The Dead King

by Pamfiloff, Mimi Jean

A gift like his was powerful.

  Add to that, he had the ability to kill anyone at the drop of a hat, using his shadow, and it made him dangerous, too. Honestly, I was glad it was him and not me. I hated the idea of death following me around. And, for some strange reason, I believed King hated it, too. I sensed he no longer wanted to be the man he once was.

  After my dad woke up—pretty disoriented—I began bawling hysterically. All that emotion just needed to come out. So King asked me to go in the kitchen and give him a few moments with my dad. Five minutes later, my dad was completely chipper, thanking King for the incredible trip to San Francisco.

  “I’ve always wanted to see the Golden Gate,” Dad said, walking into the kitchen with King.

  “I am glad you enjoyed your weekend of sightseeing, Mel.” King clapped him on the shoulder, like old pals.

  You made him believe he’s on vacation.

  King gave me a look and shrugged.

  “Oh boy. Look at the time, Jeni,” Dad said. “We’d better get to the airport.”

  I narrowed my eyes at King. He was forcing my hand to get me out of here. He knew I wouldn’t leave my dad now that he was safe and alive.

  You both need to go immediately. King spoke directly to me. I do not know who else might show up early, and I must prepare for tomorrow’s big event.

  My entire body tensed. I worried about leaving King to confront the entire Ten Club on his own, and part of me still wanted to face Victor Escorcia—evil fucking bastard—but I needed to be with my dad more. My heart still mourned over what I’d seen, even if his death had been undone. My head was not in a good place.

  King drove us to the airport to put us on his plane, manned by some other pilot. Apparently, all those Spiros guys were long gone, no longer working for him. Or indebted to him. Whatever.

  As he walked us to the rollaway staircase, King told my dad to go on ahead and get comfortable. My dad obeyed, bouncing his way up the stairs and acting like a giddy child over flying in a private jet. He was completely unaware he’d been dead an hour earlier.

  “Just remember,” King said once we were alone, “after you’re home, remove the ring. Your father must live out his life as he was meant to.”

  Why did King care? He’d spent thousands of years defying death.

  “Prices, Jeni. Prices.”

  I supposed I understood. Paying the piper wasn’t a fate I wanted for my dad. “What do you want me to do with the ring?”

  “Throw it to the bottom of the ocean.”

  “Maybe I should keep it for emergencies.” My dad could get sick or something.

  King scoffed, his silvery-blue eyes glinting with impatience. “I am trying to prevent you from taking the same path. But ultimately, it is your choice. See you in a few years.”

  Goddammit! He was acting like all this was his choice. Well, it wasn’t. My emotions, fate, and whateverthehell were just as important as his.

  I inhaled slowly, deciding not to argue. Dad was already on the plane. I didn’t want to press my luck by sticking around, after all he’d been through.

  “Goodbye and good luck.” I marched up the stairs, and King got in his car. From the plane’s doorway, I watched as he sped off. I hoped he was right—that he could take care of Ten Club by himself, like he had taken care of Serina.

  All I knew was that everything felt different for me now. Death wasn’t my sidekick, but according to King, I was still a Seer. In time, I hoped my true powers would be revealed to me. Meanwhile, I would finish school and be grateful for the opportunity to live a free and happy life.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  KING

  “Careful with that,” I snarled at the two men I hired to bring in new furniture to my downtown office and remove the old desk.

  They’d also cleared out the Victorian I had renovated for Mia. It would be sold, along with the other assets I’d acquired, save for anything useful to me now. The warehouse would be cleaned out, disposing of anything I did not need—old grudges and objects no one had any business possessing. Why? Because I had one goal now: Redemption.

  It would lead to Mia and Arch. Ariadna was at peace with the other Seers, the ancient ones, who would no doubt be keeping a close eye on things.

  Step one of my journey was already complete. All but three Ten Club members had showed up to the meeting, expecting to see me fight Serina for the throne. What they got was a taste of my dark soul.

  As for the remaining three, I would have to hunt them down one by one. Unfortunately, Victor Escorcia was on that list; however, I’d made a vow to Jeni to take care of him. I would keep my word no matter what.

  I had to admit there was a certain irony to my fate. I’d spent countless years accumulating power, only to have it keep me from what I truly wanted: death. Until my soul—which remained anchored to Jeni—returned to me for good and my sins were corrected, I would remain trapped in the world of the living.

  So how did a man without a heart or soul redeem himself?

  One day at a time.

  I was once a good king who loved his people above all else. I would get there again.

  “Knock, knock?” I heard a soft voice come from the doorway. Jeni’s golden-brown eyes and kind smile greeted me.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Sorry, but I couldn’t stay away.” She sauntered in, wearing jeans and a red sweater. Her long brown hair was straightened, cascading down her shoulders. I could tell from the way she looked, she had done it for me. She did not understand what I was, and what I could never be.

  “Oh, don’t be so pessimistic.” She stifled a smug smile. “You’re always so hard on yourself. But thank you for the compliment. I did try to look nice. But not for you. For myself.”

  “What is going on?”

  “Ah!” She strutted across the spacious loft, with a bounce in her step. “I finally figured out my gift. One of them anyway. Didn’t take long, really, once I had a chance to clear my head. Or maybe the other Seers helped. Who knows?”

  Ariadna, my beautiful daughter, said Jeni’s gift was a bullshit meter. She could never be fooled by me. Just as long as she’s unable to read my thoughts.

  Jeni grinned. “Sorry. But it’s payback time, baby.”

  JENI

  After I returned to Florida, I couldn’t get a few things out of my head. King being at the top of my list, of course.

  What nagged at me most were my unanswered questions. But as my body healed from stress and exhaustion, I began piecing together all the threads of his tapestry. The picture was pretty interesting.

  I always knew we met for a reason. And I knew he couldn’t shut me off. So I began to wonder if our connection wasn’t something more. Something bigger.

  My next question was why now? Why, after twenty-five years, would his self-made coffin pop up in a storm, only to land at my feet?

  That was when I got a visit. They came in a dream and, at first, I didn’t believe it was real. Until I realized I knew their faces. I knew them. My ancestors.

  They didn’t say much, but I woke knowing exactly what they wanted: With King’s leadership and powers, he was going to bring the Seers back. Not as his personal army of indentured thugs, but doing what they were meant to do. Heal.

  He didn’t know it yet, and they didn’t tell me how it would play out, but it was the Seers’ job to mend the wounds of this world. The cancer had to be cured.

  My role was to never leave King’s side and to keep him on the path of the straight and narrow.

  He was going to hate that.

  But I wouldn’t. I could see the good in him. I knew he was capable of redemption.

  Once I realized my connection with him wasn’t one-way or haphazard, it dawned on me that I could pick his head, too. And maybe the real reason I’d grown up isolating myself from people was because I could hear what they were thinking. It scared the hell out of me.

  Fact: Not all people were good. And for a child to listen in on so many dark though
ts would warp them beyond recognition—something I understood firsthand. With King’s help, I could start tapping into my inner strength. I was twenty-three now, and soon, I would come into my full powers. In exchange, I would guide King into his new role.

  A price for everything. He would no longer be an ancient powerful king; he would be the Lord of the Seers.

  That was what they called him: Lord. Our leader. Not master, not king, not ruler. Our leader. Something he had been born to do, but never got the chance. His choices had led him down a dark path that wasn’t meant to be.

  I wonder how long I can keep that fun information to myself.

  “What information? And I asked you a question,” King said. “Why are you here?”

  Standing in his loft, I tried to contain myself. “I just thought you could use some help. It’s a long way to redemption.”

  His eyes clung to mine. I felt him try to dig inside my head. “So you know.”

  “I do.” The Seers told me everything, unlike you. I laced my hands together.

  “So they sent you,” he said.

  “I’m here of my own free will, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “That makes one of us.”

  I shrugged. “Could be worse, King. You could be trapped here all by yourself.” At least I could heal him. I could help set him on another path, the one he was always meant to take. And someday, it might lead him back to Mia and his son. “At least you have Ariadna looking out for you.” I smiled. “And me, of course.”

  He stared into my eyes, and I felt my heart pounding. I knew what he was thinking, and he knew my thoughts, too.

  There was no use hiding any of it. He loved his wife and always would. And I loved him. Those two facts changed nothing. Because I wasn’t going anywhere and neither was he.

  We had a job to do.

  TO BE CONTINUED…

  Looking for more King? FREE signed The Dead King bookmarks?

  Keep Reading for a Sneak Peek of the LORD KING blurb or

  Click Here for Updates:

  www.mimijean.net/lord-king.html

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  My secret is out! I plan to do at least a few more King books. And if you’re anything like me, your head is already busy thinking about all the ways this is going to go sideways on our anti-hero King. Especially when it comes to King’s family. I mean, who stays dead forever in this series? Nobody. Juicy stuff!

  Especially because you know…you just know that King is in for quite a ride. I mean, he can’t hide diddly-squat from Jeni, so…that is not going to sit well with him. (Heeheehee…)

  As to why I decided to write another King book, well, when I finished Ten Club, I always knew Mia would eventually find out that King hadn’t exactly been truthful about the fate of Ten Club. I left that thread dangling so when the time came, and I wanted to bring King back for a proper ass-whooping, I could. Consider his ass officially whooped.

  So here’s what I have in store! Keep reading for instructions on how to score a FREE signed bookmark (while supplies last).

  From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a Paranormal Suspense, Lord King.

  IT’S NOT EASY BEING EVIL…

  They call me King. I am ancient. I am evil. And I have been cursed to walk the earth until I pay for my sins in this life and the past. It will take a miracle to find redemption after three thousand years of misdeeds. Until then, I cannot cross over to be reunited with my murdered wife and son. My family is the only part of me that was ever good.

  That is where the Seers come in. They have offered a shortcut if I agree to help them. They are powerful on their own, but my particular talents are…unique. And they need a leader—someone who understands the darkness I helped create in this world.

  However, the more time I spend with the Seers, the more I am sucked into their world. One in particular has a special hold over me. Not certain what to make of it.

  Will I ever see my family again? Or is this simply the next chapter of a life I can never escape?–

  FOR MORE, GO TO:

  www.mimijean.net/lord-king.html

  Okay! Bookmark time! You know how this goes!

  STEP ONE: Email me at Mimi@mimijean.net

  STEP TWO: Provide your neat and complete shipping info.

  STEP THREE: If you LOVED this story and wrote a review, be sure to provide a link or screenshot. I will do my very best to include extra goodies. It is first ask, first get! (NOTE: I have a very limited supply of magnets this time around.)

  STEP FOUR: Give me about 3–4 weeks.

  I don’t have a release date for LORD KING yet, so be sure you’re signed up to my monthly-ish newsletter.

  SIGN UP HERE —> www.mimijean.net

  With Evil Hugs,

  Mimi

  PS – Looking for the Dead King Playlist? LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Evil kingly hugs to all the awesome, wonderful people who work so hard to help bring these books into the world! LD, Author Kylie Gilmore, Stephanie, Su (wow! That cover!), Paul, and Pauline.

  I also need to give a shout out to the model, Daniel Sobieray. He’s inadvertently been part of this series from the get-go, providing lots of steam to my ad campaigns and inspiration (wink) to my readers. And, of course, he sat very patiently for a few photo shoots. (I’m still lovin’ that Ten Club cover pretty hard, but this one is sooo hot, too.)

  Finally, to my family. You know who you are. I hope? LOL. Thank you for putting up with my insane work life.

  With Love,

  Mimi

  COMING SOON!

  If you’re looking for your next page-turner, here’s an excerpt of SHE’S GOT THE GUNS.

  Book #2, SHE’S GOT THE MONEY, will be coming out next! I write these under M.O. Mack since these books are pure Chick Thrillers! (Not romance.) Although, there are hot dudes with potential.

  Emily Rockford sat anxiously behind the beat-up reception desk, with nothing to keep her company aside from the faded yellow wallpaper and the monotonous grinding sound of the AC unit. A unit that was crammed into a partially boarded-up window, had no off switch, and dribbled rust-brown sludge down the wall. She was pretty sure the grungy brown carpet underneath it was rotten, but what did that matter?

  This office is a shithole, she thought. And why would anyone hardwire the AC to run nonstop? Granted, they were in Texas and, like today, the weather could get unbearably hot. But no off switch? No way to unplug it?

  Very strange, she thought.

  Then again, nothing about this situation felt right. Not the terms of her employment, not this abandoned, run-down strip mall, and certainly not the fact there was no business name posted anywhere. The only thing identifying this office was the “Suite #45” painted outside in chunky black letters above the frosted-glass door.

  What the hell were they really selling here? Mr. Sampson, the man who’d hired her, said they performed “discreet pest control” for the sort of people who didn’t want their neighbors knowing they had roach issues. “It’s a status thing,” he’d said.

  But this was El Paso, Texas, not Beverly Hills. People were more caught up with everyday life than what their neighbors thought. It was why she’d moved here. Lack of noseys.

  Emily hugged her pilling white cardigan to her shivering body. Any second now, she would have to bust open the AC’s front panel and shut off that icebox. The only reason she hadn’t yet was out of respect for Mr. Sampson, who didn’t vibe as friendly. At least not over the phone. She hadn’t actually met the guy, despite three days passing since she’d started work. “Work” being a term she used loosely here. All she did was sit and wait for the phone to ring.

  It never did.

  Then, at the end of each shift, she found one hundred dollars deposited into her Zelle account, just as they’d agreed over the phone.

  Well, the man did say he might be late coming in to train me. Only, she’d thought he meant hours, not days.

  Emily got up from her
creaky chair, one of those antique oak things with metal wheels and ass-shaped grooves carved into the seat. With body heat on her mind, she started walking circles around the small, nearly empty office that contained three beige filing cabinets against the back wall, her prison-gray desk made of sheet metal (nothing in the drawers), and a grimy Mr. Coffee. The thing had at least an inch of scale caked inside the carafe. Nasty.

  She glanced at the machine, noting a giant cockroach skittering across the yellow Formica counter off to the side of the room. It stopped, turned in her direction as if warning her off, and then disappeared down the rust-stained sink at the end.

  She lifted a brow. Pest control, huh? Well, if that was really Mr. Sampson’s business, he sucked at it. The lack of customers was a huge hint, too.

  With the blood now flowing again, Emily walked back to the desk and checked her cell for the fiftieth time. Still no new emails from Sampson.

  This is insane. Where was he? Why hire her to just sit around and do nothing? She replayed their one and only phone conversation in her mind: “The key to the front door will be taped under the doormat. Keep it safe with you at all times. You are to answer the phone and take messages. No questions. Ever. No conversations. Ever. Just take the message, hang up. If I’m not in the office, place the message in the top drawer of the desk. That’s it.”

  “I think I can handle that,” she’d said, knowing full well the entire situation was shady as fuck. But she had to pay rent. She had to eat. The challenge was, employment options were limited for people like her—no real skills, no references, no college education. Ed had never allowed her to work or take classes. Moving to El Paso was supposed to be the first step to a fresh start. Unfortunately, after two weeks she’d already burned through the small amount of cash she’d managed to scrape together before running.

  New identities cost a lot.

  The red push-button phone on her desk began blaring with a high-pitched ring, making her jump in her black flats.