by Kyra Quinn
“And why is that?” My hands tighten around the flogger’s handle.
“Everyone in this room knows the answer to that, love.” She puts on a plastic smile, but it does nothing to mask her contempt. “We can’t trust you to think with your head and not your dick around her.”
“That’s enough,” Moloch says, glaring at Lilith. “We will take your opinions under advisement. In the meantime, beat or bribe what you can from the prisoner. With how often Michael changes bases and strategies, her usefulness runs out more by the day.”
Nadia scowls, but she says nothing. Someone’s finally learned to bite her tongue. I leave her kneeling on the floor in the den while we say our goodbyes and see our guests to the door. Dagon and I watch as they disappear from the driveway, the suffocating tension leaving with them.
“I’m impressed,” Dagon says on the walk back to the den. “You and the girl work well together.”
“She’s learning,” I say, fighting back a smirk. “Or Mother Miscreance put an obedience spell on her.”
“Send Arachne out to piece together a wardrobe for her.” Dagon grins. “If you’re willing to babysit her, I think we can let her stretch her legs for a while.”
I picture Nadia walking around my house in nothing but a pair of heels and my collar and shiver. Who knows what sort of chaos she’ll create after a taste of freedom? Satan help us all.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Nadia
They leave me locked alone in my room for what feels like an eternity. Hunger turns my stomach into a churning pit of acid. A thick, bitter film covers the inside of my mouth. My eyelids are heavy, but the scattering of wounds across my back and legs make it impossible to find a comfortable position to sleep. I toss and turn for hours, but it’s no use. My body is beaten and exhausted, but my mind is far too busy to rest now.
Kane and Dagon are softening towards me. Even the Knights sensed it. There must be a way to work that to my advantage. I’d rather make out with a loaded gun than let that Lilith bitch send me to some whorehouse in Cuba.
The door opens, but I don’t have the strength to sit up or open my eyes. Footsteps shuffle into the room, and the door clicks shut. Too many footsteps for one person.
“Oh, Oddy,” Arachne’s voice coos. “We’ve brought a surprise.”
I groan, too exhausted to form a proper sentence.
“Oddy?” Kane asks.
“What, you want me to call her Starfall?” Arachne snorts. “Oddy is more fitting. Daughter of both a famous preacher and a locally famous witch? Damn odd.”
I don’t love the nickname, but I can’t argue with her logic. I’ve spent the better part of two years trying to figure it out myself. Even knowing my mother’s hidden agenda doesn’t explain how she stayed married to him for so long.
“Rise and shine, pet,” Kane adds. He plops next to me on the bed, close enough for his cologne to flood my senses. “I think you’ll enjoy this one.”
I pry an eyelid open. My vision is blurry, Kane and Arachne appearing in pixilated shapes like an online image that failed to load properly. “Can’t.”
“Like heaven you can’t.” He smacks my sore ass. “Appreciate my generosity before I think better of it.”
I pull myself up to sit before he assaults me again. My head throbs, but I force my eyes open. Arachne stands a few feet from the bed with a pile of glossy black shopping bags circled around her knee-high boots.
“Surprise!” she squeals, throwing her arms open.
I blink. “What…”
“Your new wardrobe,” Kane says, sounding almost bored. “I still prefer you wearing nothing but my collar. But we don’t want anyone else tempted to touch what’s mine when I let you out of this room, do we?”
Mine. The word sends an icy chill through me. It’s possessive and territorial, but my heart still skips a beat. I’m not just the hunter prisoner now. I’m his.
“Out of this room to do what?”
He smirks. “Whatever I say, love. Your performance with the Knights has convinced Dagon we can trust you outside of this room. Under a few conditions.”
“Will I have to dress like her?” I ask, shooting a glance at the tiny black dress barely covering Arachne’s curves.
She shoots me a deadly glare, and for a moment I wonder if I’m about to get a taste of her more demonic side. But Kane interrupts with a forced laugh.
“Depends on the occasion.” He turns to Arachne and asks, “Why don’t you pretty her up for the community meeting tonight? I have a feeling she’ll find it interesting.”
Arachne arches a brow. “Dagon won’t like it.”
“He’ll get over it. I’d like Nadia to see what our allies are like with her own eyes. After all the garbage Michael and Zeke pumped into her head, I’m sure she’ll find the experience enlightening.”
Arachne continues to frown, but she nods. “How conservatively should I dress her?”
He shrugs. “Dealer’s choice.”
Frantic footsteps appear in the hallway. Fists pound against the door.
“Boss! It’s the shifters!” A nasally voice cries from the other side of the heavy oak.
“Shit.” Kane throws open the door to reveal a pair of identical demon boys. They don’t appear a day over sixteen, and I wonder for the first time how aging works for immortals.
“What about the shifters?” Kane growls.
“The hunters—they attacked their den last night. We have three confirmed dead so far,” the demon on the left says, shrinking back away from the door. “But Jerome…”
“Is he dead?”
“No. But he’s furious. He’s demanding blood for blood.”
The other demon finally speaks, his voice tight. “Alec says he’s planning an unsanctioned counterattack. He’s ordered his pack to bite any hunters they find.”
“Why would he want to turn them into wolves?” Arachne asks. “To replenish the pack?”
Kane shakes his head. “To show the hunters how it feels to be hated for something they can’t control. But it won’t work. Zeke and Michael will kill anyone infected before the first full moon.”
My stomach twists. Kane is right. The few times we’ve had men bitten by vampires or scratched by wolves, Michael said a prayer with them before putting a bullet between their eyes or a stake in their heart. He said it was a mercy to kill them before the monsters corrupted their souls. Monsters, he said, don’t make it into Heaven when they die.
“Who was assigned to the Everglades last night?” Kane asks, his voice tight with rage.
“I-I don’t know,” the demon stammers. “Not us!”
Kane’s hands curl into fists. My skin turns icy as I wait for what comes next. He’ll kill them, and probably whoever else he deems responsible for the Dark Hunt’s latest massacre.
But he doesn’t. Kane uncurls his hands and growls through clenched teeth, “Get out of here. Do whatever it takes to communicate our condolences to Jerome and his people. We need constant surveillance on the pack for a while. If they attack the hunters, this war will escalate into something we can’t hide from the mortals anymore.”
My chest tightens. I don’t even want to imagine the mass panic Miami would break out in if everyone discovered the truth about the monsters in the shadows.
Kane turns his attention back to Arachne. “Have her ready by the top of the hour. Perhaps a mortal in our midst will soften Jerome before our brief chat about unsanctioned suicide missions. I’ll come upstairs to fetch her before they arrive.”
He and the demon twins disappear, closing the door behind them. For once, I notice, he doesn’t lock it.
Arachne digs through the shopping bags, settling on a short black dress with sheer lace sleeves. “Here. This should work for tonight.”
“For a meeting?” I wrinkle my nose. “Can’t I wear pants?”
She laughs. “Not anymore. You’re lucky he’s letting you cover yourself at all. I don’t think he enjoyed everyone gawking at you at the party, though.”
/> “Could’ve fooled me.”
“Lilith wasn’t entirely wrong, you know. He’s different since you showed up.”
“In a bad way?”
She shrugs. “Time will tell, I guess. A few weeks ago, Kane would have smote those demons where they stood.”
“He still considered it.”
“But he didn’t. He showed them mercy, which is a dirty word around here. Mortals may preach compassion and kindness, but those things don’t win wars, Oddy. Ruthless strategists do.”
The words fly out of my mouth before I can think them through. “Did it ever occur to you psychopaths that murder can’t solve everything? Killing your own soldiers is especially stupid if this war is as serious as you guys make it sound. Maybe he’s maturing.”
She snorts. “Sure, and I’m growing into my role as Queen of Hell. Face it, love. He’s trying to show you he’s more than a monster.”
Heat rushes into my face. I distract myself with sliding into the dress, the material silky against my skin. “Why are you telling me this? Are you and Kane playing some kind of game with me?”
Her face scrunches in bemusement. “What? Where do you even come up with this shit? I care about Kane, and I can tell he cares about you. For whatever reason, you’re important to him. He cares about what happens to you.”
“Then why did he kidnap me?” I ask, staring at the floor. “Why not leave me alone?”
She loops the leather collar around my neck. “Is that honestly what you would have wanted? To never know the truth about Zeke or what happened to your mother? To die for their cause?”
It’s not. In a fucked-up way, he saved me. “I’ve killed demons by the dozens. It’s humiliating to have him parade me around on a leash like his little pet.”
“Demons don’t befriend mortals,” she says dryly. “It protects both of you for everyone to assume you’re his slave girl or concubine.”
I wince as she tugs my hair back into an elaborate updo. “How?”
“No one will fuck with you or try to feed off you if you’re with Kane. Not unless they have a death wish.” Arachne sighs. “You’re proud, but that won’t help you now. What you need to be is clever. Let them underestimate you tonight. They’re unlikely to target you if they don’t perceive you as a threat.”
There’s wisdom in her suggestion. It’s not so different from my plan to manipulate Kane into trusting me. And after everything he’s done for me, the least I can do is behave myself in front of his colleagues. I hate myself for it, but the part of me that wanted to spill his blood lessens a bit with each passing day. Prisoner or not, at least Kane has told me the truth. Perhaps I chose the wrong side in this war.
Something about hearing Arachne plead for me to behave still churns my stomach. I’ve spent my entire life fighting to prove my strength, only to find myself in a situation where it works against me. My headstrong warrior side won’t help anyone in this situation. Kane needs me to be everything I’m not. Quiet, obedient, and submissive. My chest tightens.
“What if I can’t do it?”
She moves to stand in front of me and fixes me with a stern glare. “You can, and you will. There’s no other choice.”
* * *
“Friends, family, welcome,” Dagon booms with a confident smile. He wears an all-black suit, the tie around his neck identical in color to his eyes. His black hair is slicked back like an old school Italian mobster, the sides freshly trimmed. As usual, his eyes remain hidden behind dark tinted glasses. He cracks his knuckles, studying the table full of monsters in front of him. “Shall we get down to business?”
I kneel on the concrete patio next to Kane’s feet and peek up at the crowd full of monsters. My heart pounds like a drum in my ears. Any of these creatures could kill me in seconds.
We’re gathered under an almost full moon at a glass patio table with enough chairs to seat a small army. Kane keeps a firm hand clasped on my shoulder, the weight a subtle reminder to hold my tongue. He need not worry. Even I’m not stupid enough to run my mouth in a den full of lions.
“We must do something about those damn hunters,” a burly man seated at the far end of the table barks. Thick, unruly black curls fall to his shoulders. A bushy beard hides most of his face, but the faint white scar cutting across his right cheek is impossible to miss. “I won’t lose any more of my men to those bastards.”
“He’s right, General,” the vampire lady from the party says, pursing her lips. “We’re tired of waiting for the Knights to give orders. We need to strike back.”
Dagon shakes his head. “I’m not at liberty to discuss all the details, but the Knights have a plan for how to hit Michael where it hurts. Trust that no one alive or undead wants him to suffer for his crimes more than Lilith. I realize it’s not always easy for those of us spoiled by the instant gratification that comes with power, but we must exercise caution and patience. Reckless decisions will lose the war for us.”
“So will inaction,” the burly man growls. “Hiding behind the Knights is the coward’s way out. How many more of our people does Michael have to slaughter before Lilith lifts a finger to retaliate?”
“The Knights can’t help us against the fallen ones,” another man says, this one sun-kissed with glimmering amber eyes. “Lilith proved that a century ago.”
A light murmur of agreement spreads around the table.
Kane’s grip on my shoulder tightens. “We will deal with Michael and his circus of armed apes. In the meantime, we ask you all to prioritize survival over bloodlust and reprisal. Attacking the Dark Hunt without a plan is a guaranteed way to join your friends in death.”
The burly man scoffs. “So you suggest we hide with our tails between our legs? If I’m to die, I’d rather die with my dignity intact. My pack will not cower to these halfwit humans.”
“We are not asking you to cower,” Dagon says with a diplomatic calmness to his voice. “We’re ordering you not to hand Michael victory in this war. If your pack fights him and dies, that’s thirteen fewer soldiers we have when the last battle comes.”
“This is what Michael wants,” Kane adds, leaning back in his chair and sounding almost bored. “Us squabbling amongst ourselves and accomplishing nothing. The more we turn on each other, the closer he is to defeating us all.”
A whisper of somber agreement spreads over the group. Kane and Dagon are a tough pair to argue with. I almost pity the other monsters.
I glance up at Kane, and it’s almost as if I’m seeing him for the first time. All of him, not just the monster from my nightmares. He’s evil, but there’s more to him than that. He’s also a friend, a diplomat, and a respected leader in his community. Maybe it’s the way the moonlight hits his skin or something about his casual confidence, but Kane has never looked more hauntingly beautiful than he does tonight.
For the first time since I joined the Dark Hunt two years ago, guilt gnaws at me. The blood on my hands doesn’t belong to the two-dimensional monsters of my nightmares. They’re flesh and blood with feelings and families as real as our own. I’ve probably killed someone’s mother or father, someone’s best friend or beloved partner. How can I pretend I’m any better than Zeke?
But it’s not too late for me to do the right thing now. I can tell Kane everything I know about the Dark Hunt. Jade’s face pops into my head, but I push it back and focus on the patio full of creatures around me. Zeke saw my mother, the kindest woman I’ve ever known, as a monster who deserved to die alone in a pool of her own blood. Maybe helping the so-called monsters will stop any more blood from spilling.
If only it were that simple. Kane and Dagon won’t use the information I offer to restore peace or end the war. And Zeke isn’t the only person they’ll kill. Everyone I’ve hunted with, the closest thing I’ve had to family in years, will die with him. Demons don’t care about mortals, and they openly loathe hunters. The only thing flipping sides would do is send Jade and the rest of my team to a premature grave.
“And what about her?
” the vampire woman asks, snapping me back to attention. “Has she done anything to earn these lavish dresses you’re spoiling her with?”
Kane’s lip curls into a snarl. “That’s my business, isn’t it?”
“Remember your place, Ava,” Dagon cautions. “You’re still a guest in our home, and it would behoove you to behave.”
She rolls her eyes. “Our point still stands, gentlemen. Everyone at this table is tired of waiting for the Knights to make their move while we wait for the hunters to slaughter us.”
“Which is why no one at this table is in charge.” Kane scoffs and shakes his head. “Our decision is irrevocable. If you attack the hunters before the Knights give the order, you do so at your own peril. If the hunters don’t kill you, Lilith will when you return.”
Dagon shifts the conversation towards tips for staying off the Dark Hunt’s radar. I stop listening after the first few minutes. It’s not like my former friends care enough to track me down.
Instead I study the creatures surrounding Kane and Dagon. Shapeshifters, demons, vampires, witches, and ghouls occupy every seat at the table. The strand of shimmering pearls and seaweed entwined in one woman’s teal waves tells me she’s a mermaid or a siren. They’re all inhumanly beautiful. Even in the expensive dress and shoes Arachne chose for me, it’s difficult not to feel plain and boring in comparison.
I learn three important things before Kane calls an end to the meeting. One: none of the monsters seem to trust the Knights to handle the hunters. Two: no matter how much shit they talk, none of them want the war to escalate before they’ve figured out how to win it. Three: many of them blame Lilith for dragging them back into a war.
Dagon says a few parting remarks, and the guests all rise to their feet. I keep my gaze lowered and remain on my knees until Arachne comes to take me back to my room. She waits until we’re almost to the set of glass doors leading into the massive three-story beachfront villa to flash me a conspiratorial smile.
“Well done, Oddy. I told Kane you’d make us proud.”
I’m about to thank her when Kane’s voice finds its way into my ear. He stands a few feet away locked in conversation with Ava, their heads bowed close together. He presses his hand against the small of her back.