Page 42 of Hex
“The rebellion, Liege. They’re starting to come for lackeys and their families. They attacked our home in Kohrye, nearly killed our baby.” Agatha is now the talkative one while Bluebell shiversbeside her, clutching tightly onto the demon child in her arms and staring into space.
“Just what we need when we’re trying to find the vampyre Dei’s sister. A rebellion.”
Chapter Fifteen
Hack
“I’m bored, Hack.” I fight the overwhelming urge to roll my eyes or, better yet, growl at the apathy written all over Samhain’s impassive features. In demon form, he scares the fuck out of most kyn, but in anthros form, I’m sure he’s considered handsome, if the sheer number of willing females at his feet is any indication. Styled white beard with a matching head of white hair and eyes that penetrate the soul, he’s the epitome of a tortured anti-hero and there’s no way of fixing him.
“Holy shitballs, he’s like every Romance reader’s daddy fantasy kink come to life.” At Sage’s words, I chomp down on my molars so hard I’m pretty sure I cracked a tooth.
“Satapti, that kind of talk is not conducive to my sanity.”
“I’m just saying…the demon king is hot and I know a few girls who would totally bang that.”
Little do the Earthly women know that he can literally pierce a soul with just one look but chooses to fuck and ghost instead. Anthros are of no interest to him because his sexual deviancy is too hard-core for such fragile bodies.
“Please stop.” Slay says exactly what I’m thinking, but I’m too wound up to speak so I focus on the task at hand, and that’s convincing Samhain to coax the Dei Djinn into a sit-down with us.
He doesn’t look convinced. Would it kill him to show a little interest in the fact that two of his kyn were attacked? Or that we need an audience with a Dei in order to figure out who’s trying to hurt my chosen one?
“Aw c’mon, Daddy Sar, we can’t just walk up to his secretary and be like ‘Sup, djin djin? Can you hook us up with a meet and greet with the big boss?’” We all turn to Slash, who’s grinning like a loon. He once had a thing with a djinn, her vibrant blue skin and hair had him mesmerized for a while, but Slash did what Slash is prone to do and when he was done, he bolted. It turned out she was somehow connected to an ancient vase controlled by a Dei’s cousin. Let’s just say shit went down and now he’s not allowed within ten feet of a djinn. Samhain was pissed because it lost him favors with Rafi, the Dei of Spirits, and every time that shit is mentioned, Samhain gets angry all over again.
Like here and now.
Samhain raises a brow at him, stares for a couple of seconds, then turns back to me. “I’m no longer bored. I’m annoyed.” When he stands, his long legs swallow up the distance between us in just two steps. Everything about him screams power, from his black robe trailing behind him like a veil of authority, to the way he consistently looks down at those to whom he speaks. I hate that he’s this close to Sage but I can’t show an ounce of rebellion or he’ll either lose his temper or slather on the charm. The latter will, without a doubt, enrage me, in turn making him lose his temper. There’s no winning here, so instead of reacting, I angle my body enough to protect her if need be. It won’t, but I refuse to take chances.
“Dei, it is my duty as a soul bonded demon to find the kidnappers of my chosen one. In fact, they are, in some way, the reason for the deaths I caused when she was…killed.” Fuck, the rage is boiling through my veins as my mind takes me back to that day. To that moment when my hopes and visions for the future were ripped away all over again.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Samhain looks down on me, then at Sage, before swinging his attention back to me. I can’t read him, it’s impossible to do so, but the fact he’s paused at all is a good sign.
“I’ll request an audience but I won’t advocate. That’s your burden, not mine.” Then he turns to Slash and snarls. “Call me daddy anything, ever, and I’ll make your life unbearable.”
Slash snorts and Samhain allows it. After all, he’s got a loud bark but when it comes to us, our Dei protects us. Mostly because he doesn’t have the patience or desire to train replacement Liege. I’m pretty sure Slash is his favorite precisely because he has no filter.
“Well, there you go. We’ve got a couple of hours to kill, how about we grab a drink at the Faerie Brew on the south side of The Shade?” Slapping mine and Pierce’s backs, Slash grins and the mixture between fun and terrifying is almost endearing.
“We’re not sitting around drinking spiked brews right before a meeting with a Dei. Don’t be ridiculous.” At Slay’s admonishment, Slash shrugs.
“Worth a try.”
“I think it was a great idea, Slashster.” Oh, for fuck’s sake. Is she going to give all the demons a nickname?
“Satapti.” I don’t mean to growl but here we are.
“Oh, shush. I am yours, you are mine, yadda yadda.” Grabbing me by my shirt, Sage pops up onto her tip toes and gives me a succulent kiss that erases my memory of the last few seconds.
“Come on, let’s go.” I grab Sage’s hand as we all file out of Samhain’s office, leaving him behind to do whatever it is the Dei do.
Beside Sage, I can hear the conversation between her and Slash and I try really fucking hard not to laugh, but their topic of discussion is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.
“Got any other cool nicknames, SageyPoo?”
Oh, fuck no.
“Don’t do it, Slash. I will fucking end you.” I don’t even look at him when I speak. Instead, I just lead the group to the library so we can catch the portal to the Spirit lands of Faloria in South Ryetoh. It doesn’t take Pierce long to realize where we’re going.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Hack?”
