Nick winced. “Yeah, I forgot y’all can’t see them. I just sent one of those runts off.”
“You didn’t kill him?”
“Nope.”
Xev tsked. “Then you’re a better demon than I am. I wouldn’t have resisted.”
“Thank you,grand-père.” Nick kissed him on the cheek.
Normally, Xev would have shoved him.
This time, he pulled Nick into a hug and kissed the top of his head. “You’re right, kudzu. You do grow on people.”
“And that’s how you get sucked in.” Bubba sighed. “I tried to kick him out of my store when he was a kid, but he just kept coming back.”
Laughing, Nick started toward the fortress they needed to reach. Yet as he walked, he had a weird feeling.
They weren’t alone. Something else was stalking them. He just couldn’t figure out what.
* * *
“What doyou want us to do?”
Grim sat on Noir’s old throne that was made of bones from the demons Noir had slaughtered for pleasure as he considered that question.
The multicolored demons around him were supposed to be the best of his army.
How pathetic. It was a wonder they’d defeated the humans.
Was this really all there was?
“My lord?”
Still, he ignored the demon in front of him. He should probably notify Laguerre that the Malachai was in their domain.
Then again, he was in no mood for her tantrums. Or that of her son. Cyprian had way too much of her personality.
Cold and biting.
No. He was a death god. One who’d helped train Nick Gautier.I can handle this.
Rising to his feet, he moved away from the throne. The walls around him flickered with images of the small group that was heading toward them. Funny how Azura and Noir used to use this to keep an eye on their dark domain and the world above.
In spite of his name, he much preferred the bright light that kept his enemies from hiding.
But that was the only time he liked the light.
Summoning his armor, he motioned for the demons in his hall to follow him. “Let’s finish this.”
6
“Uncle Ambrose?”
Nick froze at the unfamiliar voice. Scowling, he turned around slowly until he faced a beautiful blond teenager.
With red eyes.
What the…?
