by Janie Marie
His amused but annoyed smile was as gorgeous as it was terrifying. “Who said we’re drawn to her looks? There are other reasons one can be devoted. While I have no romantic desires toward her, I see a lovely girl. It merely adds to her charm.”
If it was possible to die of annoyance from Janie-praise, Kylie knew she’d be a rotting corpse. “It’s amazing that you guys still try to sound intelligent praising her when a simple ‘she’s hot’ would suffice.”
“What does it matter if she is hot?” He chuckled. “Can a girl not be attractive? You’d have no problem if one of us called you beautiful, so why is it so terrible that she has admirers? There are many beautiful women, but having a nasty soul can ruin such beauty.”
“Let me guess—her soul is a shining goddess as far as you’re concerned?”
He merely smiled.
“You’re stupid. All of you.”
“Have you ever paid attention to the legends of this town?” he asked. “Of this world?”
She stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “Really, what is the obsession with fairy tales? They’ve brainwashed Logan. If none of those stories existed, he’d be a better person. And all of you wouldn’t walk around thinking you’re gods.”
He chuckled darkly. “Oh, you have much to learn. I hope I witness your reaction when you realize just what we are.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll tell you now—when you guys realize you’re just a bunch of lunatics—I’ll laugh. You’re not gods, fairy tales are just stupid stories, and the American versions are absurd. To believe there’s a separate Earth, that the true world fell in an apocalypse and that this is Hell is as dumb as they come.”
“You don’t believe in Hell?” He actually smiled. “At all?”
“I don’t,” she said, crossing her arms. “And I don’t believe in angels or demons, and I don’t believe there’s a fallen one named Lucifer with red skin and horns who’s out to claim my soul.”
He tapped his chin, a wicked quirk on his lips growing. “Lucifer was once God’s favorite angel. Quite beautiful to all who looked upon him, as well. So, while I admit, the idea of him having red skin and horns is far-fetched, the belief he exists and rules Hell does not sound so absurd.”
“And every one of you thinks it’s me who needs help.” She tapped her foot, glancing at the door, willing it to open and reveal something better than this nightmare.
The door banged open, her prayers answered as Kevin barged in.
His furious glare went to Damon first before settling on her. “Get up. We’re going home, and we’ll take care of this matter in private.”
Luc strolled in, calm as ever. “Mr. Blackwood, I would say it is a pleasure to see you again, but we both know I look upon you with distaste. Amusing you still think your power rivals mine.”
Kylie’s mouth fell open. Was Luc really this powerful? Kevin owned the town.
Kevin growled. “I’m sick and tired of your family trying to involve themselves in a private matter. Kylie’s my stepdaughter. So is Maura.”
Kylie was ready to hug Kevin. Finally, someone was seeing the true matter here. The Godsons and Janie had no right to butt in.
Luc produced a letter from his jacket pocket. “Maura is a legal adult, and she has sought representation. I’ve advised her it’s in her best interest to seek justice for the horror in which she suffered.”
“What justice can she achieve? Oliver Hood is dead,” Kevin growled, tossing a glare at Kylie. “I won’t even express my disappointment in you for keeping such a secret, but you’re my daughter, and I’ll see you’re given just as much of a chance as your sister. I won’t stand by and watch you two tear each other apart. It’s bad enough Lor kept this from me, and it seems she’s made the choice to run off with your boyfriend’s cousin.”
Luc motioned for Kevin to sit.
Kevin ignored the silent order and walked to Kylie’s side of the table. “We’re leaving.”
Damon King blocked him from pulling her up. “Kylie will decide before you drag her out of this room. She has the option to accept treatment and shelter on behalf of the Godson family.”
Kylie looked at Kevin, then Luc, and she knew the elder Godson had her figured out. “Fuck you, Luc. You, your family, and Janie can all go to Hell with your help. I’m going with Kevin.”
Luc smirked, nodding for Damon to let her leave. “So blind. I assure you, even in Hell, my brothers and I see only light. Enjoy the dark, Miss Hood.”
Kylie couldn’t stop the angry tears as she followed Kevin through the hospital. What had she done? She didn’t care about anything but the fact Logan was more than likely going to find out what she’d said, and he was going to break up with her.
“You have no idea how difficult it’ll be to fight them,” Kevin muttered, pressing the elevator button.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, unable to say anything else.
Kevin chuckled, but it was full of anger and unease. “Do you have any idea what the Godsons are capable of?”
“I guess I know nothing.” That was the truth. She prided herself on being right in all situations, but the truth was—she was wrong nearly every single time.
“No, you don’t.” His words were low. “This is my town, but these bastards rule the world. You have no clue what they really are.”
“What they really are?” She frowned, lifting her head. “You mean the fairy tales they keep talking about?”
His look was incredulous. “They are not simply tales to put children to bed at night. They are history. And you’ve stumbled across the very families whose histories became legend.”
“You mean their families wrote fairy tales?”
“No, I mean they are the fairy tales.” He let out a sharp laugh, dragging a hand down his face. “You’ve found yourself tangled with the king and queen, and now every single Guardian is in my town.”
“What do you know about them?” she asked.
Kevin pressed the down button. “Just stay quiet. They’re no doubt watching us as we speak. We need to get out of here and find somewhere to keep you.”
“I went with you because I didn’t believe in their nonsense.” Kylie glanced around, noticing there were quite a few men mulling around. Big men. She gasped, turning forward when one made eye contact with her. Then she realized Luc Godson was walking in their direction with Damon King in tow.
“Seeing is believing.” Kevin guided her by the elbow into the elevator and pushed the ground level button. “You’ve really fucked up everything.”
She flinched, not expecting him to speak so harshly. “I’m sorry.”
“Not as sorry as you’re going to be.” He closed his eyes as he clenched his jaw. His body was tight, ready to spring into action. She’d not seen him look so intimidating since he faced off with Logan.
Luc stopped the elevator doors from shutting. “Going down?”
Kevin glared at him but said nothing as Luc and Damon entered.
Damon pushed the button for the floor just below the one they were on. Janie’s floor. No one spoke, but Luc stared Kevin down, and Kevin did the same.
The elevator opened, and Kylie stumbled back upon seeing her enemy staring right at her.
Tercero held Janie around her waist and kept hold of the IV pole while a huge man with long wild hair stood at her free side.
“Take the next one,” Kevin said, reaching to press the close button when Luc didn’t get out.
Tercero blocked the door sensor before it could shut.
It was Janie who spoke in a raspy but snarky tone, “As you can see, I’m barely able to stand. I’ll take this one. If you’re afraid of little ole me, you can get out here and take the stairs.”
Kevin gritted his teeth, but he moved, making more room.
Luc helped Janie into the elevator as he told her, “I told you to use a wheelchair.”
Tercero and the man who was the size of a freaking house entered, and the latter glared at Kevin as he crossed his massi
ve arms.
Janie smiled sweetly up at Luc Godson. “Kiss my ass, Luc.”
Luc’s lip twitched. “Perhaps later, my queen. If you behave.”
Kylie couldn’t help but stare at the absolute mess of Janie’s face. Her bloodshot eye was almost swollen shut. Her cheek was split and painted with purple bruises, and her neck was worse. Each digit from Trevor’s fingers was imprinted on Janie’s pale skin. It surprised her Janie could even talk.
Janie darted her eyes to Kylie. “Where are you going?”
“Home,” Kevin growled.
“I believe she was speaking to Miss Hood,” Luc said calmly.
“This is her?” the big man asked. “I thought she’d have black hair. Or maybe red.”
Tercero gave the man a disapproving look, and the man chuckled.
“You really should reconsider their help,” Janie said.
Kylie glared at her. “You’re all out to get me put away.”
“Someplace safe.” Janie dragged out her words, as if to point out how slow she thought Kylie was. “You’re the one ruining your chances at becoming the person I know you want to be.”
“You don’t know anything about me.” Kylie wanted to punch her, and she couldn’t help but imagine Janie unconscious on the floor. Preferably never waking again.
Janie rubbed her throat, coughing a little. “I don’t think Logan knows you’re leaving yet. You could still go get help. The center Luc spoke to you about is very nice.”
“I’m not going to a crazy house.” Kylie’s heart pounded painfully hard. “Maybe you should go there.”
Kevin pushed Kylie behind him. “Stay away from my daughter.”
The elevator chimed before opening its doors on Maura’s floor. Damon and the big man exited but stayed close, while Tercero and Luc stayed with Janie.
“You can change your mind, Kylie.” Janie held out her hand to Tercero.
The quietest Godson brother pulled a phone from his pocket. It was the one Ryder had given her. Kylie hadn’t even realized she no longer had it.
“In case you reconsider.” Janie took the phone and held it out to her. “You’re the one who can change your situation. I promise leaving like this is a mistake, and you’ll hate yourself for ruining the relationship you were building with Logan.”
Fire burned Kylie’s lungs. “You ruined our relationship. I regret ever listening to your self-righteous bullshit. You think you’re so wise, but you’re freaking crazy. I only regret letting Logan come here to say goodbye to you.”
“Letting him?” A sad smile spread over Janie’s busted lips as she shook her head. “Logan’s my forever. There is no goodbye for us.” She shrugged a shoulder. “There, now you have an actual reason for your anger. Fuck you, by the way—I would’ve been a great mother, and Logan would’ve been a sexy dad, right next to Ryder.” She grinned, her lip cracking. “They love my fat ass, too.”
Luc and Tercero smiled at Janie, proud.
“I hate you,” Kylie shouted, barely able to stay still.
“And I pity you,” Janie retorted as she straightened as much as she could. “All you have to do is acknowledge you were wrong, then forgive those who’ve wronged you—even if they never ask you to. Then forgive yourself, Kylie.”
“Fuck you!” Kylie trembled with fury as she snatched the phone. She had the urge to hurl it at her, but she knew that would only result in a fight between Kevin and the Godsons. “You need to stop acting like you’re God’s gift to humanity.”
The big guy chuckled from where he stood by the door. “My, what a big mouth she has.”
Janie’s eyes flashed with gold as she stared at Kylie. “Yes. I should’ve seen she had such a nasty bite hidden under that hood of hers—what big eyes she has, too.”
Kylie was done with this fairytale bullshit. “Yeah, better to see you with, bitch. I wish I’d told Logan what I saw when I looked at you—a fucking whore.”
Janie glanced up at Luc and smiled. “Yes, I suppose I’m a whore.” She grabbed Tercero’s arm, hugging him and breathing in deeply, like she was smelling the most delicious scent. “Better than a stinking wolf.” She’d never looked so evil before as she met Kylie’s glare with her own. “Guess what?” She leaned forward a bit and whispered, “I’ve slaughtered my big bad wolves before. I can do it again.”
“Yeah, I guess anything’s possible when you have these bastards”—she waved her hands toward the men—“coddling you like a damn baby.”
The big man laughed. “She has no idea.”
Kevin tightened his hold on Kylie’s arm. “That’s enough.”
Janie shifted her gaze to him, and she smiled. “He knows. You should help your stepdaughter see what chances she’s being given, Mr. Blackwood.”
“What chances?” Kylie was so done, but she wanted to get the last damn word in. “You and Maura take everything I deserve.”
Kevin pulled her closer. “Stop, Kylie.”
Janie smiled, and it was full of hate. “When you finally get your head out of your ass, you know how to contact us.”
Luc didn’t allow Janie to say more. He pressed a hand to her lower back and ushered her out of the elevator.
Kylie was speechless when Janie took Luc’s hand, intertwining their fingers. Whore.
“Little Moon, I believe you are glowing again,” said the big man with curly hair as he held up a bouquet. He chuckled when she let go of Luc to take them, and the scary man offered her the apple he’d been eating.
Janie bit into it, allowing the man to wipe her chin with his finger. There really was no end to her sluttiness. Kylie stopped thinking of more ways to insult her when she realized the group was heading straight for the rooms numbered close to the one Maura should be in.
Mr. Prince, her principal, emerged from a room with two guards. He greeted Janie with a kiss on her cheek before leading her, Tercero, and Luc into the room.
“Is that Maura’s room?” she asked as the elevator doors finally closed.
“Yes.” Kevin sighed, pressing the ground floor button again. “You couldn’t have picked a more complicated boyfriend to have.”
Kylie’s eyes and nose burned. Her chest felt like it was caving in. “He said he loved me.”
Kevin rubbed her back. “He can’t love you because he won’t stop loving her.”
She sobbed, covering her face. “Everything was perfect until she came along.”
“She never left.” Kevin offered her his handkerchief. “I have no doubt they will wind up together again.”
She glared at him. “How can you say that? Why didn’t you tell me you knew about them? What were they even talking about?”
“I didn’t know who they were until recently, but I know who she is now.” He moved toward the door. “I know who all of them are.”
“Well?” She couldn’t believe Kevin believed any of this.
The doors opened, and Kevin exited with her following behind him.
“Well, what?” He grabbed her by the forearm when more big men came into view.
“Who is she?”
He tugged her toward the exit. “Didn’t you hear that man? She’s the Little Moon.”
Kylie tugged her hoodie around her as her gaze drifted up to the crescent moon. “You’re saying they think she’s the one the fairy tale The Little Moon’s based on? You believe their bullshit?”
Kevin unlocked the door to his car and opened it for her to get in. “No.” He slammed the door shut and walked around to his side. Once he was seated, he continued. “I’m saying she is the Little Moon. I would guess that the day she was born was the very same day the moon glowed for this world. Now she’s ruling her kingdom alongside Lucifer.” He gave Kylie a dark look. “Or as she calls him—Luc.”
Six
SAY IT
Logan paused before pulling the curtain aside and listened as Luc spoke to Janie.
“And he gave his life for hers so she could keep her heart.”
“You tell the story diffe
rently than Ryder does,” Janie murmured.
“Of course I do,” Luc said. “He leaves out the important parts because they steal glory from the other angel.”
There was a smile in her voice. “I like both. Well, all three of them. Four of them.”
“I know you do,” Luc said.
Logan frowned. He was certain Luc had ‘awakened,’ but he didn’t know what all that entailed.
“But what happened to the other one?” Janie asked. “The one he took with him?”
Logan peeked through the curtain opening.
Luc gave her a tender smile. “Perhaps I will tell you another day, my queen. When you and I are alone.” He darted his gaze to Logan. “It’s rude to eavesdrop, Mr. Grimm.”
Janie glanced at him, and though her lip was busted, her cheeks bruised and cut, she gave him the prettiest smile. “Hi, Logan.”
He walked closer to her, leaning down to kiss her head. “Hi, baby doll. How are you feeling?”
“My head hurts. They said I can’t have anything though.”
Logan eyed Luc. “Why won’t they give her medicine?”
Luc sighed as he put his gun into its holster, then slid on his jacket. “Because she only ate when I forced her to. They said she needed to wait until she finished.”
“And I finished, but you still wouldn’t let them give me meds.” She tried to glare, but she ended up wincing.
Luc smirked at her. “You didn’t eat your entire meal. Eat like you are supposed to and I will see that you have what you need.”
“Don’t be so strict with her.” Logan didn’t like Luc, and he didn’t like seeing him have any say in Janie’s wellbeing.
“It’s fine, Logan.” Janie sighed, smoothing out the blanket. “He’s right. I need to eat more before I get doped up.”
“I am always right, my queen.”
She smiled at Luc’s scowl. “Eat a dick.”
“Have you any manners?” Luc shook his head, but his lips twitched like he wanted to smile.
“Clearly, I don’t,” she said. “I keep forgetting I’m in the presence of a king.”