Damn you, Cam. She was the reason this had happened. Normally, the Malachai was a monster, easily spotted. One everyone knew to avoid and run from.
Nick was a good kid who hid the most frightening powers in the universe. Who would have ever suspected?
Cam had succeeded in one thing she’d set out to do. Nick was unlike any of his predecessors. Because of his innocent and loving mother, Nick understood love. Compassion.
Decency.
He wasn’t a ruthless killing machine out to spread as much misery on others as he could.
But it didn’t change the fact that Nick Gautier was the Ambrose Malachai.
The Malachai.
Simi walked up to Thorn and put her hand on his shoulder. “Can the Simi help you?”
Her touch broke him. It reached far beyond the physical and brought out the demon inside. The transition was so powerful and unexpected that it shocked them both.
“Why did you do it, Sim? What possessed you?”
She paled at his question. “Not you, too, Thorny. The Simi’s already heard it all from akri. I was just curious. That’s all. My sissy has gone on and on about how the Simi in’t an itsy girl any mores. The Simi’s all grown now.”
Yes, she was. And like Acheron, he hated it. He missed that innocent little Simi who’d laughed when he tried to scare her.
In a life of brutality and agony, Simi had been the only pure angel to cull the misery of his life. The balm he and Acheron relied on.
But she was no longer that innocent little girl.
Simi stepped around him so that she could look up into his eyes. “Akri has been so upset at his Simi. Please don’t be mads, too. The Simi didn’t means to hurts so many ‘cause she was curious about it.”
Nodding, Thorn pulled her into his arms for a hug. “I would never hurt you, Simi. I’m sorry. It’s selfish of me and isn’t any of my business.” The gods knew he hadn’t been celibate.
But for some reason, this cut him to his bones. No one was supposed to touch their Simi. Never.
She hugged him close. “All good, Thorny-man. The Simi still loves you.”
And he still loved her. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Simi. You’ve been with me for so long … My best friend.”
She pulled back to smile up at him. “You’re mine, too. I don’t ever want to lose my Thorny-man. So are we still on to sees our movie this weekend?”
Thorn laughed at her question. He hated movies. They bored him to tears, and yet he watched them at least twice a month with Simi because she loved them so much. “Sure. I’ll start taking up a collection for the popcorn. Is Xirena coming?”
“Probably. Sissy likes to comes if there’s free eats.”
“Then I shall look forward to it.” After all, those excursions were the highlight of his dreary existence.
Simi left and Thorn felt her absence like a physical ache in his chest.
She was a woman now. He still wasn’t sure what to think about that. While she seemed the same, she wasn’t.
Things always changed.
And he hated it.
His only comfort was that Nick was banished to Savitar’s island. Because right now, Malachai or not, if Thorn had to look at the boy, he’d probably beat the crap out of that Cajun. Score one for Acheron for beating him to it.
It probably saved Thorn’s life.
Simi headed back to the temple in Katateros. Xirena was still watching QVC while akra-Danger and akri-Lexi lay on the couch with each other.
