Page 9 of Dante
“We think somewhere in the southern hemisphere, but we aren’t really sure,” Azar added.
“What if there is somehow a link between New Mexico and the Atacama Desert?” Master Edison asked.
Alpha Sergei nodded. “I would not rule that out. Especially since our enforcers were there and could not get any sort of service.”
Master Edison glanced over at Alpha Dane and Chief Daegal. “We can organize a team to head to Chile to look if you feel it might be beneficial,” Chief Daegal said.
“Possibly,” Master Edison said before he turned his attention to the three demons, who were sitting closely together, not saying a word. “What are your names? Why were you in the Nexus?”
“We do not have names, Master. We have not been given them yet.”
Master Edison looked up at us in question. “We were given names because we were pets,” Atticus said. “Demons aren’t treated nearly as nice as we were.” He shrugged. “We were all treated like dirt, but the demons were treated worse.”
“Why were you in the Nexus?” Master Edison asked again.
“We were to be gifted names and then the permission to search for our mates if we passed the obstacle.”
“The obstacle?” Alpha Sergei asked.
The demons all looked to us.
“It is a game for our creator,” I said. “Demons are gifted a name and a mate if they can escape the hellhounds in the Nexus. Our creator watches and waits. When demons find the opening back into our realm, they pass.”
“What happens if they don’t?” Master Edison asked.
“They die,” Atticus said. “If the demons return before the hellhounds, the hellhounds are either banished if they are lucky enough to have been a favorite, or they are killed by the rest of the pack.”
There was such silence in the conference room that if I didn’t know better, I would have thought I was back in the Nexus.
“That’s barbaric,” said Master Ambrosius. “Who treats their children that way?”
“My brother.” We all turned at the sound of a familiar voice. The demons gasped and immediately pushed from their chairs. They would have tried to run if not for the fact that Atticus, Warwick, Augustus, and I surrounded them. “I mean you no harm,” the goddess told them. They relaxed, but you could tellthey weren’t comfortable. The goddess turned her attention to the created ones. “You have demons among you now. You have a choice to either end their lives or figure out how to integrate them into the council,” she said. “They will be loyal, but I will leave that choice up to you.” The goddess looked directly at us. “Your pack is complete. I see that you have found your last two hellhounds.” She offered a smile.
“Thank you, goddess,” several of us said.
“Your pack will grow though. You already have three young ones that will one day be able to run with you,” she said. When she looked directly at me, it took a great deal of effort to not lower my gaze. “Your pack will grow even more soon,” she said. “Embrace the gifts that the fates give you,” she said, looking around the room. “You might feel undeserving, but you are here for a reason.”
I glanced at Augustus and raised an eyebrow. He shrugged. “Don’t look at me,” he said quietly. “She’s talking about you. You’re the one who is ignoring your mate.”
I felt all eyes zero in on me. I was going to kill Augustus. I had talked to him about Banner in confidence. He wasn’t supposed to share anything at all about me having a mate.
The goddess laughed, which pulled the attention off me. “Do you wish to have names?”
The demons all nodded. “Yes, please. We will serve you however you wish. Do we call you master as well?”
“No. I am not like my brother, which is most likely why he was sent where he is. Most call me goddess.” She glanced around the room. “Some have quite specific names for me.” She shrugged. “You shall be Ravi,” she said, pointing to the one who had been most talkative. “You are Elio,” she said as she gestured to the demon sitting in the middle. “And you’re Jordi,” she told the last one. “When you are deemed trustworthy by my children, you will be given your powers. Until then, you would probablydo well to spend time with Atticus and his pack. They will understand you more than others will.”
With that, the goddess simply disappeared. There were groans from some of the created ones, and Augustus and I looked at one another, confused more than I think either of us had ever been.
“Adding demons to the council in some capacity has never been in the plans,” Chief Daegal said.
“No,” Master Edison added. He sighed. “You three might as well follow me. I assume the three of you would be all right with sharing a house for the time being?”
“Where are you going to put them?” Master Ambrosius asked.
“We have not filled Warwick’s old place. They can stay there. It is furnished and is near Augustus and Dante.”
“What about Titus and Azar?” Alpha Sergei asked.
