His brows dip as if disappointed, and I put up a missile defense shield around mythoughts.
“Nonsense.” Dominique takes up my hand and lays her thumb against my palm. She leans in and bears her gaze into mine. Her eyes are made up of one too many colors for me to keep track of, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s doing something nefarious with this feel-you-up, stare-you-down routine so I pull my hand back and stuff them both into my pockets. Holy shit, is she reading my mind,too?
“Your father tells me you have an account with the Bank of Paragon. I’ll be making a rather large deposit into your name come Monday. There’s not a thing you can do about it. When I set out to do something, no one and nothing can stop me.” She laughs a large, hacking laugh, full of power and loud as hell. She manages to compose herself just as quick as she erupted and glares from Demetri to me. “I’d best thank the hostess for a pleasantevening.”
“So soon?” Demetri’s eyes squint out a laugh all their own. “We’ve only minutes until the new year. Do stay. Whoever shall I kiss at the stroke ofmidnight?”
She grunts as if ready to vomit. “If you insist.” She stalks off in the direction of the chaos, and I take a moment to inspect this devil beforeme.
“What is she?” I’m not entirely sure I know who she is either—I don’t have a lot of faith in the things myfather’sfriends tell me. “Let me guess, a demon likeyou.”
“Hush.” His eyes widen as he hisses out the word. In all the years I have known Demetri, this moment, right here, is perhaps the most animated he’s ever been. “Never again equate me with those sons of perdition. I chose to side with the Son. I am no more a devil than you are.” His eyes twirl a toxic hue of molasses and blood. “We are God’s. I am created to serve, and you are born as an heir to the throne. I won’t have you dragging our good names through the celestial mud.” His brows hike a moment before that greasy grin reappears once again. “You are my heir as well. I have no doubt you will serve your peoplewell.”
“The Videns don’t reallyneed—”
“I’m not talking about the Videns,” he doesn’t hesitate to cut me off. “I’m talking about your Fem lineage, your alliance with the Countenance—a superb organization that’s already agreed to meet with you, though you’ve yet to officially take thethrone.”
His whip, sharp tone, his demanding demeanor, it all sets my blood tolava.
“I have a throne in the event you have conveniently forgotten. One in which I find no use of. As I was saying before you so rudely cut me off, the Videns are Skyla’s people, not mine.Sheis their leader, just assheis the leader of the rest of the Factions. I may have swallowed that curse you force-fed me, but let me be clear about one thing—I will never turn my back on her or what she believes in.” There. Those words purged something deep down inside of me, and my entire body feels lighter, healthier, albeit not much wiser. Words are just that. But that curse has already proven to be amillstone.
“You are correct.” He leans in just enough. Demetri’s heavy pine-scented cologne weighs down my senses. Doesn’t he know that scent alone is associated with urinal cakes and sparkling kitchen floors? “You will never be forced to go against your love, her beliefs, or yours. That is the beauty, Gage. I can no more force your hand than press a crown over your unwilling head. But you are willing,” he muses as he bears in hard over me with that menacing gaze. “You are more than willing to yield to what is right for your people, my son. In this, the eleventh hour of humanity, it is more important than ever that our kind take command of the spiritual reins. What is proclaimed on earth is sealed in heaven, and our victory over the Sectors will be an everlasting one. Eternal implications lie in thebalance.”
I try to take in his words, but they speed by like cars on a highway. “Wait—are you saying that the last one standing as a ruling authority once the planet wraps up is left in a power position for all eternity? Why would that make sense? Once the planet project is through, there isn’t a lot to take command of.” The planet project. Why the hell did that just come out of my mouth? I’ve never called the end times anything so cold-hearted before. A shiver rips through me at the thought I might be acquiescing to Demetri’s wickedness sosoon.
His brows flicker like twin black flames. “Once again you are correct. Eternal implications are in the balance. So you see how very important the part you play is on behalf of the Fems. You alone are capable to usher in this new era—the final era that will yield much for both our kind andhumanity.”
The door behind me bursts open and in tumbles Bree, Em, Drake, and Ethan. Skyla comes up, and the mere sight of her takes my breath away. Skyla is stunning on any night, but tonight, in that wedding dress, she shines like the star from heaven sheis.
She pauses and looks up, stunned with her crystal-clear eyes darting from my demon of a father to me. Skyla’s eyes are the clearest blue, but you really have to scour to see the color. I have never seen that shade, that level of transparency on any other human. Mia might be her lookalike in every way, but her eyes hold a darker hue. Skyla is one of a kind in every respect. Candace, her biological mother, might be far more of a twin to her than Mia, but the truth is, Skyla’s heart is made of puregold.
“Discussing your descent into hell?” Skyla cracks a dull smile before disappearing up thestairs.
“I’d better go. I’ve got far more important work to do than assuring your people rule the celestial roost well past kingdom come.” I start up the steps then backtrack, shooting a quick glance into the family room where Bree and Em shake their hips to the music. “Emily Morgan shared some kind of a twisted prophecytonight.”
He steps in, that greasy grin of his slips right off his face. “Whatever did itsay?”
“She didn’t draw it out. This wasn’t some old-school Viden vision. It was more of a performance piece. She went nuts and singlehandedly destroyed the Harrison estate. She swung from the chandelier. She knocked the heads off that giant lion fountain they have out front. She treated a bronze sculpture twice her size as if it were a football, and now there’s a crater in their living room large enough to drive a car through.” My breathing ticks up a notch as a newfound fury rides through me. There’s not a part of me that believes Demetri doesn’t hold the answer to what that bizarre act might have meanttonight.
He looks past my shoulder at the door with such earnest intent, I half-expect it to blow off its hinges. “Who specifically was the visionfor?”
“Skyla, myself—and get this, your wicked pet, Chloe Bishop.” Demetri has been Chloe’s spirit guide foryears.
“The three of you?” His attention snaps back to me with amusement before his expression darkens. “It was no accident Ms. Morgan chose to forgo the proper medium in which the vision was to be given.” The cold as steel gaze of his hardens over me once again. “It can only mean one thing—a rebellion is at hand.” That painful smile curls on his lips. “Rebel as you might, it will most certainly lead to destruction. Know this, son. No good comes of it.” He turns to leave, then pauses. “And did you suggest my cologne is reminiscent of urinal cakes?” He ticks his head to the side as if shocked by this. “I’ll be sure to find something far more pleasing to the senses to grace your presence with.” He gives a slight bow. “Your highness.” He stalks off into the heart of the party without so much as a good tiding for the new year at hand. Figures. Demetri was practically giddy at the thought of a good destruction sitting on thehorizon.
A thought comes to me. I never said that remark about urinal cakes out loud. He’s in my head, in my veins, in my blood and marrow. Escaping Demetri will proveimpossible.
But I’ve got news for the monster that is my father. The only thing I plan on destroying ishim.
* * *
The chaosfrom the party slowly fades as I head upstairs. The door to our room is slightly ajar, and I step in just in time to witness my mother christening one of the twins with asneeze.
“Emma!” Skyla howls so sharp the baby in her arm jerks tolife.
Crap. My mother of all people knows better than to sneeze in the face of an infant,myinfant for thatmatter.
“Here.” I take the baby from her and inspect his brightly colored toenail affirming that it’sNathan.
