If you want this, youll have to tell me if you honestly think you can win the next competition. Not to mention the next and the next. Because, after this last round, I like the thought of stealing the Rod more and more.
There was a trace of remorse in his voice, and she knew bone-deep that he meant to steal the Paring Rod no matter what she said. If he could. What she didnt know, however, was why he cared about her opinion concerning the next of the games right now.
He must have read the question in her eyes because he said gruffly, I dont want you hurt like this again.
An ache bloomed in her chest. She would answer him. Not for the hamburger, but because of his concern. I Shit. Honestly? Shed thought she would be able to win round one, that knowing the other teams would come after her would give her an advantage. Yet they had converged on her and shed been helpless.
Next time, they would make another play for her, for every member of her team. There was just no way around it. And she couldnt whine about fairness because, had the situation been reversed, she would have done the same thing to whoever had hurt her family.
Family. The single word echoed in her mind, and she remembered Taliyahs doubt. All her life, shed only ever wanted to be admired. Loved. Respected. All her life, shed only ever let everyone down. She was Kaia the Disappointment.
Im sorry I lost, she whispered.
His expression gentled, and his fingers found their way back to her brow, caressing. You didnt let me down. No one could have pulled a victory out of their hat with that kind of opposition.
Comforting, but deep down she knew he would have found a way. He always did.
You worried me, though, he added, the gruffness returning. I wont lie about that.
Spoken like a true consort, and longing filled her. She wanted that, wanted him. Now, always. So. For him, she would find a way. Yes, she finally answered. I can win the next competition.
Cold, hard, merciless. Thats how she would have to be. And she would. She would prove her worth, as shed always wanted to do. No one would stop her.
The assassin-like thoughts were ruined when she yawned.
Strider fed her the hamburger, then asked her inane, easily answered questions so that she could have the shake as payment. When she finished, he said, Rest now. Ive got big plans for you later.
Her gaze snapped to the apex of his thighs, to the semi-erection he currently sported.
A laugh boomed from him. Dirty-minded Harpy.
You said big. I just assumed Hoped
Sleep, he ordered, grinning.
Well, was that what you meant or not? Her eyelids fluttered closed, but she was grinning, too.
Youll just have to wait and find out.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THERE WAS A SLIGHT CHANCE William had kinda sorta perhaps gone slightly a wee bit too far. He would, of course, be the first to admit he might have made the tiniest of mistakes. Mistake or notmostly nothe couldnt be held responsible, he thought as he kicked his way through what was left of Gillys parents.
Bottom line: theyd asked for it. Literally asked for it. While hed worked, jamming out to Scotty Doesnt Know by Lustra, one of his favorite songs because he felt like the lyrics epitomized his life, hed given his targets adrenaline injections, preventing them from passing out. Of course, hed also torqued their veins, preventing them from bleeding out.
Fainting and blood loss ruined a good torturing every damn time.
Toward the end, when theyd realized there was no hope for survival, the begging had commenced. Only after theyd confessed to their sins, infuriating him beyond all reason as he learned that the abuse hed imagined had not come close to the full truth, that Gilly had endured far worse, had he ended them. He almost wished he hadnt. Would have been nice to stretch out the session for a few more days. Oh, well.
Now he had some cleaning up to do.
William turned a full circle, surveying the carnage and trying to decide where to begin. Maybe he should just walk away. There was just too much to do. Then he recalled the way humans liked to freak out, how news stations liked to blast psychopath on the loose stories, and figured word would reach Gilly. Not that he wanted to keep her in the dark about what had happened. Hed tell her. One day. In the far future. When she was older. Likefifty, maybe.
After everything these peopleno, these monstershad done to her, she wouldnt be upset. How could she be? Theyd damaged her in the worst of ways when shed been too young and weak to protect herself. Hed simply returned the favor.
His stomach churned as a thought occurred to him. Maybe she would have liked to kill them herself. To deliver her own vengeance, find closure, that sort of thing. Or, what if he had this all wrong and she had wanted them left alone? Humans were so particular about lines you could and couldnt cross, and gods forbid if you dared leap over one. You were forever labeled wicked and fiendish.
Like Williams long-ago good buddy Vlad the Impaler. Talk about getting a bad rap. Behead a few thousand of your enemies, spear their bodies on pikes and display them for the world to see and boom, you were evil. It was ridiculous!
To humans, torture and death werent simply a part of the circle of life. The torturing was frowned upon, considered inhumane, and the death of a family member was a reason to mourn. They didnt understand the soul carried on in some capacity or another, that might equaled right, and weakness invited the wrath of your rivals.
What in all hell did you do? a male voice suddenly gasped out from behind him.
William spunand found himself facing a very pale Kane. What are you doing here? In fact, howd you get here?
Kanes hazel eyes never strayed from the wreckage. I asked the Fates to send me to you, he said distractedly. How many people did you take out in here? A hundred?
What were you doing with the Fates? No one gets to see them. And why the hell seek me?
They summoned me, and well get to that. He pointed to something on the floor. What is that?
William didnt bother to look. Does it matter? Grab a trash bag and start chucking. Why had the Fates summoned Kane? The second the question formed, William dismissed it. He didnt really care. Weve got a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it.
Recruiting the keeper of Disaster wouldnt have been his first choicetheyd never really hung out. And besides, Kane attracted the kind of trouble hed do best to avoid, for a while at leastbut William wasnt going to complain.
Who arewerethese people?
Names are so last season, dont you think? All you need to know is that they offended me.
Offended you, Kane echoed, still unmoving.
Yeah.
Kane met his stare. Their names wouldnt happen to be Gillys Parents, would they? Because, the way I hear it, you were jonesing for a piece of them. Several pieces, it seems. There was no condemnation in his tone, only acceptance.
The lack of condemnation didnt matter. Never confirm nor deny something youve done, but always threaten those who question you. That had always been Williams motto. You tell anyone about this and Ill personally ensure your pancreas receives the same treatment.
Kane didnt piss his pants in fear. Just blinked over at him.
Why were you with the Fates, anyway? He still didnt care, but he would have discussed something as boring as the weather if it meant changing the subject.
Kane shook his head, those brown, black and gold locks swaying against his cheeks. Without a word, he stomped off to the kitchen. He returned a short while later, two Hefty bags in hand. He gave one to William.
Thanks.
Quiet, they worked side by side for half an hour.
Kane ruined it with a sigh. So you asked about the Fates.
I also asked why you came to see me in particular. Ive already lost interest.
Well, find it again. Youll want to hear this, since it will affect you and all.
Smart move, offering a tidbit of information to entice him. William often used the same tactic. Spill already.
They told methey told me Kane released one end of his bag and scrubbed his weary face. They told me Id start the Apocalypse.
A nasty little word, Apocalypse. William paused. They what now?
You heard me. His hand fell to the collar of his shirt and he jerked at the material. Im not gonna repeat myself.
Youre Disaster, so it makes sense, but theres no way you could Every muscle in Williams body suddenly stiffened as a thought occurred to him. Oh, hell, no. You will not sleep with her, do you hear me?
Confusion furrowed Kanes brow. Sleep with who?
He didnt need this. Why did you have the hags send you here, to me? Each word was more clipped than the last.
Because I hear youre tight with Lucifer or something. That you created the Four Horsemen. And since those horsemen play a huge role in the end of the world, I just assumedwhat? Why do you look like youre about to vomit?
This was bad. Bad, bad, bad. If the Fates had told Kane hed start the Apocalypse, then hed start the Apocalypse. But the fact that Kane had then thought to visit Williamthat meant the Apocalypse might start sooner than anyone realized. I am not tight with Lucifer. Would a homie have torn my arm from its socket when I paid a visit to his little underground spa? Huh, huh? No!
No, but a brother might. Sibling rivalry, and all that.
Hes not my brother! The lie slipped out easily, automatically, just as it had slipped out for most of his existence. But this was a Lord of the Underworld. Like he had room to judge. Fine. Hes my brother. And oh, did the admission grate. Sibling rivalry did not begin to explain the hatred between them. What of it?
Okay, wait a sec. Hed just realized something. The Harpies were descendants of Lucifer. Lucifer was his brother. Therefore Williams little crush on Kaia was
Fucking gross! The words blasted through him, and he shuddered. Kaia was just going to have to live without the bliss of this touch.
Damn it! His brother ruined all his fun.
An overhead lightbulb shorted out, golden sparks spraying around Kane. He paid them no heed. Nothing. Im just curious. Are the horsemen good or bad? On our side or someone elses?
Dont know. Except that he did.
Fine. Lets try this another way. You mentioned something about a womanabout me sleeping with her
No reaction. So?
So who am I not supposed to sleep with, oh, Prince of Darkness?
Yep. Sooner than anyone realized. The only female horseman, he grumbled, something constricting in his chest. Or horsewoman. Whatever. They dont really concern themselves with gender down there.
Okay, Im confused.
William stalked to the one clean recliner in the room and plopped down. How much of a pussy would he be if he put his head between his legs? Then again, hed be an even bigger pussy if he hyperventilated. Here it is, flat out. Lucifer and I have different mothers, but we share the same father. Hades.
Wait. I thought Hades and Lucifer were brothers.
So do a lot of people, because the pair of them are so fond of spreading the rumor. But heres another big surprisetheyre both liars. Anyway, you want to hear the rest or should I let you finish telling me everything you dont know?
Kanes eyes narrowed to slits but he waved a hand through the air.
I didnt like living down there. Understatement. It had been hell. Ha. William had just made a funny. I found a way to purge some of the darkness from inside me, and thus the Four Horsemen were created.
How do I not know this? My demon lived down there, too.
Hello, Disaster existed on Lucifers side. We had a little trouble sharing and had to divide the space into different realms. Luci took the fire and the demons, blah, blah, blah and I took purgatory and the souls. Although, his minions would sneak in and steal from me, but Ive forgiven him for that. Forgiveness in the form of a curse, he thought with a grin. One Luci would never be able to break.
What does this have to do with me? Kane asked.
Im getting to that. What to tell, what to tell. Hades had chosen to shack up on Lucifers side. Apparently he viewed William as an embarrassment who lacked a truly evil soul.
First, rubbish. No one was more evil than William. Look at what hed done to these humans. And he wasnt sorry! Second, there was nothing wrong with wanting to break from family tradition and be your own person.
Youre digressing. When the Greeks had taken over the heavens, theyd imprisoned the Titans, and Hades, who had helped Zeus claim the throne, was deemed uncontrollable and imprisoned, too. William had used the heavenly distraction to his advantage and finally made his escape.
Not wanting to war for the underworld throne, wanting it all for himself, Lucifer had helped him.
William had spent many glorious centuries after that screwing anything that moved. Even Hera, Zeuss beloved queen. Of course, Zeus ultimately caught him with his pants down, and before he could jump out a heavenly window, William had found himself cursed and locked in yet another prison.
Now he was free, and he could flash to and from different locations once again. Life was sweet!
William?
He blinked. What?
You were about to tell me how this has anything to do with me.
No, I wasnt.
Damn it, tell me why you think Im going to sleep with one of your freaking offspring, Kane demanded with a shudder. Cause thats just gross. Im already vomiting in my mouth.
He rested his elbows on his knees and glared. Deep breath in. For you to start the Apocalypse, youd have to help free a horseman. And the only reason I can think of for you to help set one of those bastards free is because youd fallen in love. Youre not into men, so that leaves my girl. And the only reason youd fall in love with her was because youd slept with her. Deep breath out.
Kane snorted. What, her girl parts are laced with crack?
Basically, yes, he said, deadpan.