“Are you really thousands of years old?”
“I am sorry,” he said, “but that is all we have time for. And now that I have answered all your questions, removed all doubt from your mind as to why we must move forward, do you believe you are up for the challenge? Because it must be you, Jeni. They will not know who or what is attacking. They will be unable to defend themselves against a power they have never seen. Meanwhile, I will ward the property to prevent them from leaving once they’ve entered.”
I let the pieces spin around inside my head. He wanted to finish what he started by calling all the members for another meeting. He would use the opportunity to make a trade with Serina to get my dad back. I guessed he then expected me to do my thing and kill everyone there. After everything King told me about how conniving these Ten Club people were, I worried that this wouldn’t go smoothly.
“If you would like to confront Serina, be my guest. But she is quite old and has acquired many tricks since I have been away.”
“She as old as you?” I asked.
“No one is as old as me. Which is why it is time to make things right and put an end to this unholy life of mine along with my legacy.”
The thought of killing him was too much. I couldn’t even pretend to visualize it. “Okay, but death could still reject you.”
“Ending Ten Club will make things right.” He took my hand and kissed the top. “This is why you must help me.”
I stared at his beautiful face, feeling my heart swell. I had never used my “gift” before. Not like this. The only two times I had, I’d been fighting for my life. “I could fail.”
“You will not. Especially after you shake hands with the man who murdered your mother, and then meet his wife, the current leader of Ten Club: Serina. She will be very pleased to tell you all about the fun she’s been having torturing your father.”
Serina was Victor Escorcia’s wife? She was the new leader, too? I felt the all too familiar rage building in my chest. The world was not safe with people like them in it. A revolting, sadistic power couple. “I’m in.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The event would be held at King’s creepy death-house-on-a-hill back in San Francisco. He insisted it would make a statement that the rightful leader of Ten Club had returned to claim his throne and settle unfinished business. Basically, it was a showdown, and everyone was coming to watch.
I guessed some members wouldn’t be happy to see King again, especially the individuals who’d killed his family. King said he didn’t know specifically who they were—he’d been too distraught at the time to find out—but that didn’t matter now. Ten Club, all of them, were going down. Either way, if I were in those particular members’ shoes, I’d be showing up to back Serina. I would be scared shitless of King retaking leadership, because, well, payback.
They’re getting it anyway. And I felt zero guilt. Except for the part about ending King’s life, too. He didn’t understand what I felt. Neither did I, really. My best guess was it had something to do with my Seer blood. He had a long history with them, and if what he said was true, about their souls never really moving on, perhaps I knew him long ago?
Or maybe we were connected by our good buddy, Mr. Death. I wondered how long death had been hanging out around me.
Now sitting in King’s plane on our way back to San Francisco, an image of the grim reaper popped in my head. Grim was standing in a dark corner while I blew out the candles on my cake at my tenth birthday party.
King chuckled from the seat behind me.
I twisted my body and looked around the seat back. “Can’t I have a little privacy?”
“My apologies, but I cannot help hearing you. And that was amusing. The grim reaper at a child’s party with unicorn balloons and—”
“Why can’t you help hearing me?”
“I have developed a very powerful ability, and you have a powerful gift. Perhaps our frequencies are on similar wavelengths. Perhaps it is our connection with death, as I mentioned before. Honestly, I do not give a fuck.”
He went back to typing something on a laptop that had been waiting on board when we arrived. It was weird thinking that he had a quiet army of loyal servants, whom he never discussed, but it was even weirder seeing him do work on a computer like a regular guy.
He raised a brow, not meeting my gaze. “I am not a god, Jeni. I am merely a man who has lived an extraordinarily long life.”
He was much more than that, and he knew it. He was also unspeakably beautiful. I could stare at him for hours and never get tired of it.
“You flatter me.” He cracked a subtle smile.
“What if you stayed around a while?” I didn’t understand why he needed to die with the rest of Ten Club.
His smile melted away into a cold scowl. “No.” He returned to typing.
I stood up in the aisle and pushed his laptop closed to get his attention. “I’m serious. You could stay a little longer.”
“To do what, Miss Arnold?”
I liked when he used my last name. I think because he only said it when he was trying to push me away. I liked getting under his skin.
I folded my arms over my chest. “What did you do before?”
“You mean before in my first life, the second, third, fourth or—”
“When you met Mia. And I mean outside of running Ten Club.”
“I mostly collected things—objects I could use to maintain power. I spent several years hunting for the Incan Chalice of Life.”
I raised a brow. “You just…treasure hunted.”
“Do not mock me, Jeni.”
“I’m not mocking you. I’m surprised you didn’t run any companies or start a business.”
He looked away for a moment. “For a while, I found things for people.”
I smirked. “You mean you were a detective?”
“No.” He looked insulted. Tight lips. Narrowed eyes. “I gained a reputation for being able to find people or things. For a price. I found it useful, considering the individuals who generally came to me were often wealthy or powerful, and it helped to have them in my debt. I grew quite a network of loyal allies.”
“You mean like those men who drive for you, or the guy who flies your plane.”
“The Spiros family is from Crete—as am I, originally. They have served me for a very long time.”
I wondered if it was by choice. Wait. Crete? I had a great-grandmother from Crete.
“Yes,” he said, “that is where your bloodline originated. The Seer gene skips every few generations. Females only.”
“Was my great-grandmother—”
“A Seer? I do not know.”
“So you didn’t know her.”
“If you’re asking if she is one of the souls forever damned to that house, the answer is no. Those women are from my era, long before your great-grandmother’s time.”
“Interesting.” I have so many questions.
“Shocking,” he said sarcastically.
“Fuck off.” I chuckled. “I spent the vast majority of my life feeling like a garden snail, who didn’t want to be stepped on, only to discover that all along, I had the power to crush anyone who screwed with me. All because of some ancient bloodline. So yes. I have questions. You’d have them, too, if you were in my shoes.”
“You will have to forgive me.” He stifled a smile. “I find your excitement over such stale history refreshing.”
Only King could manage to be charming when subtly saying you were an ignorant child. “Nice attempt to distract me, by the way, but you haven’t answered my question. Give me one good reason why you can’t stay a little longer.”
“Give me one good reason that I should.”
“To make sure I’m safe, for one. You don’t know what the fallout’ll be after I kill these people. A few could get away. They could pick up Ten Club where you left off, or—”
“Jeni,” he snarled, “there always has been and there always will be evil in this world. Once Ten Club is done, this is no
longer my problem.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“Do you think me Superman out to save the world?”
“You look like an ancient king who is still alive—breathing and talking—long after he should’ve been dead. You’re an anomaly that comes once in a thousand lifetimes. Don’t you think that means something? I mean, look at me!” I threw my arms to my sides. “You changed my life. You woke me up.”
“I brought Ten Club to your doorstep, and now they have your father.”
My stomach clenched. My fear for him was never far. I kept telling myself to stay focused, to keep a clear head. It was the only way to help him. But make no mistake, just beneath the surface, I was a mess ready to burst into tears at any moment.
“Serina is going to pay for what she has done,” King said, hearing my thoughts. “I promise you that. Then, if I am lucky, death will allow me to pass after I have undone my sins.”
“And if not?”
“I am the man who can find anything or anyone. And I will find a way to die. Of that I have no doubt.”
But what will be the price? That’s what he always said; everything came with a price.
Reading my thoughts again, he asked, “Perhaps you should ask your friend death.”
“Sorry, he and I aren’t on speaking terms.”
“I would seek to change that. It behooves you to understand your gift so you may use it fully.”
Not so sure I agree.
“Yes, well, I am not so certain you will have a choice after I am gone,” he said. “You will need to know how to handle yourself because I plan to leave all of my possessions to you.”
“What the hell for?” It wasn’t like I had a use for a giant warehouse with crap that scared the hell out of me or a house filled with the angry souls of my witchy ancestors.
“How about a private island in Greece, several estates on Crete, homes in every major city, a few private jets, an army of loyal servants, and over a hundred billion in cash?”
Wow. Just wow… I raised a brow, trying to let that sink in.
He added, “You may need it to clean up the remnants of Ten Club—if there are any.”
“What? No. I don’t want anything to do with them. And I don’t want to be rich or powerful.” Really, I didn’t want to inherit all his stuff and have to think of him every day. It was bad enough I had feelings for him, a man whose heart was taken and always would be. I’d been inside his head. I felt his love for Mia. Something like that never died.
His gaze softened. “Then you may turn down my offer,” he said in a quiet tone, “but just remember, everything comes with a price, my dear Jeni Arnold. Even walking away. Perhaps the contents of my warehouse will fall into the wrong hands.” He lowered his voice. “But I trust you and your brave heart will make the right choices after I am gone.”
I couldn’t take it. I didn’t want him to die. Why was he asking me to do this when he knew how I felt? It wasn’t fair.
I know. And I thank you, he said without speaking. I will always be grateful to you. Still seated, he reached for my hand and bent his head, placing a soft kiss.
I soaked it in. Every second of it. He wanted to leave this world and go beyond the wall of death. He hoped he would find Mia and his children.
But I wanted him to stay. For me. I was terrified of a world without him. My dead king. But in my heart, I knew… Whatever this thing was between us, I couldn’t be selfish. He taught me that.
He released my hand, leaving his heat on my skin.
I looked at the floor. “I understand. But I still don’t want your things.”
“I am beginning to see that those things were never truly mine, Jeni. I was merely collecting them for their rightful owner. The woman who was truly meant to wield such power and make this world something better instead of darker—a task I was not up to, I’m afraid.”
“But you don’t understand—I think I lo—”
“You do not know what love is.” His tone went firm. “Not yet. But you will. Someday, my dear Seer.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Did I mean it? Was I really falling in love with King? For the remainder of the flight, I sat quietly in my seat. My mind kept fighting to keep my shit together, while my heart struggled with the notion of letting go of King. Not just letting go, killing him.
But the die had been cast now. The invitations had been emailed. I needed to worry about getting my dad back, which meant I had to stay strong and focused. No tears. No going into hysterics. No thinking about what was being done to him by that sadistic woman. King’s plan had been set in motion, and if I did my part, I’d get my dad back in one piece.
While I focused on all that, King’s phone began ringing nonstop. Yes, his plane had a phone. And people were calling, begging for ten seconds of his time before the “party.” Between Tallahassee and San Francisco, I must’ve listened in on a hundred speaker calls. I realized King wanted me to hear. It was a crash course in manipulation, diplomacy, and arm twisting. Every person wanted something from him: Am I on your shit list? Should I be worried? Where have you been? What will happen to Serina?
I deciphered the following: Everyone feared him, and nothing was sacred to these people. Nothing. They’d sell their own mothers to protect their asses.
A few minutes before landing, King ended the last call with a German woman who was worried about losing her court case and wanted King’s assurances her membership privileges wouldn’t “lapse.” Apparently, she’d filleted a few men for fun and got caught. Ten Club was making it all go away.
After he ended the call, I shook my head. “What a bunch of sickos.”
King sighed. “Yes. Quite.”
Sitting in front of him, I stood and took the seat next to him, across the aisle. “I can’t believe you voluntarily hung out with these guys.”
“It is a very long story.”
I bet. “So, is everyone coming to your evil shindig?” I hoped so because that was part of the plan, and I wanted everything to go off without a hitch. My dad’s life was at stake and, therefore, mine. I would never get over losing him. Not like this.
“They will be there,” King said, his tone cocky. “Even if it’s merely for the enjoyment of watching Serina and me face off.”
Ah. “But she isn’t more powerful than you, is she?” King never gave me his laundry list of skills, but I knew they were impressive.
“She believes she is stronger. After so much time, perhaps she is; but all we need is for her to show. Nothing else matters.”
I still couldn’t believe I was doing this. Neither could my tangled stomach. I just hoped my dad was all right.
“So how long has Serina been leader?” I asked.
King went back to work on his laptop. “Twenty-five years.”
“I don’t follow.” Not a surprise because King only spoke in puzzles.
His cold eyes slowly glided up to meet mine. “I have been gone for over twenty-five years.”
Wait. What? But how—I mean… I shook my head, trying to clear it up. “You were sitting in that metal box, drowning repeatedly, for a quarter century.”
“Yes.”
No. No. That couldn’t be right.
“I assure you,” he said, “it was as big a shock to me as it is to you.”
Holy crap. “That’s why you freaked out over the date in the newspaper.”
“I do not ‘freak out.’”
I’d take that as a yes. So, basically, when he “woke up” in that metal box, he hadn’t realized the date. And it wasn’t like he had a phone on him, displaying the date.
He went on, “I was too preoccupied with my situation to notice the year. I simply assumed it had been a few weeks.”
I scrubbed my face with my hands and whooshed out a breath. “You should’ve told me.”
“Would it have changed anything?”
“It sure as hell changed something for you,” I pointed out.
“It was a wake-up call. Until I fa
ced my demons, nothing would resolve. Five years. A decade. Twenty-five years. A hundred. I realized I would not be allowed to die until I dealt with whatever circumstances had placed me in that box.”
Wow. Twenty-five years. He had been sitting at the bottom of the ocean before I was born. “Then one day, Hurricane Mia—named the same as your wife—came through and washed you to shore, right in front of my jobsite.”
He nodded.
How the hell was I supposed to believe any of this wasn’t being controlled by something greater? The events were too orchestrated, too timely, too perfect.
My mind churned, searching for explanations.
King said that Seers never truly died, that their souls remained anchored to the earth. It was all foreign territory to me, but maybe it was possible that they’d created the hurricane. Hell, it was even named after his late wife.
“Are you sure Mia crossed over?” I asked.
“Yes.”
My brain worked overtime, trying to connect the pieces—the hurricane, the pull I felt toward King, my desire to help him make things right, and my inexplicable feelings. I wanted him. I wanted to help him any way I could, even if it pained me.
I raked my fingers through my hair. Could King be wrong about Mia leaving? Maybe what I felt was her—her pushing me from beyond the grave to help him. Maybe she’s the one who protected me from Randall, not death. If she was behind all this, it would explain a lot.
King shot a distressed look my way. I knew he could hear my thoughts.
“Am I right?” I stood, hovering over him in his seat. “Am I?”
“I wish you were, but no. Mia is gone.”
“But there’s something you’re not telling me. I can feel it.”
“I am far too fucking old to tell you everything!” he yelled, losing his patience. “But it comes down to this: You either trust me or you do not. You want your father back or you do not. If the answer is yes to both, then the goal remains unchanged. End Ten Club. End me.”
His words were sobering. I knew he was right. Even if my theory was correct, it didn’t change a thing. I still wanted to help him kill these people, and I still needed to get my poor dad back.
The Dead King Page 13