Chapter 4
“You’re a cat shifter?” I asked once things had settled down and Ky was semi-dressed in an oversized beach towel.
“Right,” Ky confirmed.
“So cat shifters’ are a thing too?” I looked at Ryker. “What the hell else is real?”
Ryker sighed and leaned back against the doorframe, keeping within reaching distance of both myself and Ky. “A lot, but that might be a conversation for another day.”
I worked my jaw, frustrated. There was so much about the world I didn’t know. Until two weeks ago I’d thought it was just us—humans. But nope. Looks like not only are demons and vampires real, but so are cat shifters and god knows what else. Then there was the whole where demons come from thing. Lucifer must have gotten bored one day and decided to create some kids. Elizabeth—royal pain in my ass—might be the only one I’d encountered so far, but if his other kids were anything like her, I wanted nothing to do with them.
Wait—I paused as the thought hit me. Elizabeth was a Princess of Hell, and Lucifer was real. Oh my god, is God real? Are angels? So the Bible is right?
My mind spun as I tried to work through the questions filling my head. I’d been too busy to really think much about it before, but now that the floodgates were open, I had so many questions.
“Clara?” Ryker raised an eyebrow.
I cleared my throat. “Sorry. A lot of questions just popped up.”
“You’re new to the supernatural world?” Ky tilted his head, and his smirk finally dropped.
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s a long story.”
“I’m more interested to know how a cat shifter weaseled his way into your home,” Ryker stated, side-eying me.
“Uh… well.” I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. “I went outside—” Ryker stiffened. “No one died!”
“Go on,” Ryker said in a low voice.
“I wanted to try going to the corner store… so I did. Everything went fine, but on the way back, a cat ran out into the street and was hit by a car, so I brought him back here.”
“Instead of calling animal control? Or maybe a vet?” Ryker’s glare was so fierce I had to look away.
“Yeah. It was already late, so I figured I’d call a vet today and see if I could find his owner. But when I woke up… he wasn’t a cat anymore.”
Ky chuckled softly. “Sorry about that. When I’m injured in cat form it can be difficult to turn back unless I fall unconscious.”
“Oh, I see,” I said. Before I could launch into more questions about why he ran into oncoming traffic, my stomach growled loudly. My cheeks heated and my eyes widened as I looked between them. Oh god, they’d heard that.
“You’re hungry,” Ryker said like that surprised him.
“I guess so,” I mumbled, turning to dig through the fridge.
“So you do still need human food to survive,” Ryker added.
I looked at him over my shoulder. “Should I not need human food?”
“I’m not sure,” Ryker said thoughtfully. He stared out the kitchen window like he was mulling something over.
“Care to explain, sweetheart?” Ky asked, leaning his chin on the back of his hand and giving me a lopsided smile. He’d sat at the small kitchen table not long ago, taking Ryker’s usual chair. Maybe that’s why Ryker kept glaring at him.
“It’s a long story,” I said, feeling like I was repeating myself.
“And you think I don’t have the time?” Ky leaned back, splaying his arms on either side of him as if to demonstrate all the time he had. Instead, he only served to distract me with his impressive chest.
I sighed, looking away quickly. “I’m half demon, and I just found out a few weeks ago.” I didn’t want to focus on this conversation, and I definitely wasn’t about to go into details with a stranger. So to keep busy I gathered eggs, butter and some bacon from the fridge. I’d been hoping to save the rest of my breakfast bacon for a BLT for dinner, but since I had guests, it would only be polite to cook for them too. “Who wants breakfast?”
“No, thank you,” Ryker said at the same time Ky perked up with a quick “Me!”
I shook my head. “All right. I’ll cook while you give us some answers Cat Boy.”
“Boy?” Ky cringed.
I grinned at his displeasure. Ky had to be around my age, or maybe a couple of years older. He was certainly not a boy, but teasing him lightened the mood.
“Yes, boy,” I said. “Now tell us more about yourself and why you were running into traffic when we met.”
Silence rested in the kitchen as I grabbed a pan from the cupboards and turned on one of the burners. I was just cracking eggs when I realized Ky had yet to answer. I turned to find Ky staring at me with wide, almost wild eyes.
My eyebrows furrowed. “Ky?”
“Where are we? Did anyone follow us last night?” Ky asked, shooting to his feet and peering out the window from behind the blinds.
“We’re only a few blocks from where I found you,” I said carefully. “I don’t think anyone followed us.”
“Are you sure? Someone might have seen you rescue me. They could be watching your place,” Ky said.
“I checked the perimeter before I came in,” Ryker said. “There was no one around.”
Ky slowly returned to his seat. “Okay… okay that’s good.”
“Wait, checked the perimeter?” I turned a narrow-eyed stare on Ryker. Why was he still checking the perimeter if he’d gotten the vampires off my back? Ryker gave a dismissive shake of his head as if to say: not now.
I huffed. Fine, but not now didn’t mean I wasn’t going to interrogate him later.
I turned back to the stove. Despite wanting to sit down and ask Ky a million questions, I’d already started cooking and I didn’t want to waste the eggs. Without any income, I only had so much savings to last me. Sighing, I quickly laid bacon out in a second pan and cranked it on before stirring the eggs and adding some salt and pepper.
“Are you in danger?” Ryker asked the cat shifter. I could almost feel his hackles rising. He was returning to Protector Mode.
I finished setting up breakfast, adding some bread to my Batman toaster before I turned back to face Ky and lean against the counter. “Out with it, Cat Boy. Who are you running from?”
Ky looked between us. “It’s personal.”
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?” I couldn’t believe this guy. “We’ve already gotten pretty personal here.” I motioned between us, my cheeks flaming as I recalled waking up cradled in his arms.
He shook his head. “I don’t want to put you in danger.”
Ryker pushed off the doorframe and stepped between us. “If you put her in danger, Cat…” he threatened.
Ky grinned at the threat and settled back in his seat. He couldn’t think we were in much danger with an attitude like that. “You’ll what?” He raised an eyebrow in challenge.
“Enough,” I snapped, pushing in front of Ryker. “Ky, tell me straight up. Are we in danger?”
Ky met my gaze solemnly. “Not right now.”
I held his gaze for a long minute, searching for signs of deceit. I didn’t know him and couldn’t tell if he was lying or not, so for now I’d have to trust him. He wouldn’t be staying long anyway.
“Okay,” I said, and returned to the stove.
“Clara,” Ryker warned. “That’s it?”
“Yeah.” I stirred the scrambled eggs and added a wee bit more pepper. Ky might not like it, but I’d always been a pepper fiend. “I’m choosing to believe him for now. He’s only staying until after breakfast anyway.”
“I don’t think so, sweetheart,” Ky said.
I stiffened. “What does that mean?”
“I can’t go anywhere until I’ve repaid my debt to you,” Ky said.
“What debt?” I took the eggs off the burner and piled them onto two plates.
“You saved me.” His voice sounded thicker than it had before.
When I finally turned ar
ound, his face was anything but smug. “I did what anyone would do.”
Ky arched an eyebrow. “The guy who cursed you out from his car last night would say otherwise.”
“That asshole?” I groaned. “I still can’t believe that guy. Who the fuck sees an injured animal and would rather run it over than help it? Monster.”
Ky smiled—a real smile—not that smug little grin he’d had on his face ever since he woke up. “And that’s why you’ll be my master until I’ve repaid your kindness.”
“Your what?” Ryker and I snapped in unison.
“Master.” Ky chuckled. “It’s an old tradition. When someone saves a cat shifters’ life, they will become their servant until the debt is paid in full.” Ky stood and snatched up my hand before I could stop him. He placed a tender kiss on my knuckles, his lips hot. My whole body flamed traitorously at the touch. “I’m yours until I’ve helped you like you helped me.”
This guy can’t be fucking serious.
Ryker grabbed my elbow and tore me out of Ky’s grip. I yelped as I lost my footing, but Ryker wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held me tight against him. “What is your game, Cat?”
I blinked in surprise, both from Ky’s proclamation and Ryker’s sudden… what? Jealousy?
“No game, Vampire,” Ky shot back. And the smirk returns. “It was only good fortune that put me in Master’s path.” Another wink.
Good lord. “Okay, enough. I don’t want a slave. You don’t owe me a damn thing,” I said. I tried to pull out of Ryker’s rigid grip, but his hand remained firm.
“Not a slave.” Ky rolled his eyes like I was the one being ridiculous. “A servant. I’m not doing this unwillingly. I want to help you with whatever you need, and when the time comes, I’ll repay my debt, and then I’ll go.” He shrugged nonchalantly.
“No,” Ryker said.
“No?”
“I said, no.” Ryker narrowed his eyes. “Clara has enough to deal with right now without adding another problem. I won’t let whoever is after you hurt her.”
“Ryker,” I sighed.
“Clara.” Ryker tightened his grip. “You don’t know anything about this shifter.”
“I know,” I said. “But the bacon is burning.”
Ryker exhaled loudly, his breath brushing my hair forward.
Speaking of hair… I quickly patted mine down; running my fingers through what I was sure was some messy bedhead. Ryker and Ky continued their staring contest while I fixed my hair. The scent of charred bacon was growing, and if I didn’t get it off the burner soon, it’d set off the smoke detector.
“Ryker,” I warned.
Ryker finally released me. I quickly removed the bacon from the stove and plated what was salvageable before cooling the pan in the sink. I popped the toast quickly and buttered it before facing the two men crowding my small kitchen. With plates and forks in hand, I returned to the table. Ryker was still hovering with a displeased look on his face, while Ky stared smugly in the vampire’s direction.
“Here,” I said, setting a plate in front of the cat shifter. “Eat up. How long will it take for your leg to heal?”
Ky stretched his left leg out before folding it back in. “Probably less than a day.”
“Good,” Ryker grumbled before he returned to leaning against the doorframe.
“Do you have… anywhere to go?” I hadn’t realized it before, but maybe that’s why Ky wasn’t leaving. If someone was after him, maybe this was a safe place he could use to recover for a little while.
Ky shrugged as he stuffed eggs into his mouth. Damn he must be hungry.
Despite feeling Ryker’s glare on the back of my neck, I caved. “You can stay for the day. Is that long enough for your leg to heal?”
Ky swallowed hard then grinned like a fool. “Sounds good, boss.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not your boss.”
“Sure thing, Master.”
“Oh my god.”
A knock at the door made me stiffen. Even with the strange start to the day, I’d relaxed at some point. I didn’t know Ky, but he seemed harmless enough, especially with Ryker here. But that knock could be anyone or anything.
Elizabeth might have given me a week or two to get my shit together before she began demanding souls, but my two weeks were up. If it wasn’t her, it could easily be my mom, or my best friends. Honestly, I wasn’t sure which would be worse.
Ryker held his index finger to his lips as he slowly crept to the door. I stood, careful not to scrape my chair across the floor. Ky stood too, his fork gripped tightly in his fist. I’m not sure what he planned on doing with it, but with enough force a fork might be an okay weapon. Maybe.
I held my breath as Ryker reached the door and peered through the peephole. His eyebrows furrowed and his lips pressed into a firm line.
“Who is it?” I whispered.
Ryker darted a glance my way before stepping back. “No one.”
“What?” I walked over to the door and looked for myself. Ryker was right. No one was out there. “Weird.” Tentatively, I turned the knob and peered into the hallway. Still, nothing.
“Clara,” Ryker warned. He pointed at the ground.
I looked down to find a black envelope with my name scrawled across the front in red, looping script. I crouched to pick it up, but turning it over revealed nothing.
“What is it?” Ky asked.
I returned inside, closing the door behind me. “A letter?” I peeled off the red wax seal and pulled out the cream parchment from inside. I stilled the second I opened the letter.
“Well?” Ryker asked. “Who is it from?”
“Elizabeth,” I said, my whole body going cold. “She’s summoned me.”
Chapter 5
Despite the fact there was no ‘or else’ written in the invitation, nerves crashed through me every time I looked at it. My heart thumped erratically as I read over the letter one more time. It might look like an invitation, but there was nothing inviting about it.
Elizabeth had summoned me to her penthouse suite at the Westmont Hotel in the middle of the city. I was to arrive as soon as possible. The dress code was casual and I was permitted one guest. I scoffed. Elizabeth might like to play games, pretending this was some sort of informal affair, but I knew better. The Princess of Hell had summoned me to put me in my place. It had taken me begging for time to get out of stealing souls right away—which was supposed to be my new mission in life according to her. I knew I was lucky she’d granted me two weeks of freedom before my long hellish sentence commenced, but I guess my luck had finally run out.
“Are you all right?” Ryker asked. He glanced at me from the driver’s seat.
After receiving the summons, Ryker had insisted on taking me, while Ky stayed at home to guard the fort. I didn’t exactly trust leaving him there alone, but what trouble could he really get into in the next hour or two? He hadn’t been pleased we weren’t allowing him to come with us, but I was already on thin ice with Elizabeth and I wouldn’t risk bringing a second ‘guest’ with me.
“I’m fine,” I said, my wavering voice betraying me. I cursed myself silently, pursing my lips as I stared at the brilliantly lit skyscraper across the street. Ryker had found a parking spot near the hotel, and we’d sat in awkward silence ever since. “I guess we should get this over with.”
I made no move for the door, and Ryker didn’t push me to. He was in no more hurry than I was to face the Princess of Hell.
“Everything will be okay, Clara,” Ryker said softly.
I looked at him, unsurprised to find a kind smile on his face, but there was worry in his eyes. I knew he didn’t believe that. Who would? Elizabeth could do anything she wanted to us—of that I had no doubt. I had to hope and pray that she wouldn’t hurt either of us, but especially Ryker. He was only helping me out of the kindness of his heart. It wasn’t fair to put him in danger, but I’d learned about a week ago that my protests were futile. For some reason, Ryker felt responsible for m
e. I didn’t understand why, but I was grateful.
Reaching across the center console, I took his hand. Ryker’s lips parted in surprise. “Thank you for being here.” I couldn’t even look him in the eyes as I said it. My chest panged with guilt. If he got hurt today, it would be my fault.
Ryker smiled and squeezed my fingers. “It’s no trouble.”
I snorted softly. I really doubted that.
Releasing Ryker’s hand, I finally opened the car door. Ryker followed my lead, climbing out after me. I checked the street for traffic, waited for two taxis to fly by, and then I walked across the street with as much false bravado as I could.
Ryker stayed close, a constant reminder that I wasn’t alone. Someone was here to protect me, even if I should be the one doing the protecting.
“Good evening,” the doorman greeted, holding the door open for us.
I gave him a tight smile and a nod before passing through. I didn’t trust my voice enough to speak. My throat was tight with panic before I was even through the door.
The lavish lobby opened up around us: pale marble floors, crown molding and golden accents. Warm light glittered from the crystal chandelier, sending a dazzling pattern across the mirrored columns on either side of the room.
We went straight for the elevator, slipping inside where Ryker hit the button for the penthouse. My heartbeat sped up as the floors ticked by. Before I knew it, the slight movement of the elevator had stopped and the doors dinged open.
I braced myself for the smell of blood. In my hurry to get over here I’d forgotten to stuff my nose with tissue. Damn it, Clara, I cursed myself. But when the doors opened, only a soft jasmine scent greeted me.
My shoulders slumped in relief as I peered down the wide entry. Similar to the lobby downstairs, the floor was made of pale, slick marble, but instead of being marbled by grey, bolts of gold and silver ran through the floors, sparkling in the warm light of the chandeliers dangling every ten feet or so to the end of the hall.
“Good evening,” a man greeted, appearing as if from nowhere.
Reaper's Fire Page 4