is Tommaso.” Andrus would send for her vehicle and come back later to collect her things. Perhaps he’d find some clue as to what attacked her.
“Is he like you?” she asked. “A—an—an immortal?”
Poor little thing. She’d awoken in his SUV, thinking it was all a dream, but when he assured her it wasn’t, she simply stared at him for several long minutes. He sort of enjoyed it, actually. Then she did something unexpected: She reached out her hand and pressed it to his cheek. Considering the vehicle was in motion, he was lucky not to have crashed. Her touch, though not sexual in any way, felt oddly intimate. As if she wanted him to know she accepted him. Or was it her way of trying to accept the situation? He didn’t know, but it instantly sparked something deep inside him and it took every badass bone in his badass body not to pull over and kiss her. A real kiss. Not like the one at the beach, but a kiss that allowed him to breathe her in and marinate his senses in her sweet scent—something he’d now noticed had an addictive quality.
There’s simply something about her.
“Andrus?” Sadie said, prompting him to answer her question.
“Oh yes. Sorry. Tommaso is an immortal; however, he was once a Maaskab, or spy for them, really.”
“Do I want to know what a Maaskab is?”
Not really. Because if you ever saw one, you would wet yourself. Unless you were with me, of course. Because I would protect you.
“They are a violent, evil sect of ancient Mayan priests who single-handedly brought down the Mayan civilization with their bloodlust and human sacrifices. They are extremely skilled at manipulating dark energy.”
“Nope. I didn’t want to know that,” she groused.
“You have nothing to fear. Tommaso wasn’t truly one of them; more like possessed by their magic and a thirst to destroy mankind. But he’s all better now.”
“Oh, sure. Totally nothing to worry about. So, you’re going to dump me with this ex-psycho and then you’re going to do what?”
“Hunt and kill Tim,” he replied.
Her eyes widened. “You’re going to murder someone?”
“If my suspicions are correct, he is not a someone, but a something. If I’m wrong, and he’s human, then I will be sure to hand him over to Cimil, the Goddess of the Underworld.”
“Cimil?”
“Cimil is Bob, your agent. Only he’s a she and the Goddess of the Underworld, one of fourteen deities. She, in particular, is charged with collecting evil souls and taking them to their proper place.”
“There are fourteen gods? And hell is real?” she asked, sounding like her head neared the point of exploding.
“Yes. Fourteen very disturbed, powerful, and childish gods you should steer clear of. And hell is more akin to an evil country club where their souls are contained and prevented from being recycled.”
Sadie blew out a long breath. “Bob is a god. And a female. I think I need a drink.”
“Welcome to my world.”
“I think I’ve been welcomed already. Without my permission.” She covered her face. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
Andrus reached over and gently pried one of her hands away so she would meet his eyes and see the truth in them. “There is nothing to fear. I promise.”
She gave him a weak little smile and then unexpectedly laced her fingers between his, tightly holding his hand the rest of the drive. He felt surprised by how their hands fit together and even more surprised by the way the heat of her palm simultaneously aroused him.
Again
, he’d had to fight off the urge to sample her lips. Because, clearly, she wasn’t interested in him that way. And, of course, he was practically spoken for.
Andrus pulled up to a large Spanish-style villa with a circular driveway and cactus garden. Nestled into the Hollywood hills, it overlooked Los Angeles. Quite the palace. But no comparison to his castle. With that thing in the basement that shall never be spoken of.
“This should be the place.” He hadn’t been here before, but it was the address Tommaso had texted him.
“Andrus?” Sadie looked at him with her warm brown eyes. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I don’t want you to leave me. I’m really, really afraid.”
Suddenly, something about seeing this woman so vulnerable infuriated him. She was beautiful, intelligent, fearless, and sharp-tongued. All right, and frustrating and stubborn and quite flippant. Nevertheless, Tim had harmed her, and it made his blood boil.
He did not like to think of anyone touching her.
Andrus did his best to give her a consoling smile and grabbed her soft little hand again. But the touch wasn’t exactly for her benefit. He found himself wanting the contact more than he should.
“You have no reason to be afraid,” he said. “Tim will be dealt with, and you will go on with your mortal life to live your dream of becoming an actress.”
Her breath hitched. “Oh crap! I have an audition at six.” She looked at her watch. “In an hour.”
“You cannot go.”
“I have to. They called this afternoon before Tim came over. It’s for a speaking part in a major movie.”
“I am very sorry, but I must track this Tim before he slips away and attacks you again.”
She got out of his truck, but instead of walking up to Tommaso’s home, she went in the opposite direction down the long driveway.
“Woman, just where the hell do you think you’re going?” he bellowed.
She held up her middle finger and kept on walking.
Obstinate woman. And did she have to shake her ass like that while she marched away? The movement made him harder than a rock. Or was it the fact that she’d disobeyed him, and he found her feisty nature extremely fucking titillating?
IMMORTAL MATCHMAKERS, INC. (Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. Series Book 1) Page 9