Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
“You are not stupid, MF.” He put his hand on her shoulder.
“Then why did I trust a vampire again?” she snapped.
“You tell me.”
“Because I wanted it so badly. I thought if I lived long enough and worked really hard, I could buy back my parents’ company and do right by them. That’s why when Cimil said being a vampire was my destiny, I trusted her.”
Damien couldn’t believe his ears. Here was this young woman he believed was a nomadic misfit, but she was really an heiress. California is so confusing. People who dress like they’re homeless but are worth millions, and people who dress like they’re worth millions but are bankrupt.
MF’s eyes started tearing as she turned for the door.
“You’re leaving?” Damien asked.
“I just came by to drop off the demons. They overate, so don’t let them in the dressing rooms.”
“Where are you going?” Damien asked.
“To visit my parents’ grave. I have to tell them I failed.” MF opened the door and returned quickly with the demon stroller. “Here you go, boss.” She kissed her fingertips and pressed them to each demon’s sleeping face. “You guys are awesome little demons with really good hearts. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Be good.”
MF left.
“That fucking prick. I’ll tear his dick off.” Maxton appeared behind Damien, fists balled.
“Are you all right?” Because MF did not have a dick. Not that Damien had checked, but it was the sort of thing a tailor noticed. Bulges had to be accounted for.
“No,” Maxton snarled.
“I’m sure MF will get over your falling-out, Maxton. She is not the sort of woman to give up on life because of a man. And she is no threat to you, so best to leave her genitals alone.”
“I meant that I am going to kill Stewart Hedgeworth.” Maxton narrowed his eyes into hateful orbs.
“Stewart? The one who killed MF’s family? You know him?”
Maxton nodded, his green eyes turning black.
“How?”
“I sired him. And he is why I moved to the jungle.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Damien wanted to follow Maxton when he’d left, but just as the vampire exited in a fierce rage, four customers showed up looking to claim their alterations. MF had already gone to the cemetery to visit her departed parents.
And shortly, I must tell Cimil my choice. One that he would regret for as long as he lived. He suspected that was what the sadistic goddess wanted all along: to create despair. She used it to divide people, only to come up with a plan to rescue them all. Kind of like politicians.
The funny part was how everyone kept falling for it. Even him. She created the crisis, and then, after whipping everyone into an emotional frenzy, she presented a solution. That solution generally resulted in more concessions for her. More power.
He had to stop her. But how?
The only ones capable were the other gods, and they were out of the picture. Or were they?
Damien grabbed his cell and dialed Brutus.
“Hello?” Brutus’s deep voice came over the line.
“Brutus, Damien here. I need to get a hold of Votan, the God of Death and War.”
Votan was sitting on his dock, overlooking the turquoise waters of Lake Bacalar in Mexico, with a fishing pole in his hand. Emma, his sweet wife, was still asleep after a long night of lovemaking. The kids were back in New York with Emma’s family.
Ah, how I love this time of day. Everything was peaceful and quiet. No more godding and drama to worry about. Deity retirement is incredible. After seventy thousand years of fighting wars, he’d never been happier.
His sat phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. “Dammit. This’d better be important.” Hopefully the children were all right.
He looked at the caller ID. The number was from LA. “Hello?”
“Votan. Damien Greystone here. I apologize for the intrusion, but there is an urgent matter.”
Votan wondered if this had something to do with the Great Explosion. Before the gods had hung up their togas, they agreed to hire him to investigate what had happened. Mostly to determine if there was a way to bring back the supernatural lives that had been lost.
“What is the problem?” Votan said.
“Cimil. She needs to be stopped.”
Cimil? But she was supposed to be retired, too. “What is she up to now?”
“Wreaking havoc on our lives. That’s what.”
Votan really did not want to deal with yet another Cimil situation. “Have you spoken to K’ak, the new God of the Underworld?”
Votan wasn’t sure if Damien Greystone knew that the gods had changed roles right before shutting down operations. It was a long story, having to do with him and his brethren being forced to travel through a demon portal after being trapped by the demon king. Demon portals were wonky like that.
It all worked out fine in the end, he supposed, since the gods no longer needed their powers, but Cimil had become the God of Death and War. Votan was now the God of Love, and so on. Again, no one really cared because they’d retired. All except K’ak, who was supposed to be on point, since someone needed to keep in touch with the Uchben and look after the Underworld. However, even he was not allowed to meddle in the lives of the humans anymore. It was law. They’d all agreed.