Page 27 of Right Hand Of The Reaper
Butch grinned at me, still cocksure. The idiot. I was a Master Vampire and I was going to slice him into little pieces.
**
My hands were slippery with blood and I was struggling to keep Butch pinned beneath me. He was covered in slices from my talons, his skin ripped and bleeding. He’d stopped being able to heal himself a while ago and I was surprised he was still trying to fight. His body had already given up.
He’d also lost an eye when I’d pushed my thumbs into his sockets to make his beady little orbs pop. And now, I was in the middle of defanging the bastard. I could understand his desperation to get away from me. Vamps without their fangs were useless, but I guess this asshole should have thought about that before sinking them into an unwilling woman.
The crowd roared around me as I pressed on Butch’s fangs and I loved the way they finally caved under the pressure of my thumbs. Butch’s scream was loud and painful and I may have basked in it a little, my primal side enjoying the way he writhed beneath me as I destroyed him piece by fucking piece.
“Kill! Kill! Kill!” the crowd chanted in unison.
I looked down at the pathetic vampire beneath me and decided it was time to put him out of his misery. I sank my fangs into his neck, gripping the flesh between my teeth and I pulled.
Blood sprayed high, coating my face and even reaching a few of the vampires in the front row who licked their lips appreciatively. Butch gargled for a few moments before his skin turned grey and life finally faded from his eyes.
I spat out the chunk of his throat and faced the crowd. “This is what happens when you break the rules.” I spun in a circle and looked at them all. All of them riding the high of the battle, practically frothing at the mouth for the blood of the dead vampire at my feet. I needed to keep them off the streets and the best way to do that was with a blood feast. “Cyrus, call the blood banks. Let’s have a party.”
The crowd screamed and cheered and I roared with them, feeling better than I had in months. I was king, and I was fucking winning.
Chapter Eleven
Roux
AnentrancetoOlympusstood on the outskirts of Infernium. Olympus itself wasn’t in the Underworld but you could get to it via the portal. If you knew where to look, you could find portals everywhere. It was early morning and I’d snuck out before the twins would notice I was missing. They’d be pissed when they realised I’d left them behind but I was not in the mood to deal with anyone this morning. My head was still reeling from my chat with the Fates last night and I still hadn’t worked out what they’d meant. I needed the space to process and I wasn’t going to be able to do that with two overly possessive and overly protective Hell Hounds dogging my every step.
I loved those guys but sometimes, being around them was a lot to handle.
This particular portal to Olympus was in a field in the middle of nowhere and this place was entirely suiting my mood today. A large oak tree stood tall against the horizon, older than I could possibly imagine. This tree had stood here for thousands of years and it’s trunk was so wide I couldn’t even stretch my arms half way around it.
I pressed my palm to the rough bark and instantly felt the magic humming through it. Like a tingle running through my fingertips. I whispered the incantation that all Reapers instinctively knew and the magic hum grew bigger, becoming vibrations I could feel in the ground beneath my feet.
A swirling white light erupted out of the tree and burst into a huge portal. Wind whipped through my hair and my long coat flapped behind me. I stared at the bright light, wincing a bit at the sheer radiance of it. Portals always amazed me. I didn’t use them very often and I didn’t even need one to go topside, that was just in an elevator— which always seemed really practical— and most creatures could teleport themselves wherever anyway. Portals were rare and beautiful and the only way to get to Olympus.
I’d been to Olympus once when I had started working closely with Thane but my place was down here. I’d felt uncomfortable when I’d been up there. A sense of wrongness made my skin itch and I couldn’t wait to leave the place. Thane had had a meeting with Zeus, I didn’t get to meet the guy, I wasn’t important enough at the time, but I’d got this sense of opulence and indulgence up there that wasn’t too dissimilar to the way Hades’ palace felt. But I didn’t feel uncomfortable around Hades, even if the guy pissed me off more than he did anything else.
Urgh, I’d have to check in with him later. He’d probably know something about why Thane was so interested in the story of Nyx and Erebus. The guy was old as fucking dirt, so he probably knew them personally. I also wanted to make sure the soul collecting was going alright. His Royal Guard were good at protecting him, but they weren’t made for collecting souls of the dead. Was it wrong that I felt a little gleeful at the prospect that Hades might be struggling and hating this? Who was I kidding, I was probably going to laugh in the guy’s face if he admitted he couldn’t do something, then I’d definitely gloat.
It was with that cheery thought I stepped into the portal and felt my insides rearrange themselves as I travelled up to Olympus.
I stepped out with a lurch and almost tumbled to my knees, but I saved the landing. I successfully avoided smashing my face into the ground like an idiot — which was what happened the first time I travelled via portal — but I still couldn’t quite nail the landing though.
The sun was high in the brilliantly blue sky and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. The sound of waves lapping on the shore carried on the slight breeze and it was perfect tee weather. Which didn’t suit me at all seeing as I was dressed in so much black leather. I loved my Reaper uniform, but at the moment, it sucked balls.
Gods, it was so warm. I was grateful in that moment that I was dead and couldn’t sweat or the situation would definitely be dire.
I strolled down the avenue and towards the gates, but something felt off. Like there was something missing.
Then I realised.
The place was empty.
When had it turned into a ghost town? And why did no one in the Underworld seem to know? I had a sudden panic I’d portalled to the wrong place but nope, there were the gates in all their pearly whiteness. They’re just as you’d imagine too. Tall and white and blindingly bright, surrounded by clouds and usually there were guards stationed either side, but today, there were none.
There was something fishy going on here.
“You’re a long way from home.”
A soft voice came from behind me, and I almost shit my pants.
