Gluttony

by Katie May

  practically spilling clothing out. I wasn’t surprised that Bash had a fetish for

  designer jeans.

  The ass himself was sitting at a desk in the corner of the room, a black

  cauldron emitting a murky green mist in front of him.

  Seriously? A cauldron? If that wasn’t a cliché, I didn’t know what was.

  Killian was already sitting on the bed, his long, lean legs crossed at his

  ankles. The first few buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, revealing a myriad

  of tattoos and a splatter of chest hair. Fuck, he was gorgeous. A work of art.

  I didn’t see Ryland or Lupe, which surprised me. Before I could inquire

  about their noticeable absence, Bash spoke.

  “He’s in the Vampire Kingdom.” His voice was the snappy, no-nonsense

  one I was beginning to hate. I sometimes wanted to replace the giant stick up

  his ass with a dildo. Maybe then he’d be content.

  “Jax?” I clarified, and he shot me a look that made me feel like an

  imbecile.

  “No shit,” he retorted curtly.

  “Don’t be a dick, Bash,” Killian said. He sat up on the bed, eyes

  narrowed into thin slits and hands clenched. Out of all my mates, Killian was

  the least confrontational. It was surprising to see him so pissed off in my

  defense.

  Bash glared at the Incubus, chest heaving, before he turned towards me.

  The harshness in his eyes immediately dissipated, and he placed his head in

  his hands.

  “I’m sorry, Z. It’s just... he’s my brother.”

  I wasn’t angry at his snarky outburst. Bash coped with stress and pain

  differently than my other mates. Frankly, I understood him better than I did

  the others. His prickly exterior hid a compassionate, gentle soul. His heart

  was surrounded by coils of barbed wire and thorns. But every rose had thorns

  to protect it from harm. He was a beautiful, broken man, and I sought to

  replace the holes in his heart with beautiful things.

  “It’s okay,” I said sincerely. “You’re scared, and you miss him. I do too.”

  I gulped, remembering how I had found Dair only a few hours earlier. I

  didn’t even want to think about Jax enduring the same treatment.

  Taking another ragged breath, Bash held up an old, yellowing map. A

  trail of green slime extended from the Capital to the Vampire Kingdom.

  My eyes devoured the map eagerly, memorizing the trail. It appeared to

  end directly beside a forest, ominously named Killer’s Hallow.

  Totally not a terrifying name.

  “We need to go after him,” I said immediately, already planning which

  route we would take. We had to be careful about venturing into the

  Vampires’ territory. They saw humans as nothing more than food. I once

  heard a rumor that the Vamps created slaughterhouses and captured

  unsuspecting humans from neighboring towns. The mere aspect made me

  sick to my stomach. Male. Female. Young. Old. They didn’t discriminate.

  Every human was a target, regardless of demographics.

  “We can’t,” Devlin sniped from behind me. When I gaped at him in

  disbelief, he ran his fingers through his hair. It was a nervous tic he’d had

  since we first met, when we were sixteen. “You’re the Kings’ assassin now,

  Z,” he explained reluctantly. His voice was potent with pain. “You can’t just

  leave. The spell they placed on you when they inducted you won’t allow it.”

  “What the fuck are you saying?” I snapped, my agitation physically

  manifesting itself. I began to pace the large room, no doubt wearing holes

  into the carpet. Bash and Killian watched me warily, but neither of them

  spoke up. “I need to ask for fucking permission to rescue my mate?”

  Devlin’s tightened jaw was the only answer I received.

  “They’ll agree,” Killian assured me. “There’s no love between Jax and

  his dad, but he’s still the bastard’s heir. If you offer to go after his son, he’ll

  agree.”

  I wanted to punch something. Stab something. Anything.

  It fucking gutted me that I had to rely on the permission of seven sadistic

  assholes. What if they said no? What would I do then? I had no doubt that the

  potion they forced me to consume would kill me if I tried to disobey their

  direct orders.

  “Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’ll ask them.”

  “Today,” Bash broke in, turning back towards the map. His finger idly

  traced the trail his magic created. “They leave tomorrow, so you need to ask

  today.”

  “They should be in the throne room,” Devlin added. He sounded

  reluctant, pained, as if he would rather have me do anything else but talk to

  those men. I didn’t blame him. I was pretty sure carving my eye out and

  eating it would be more appealing than pleading with the Kings.

  “Then let’s go,” I said curtly, already walking towards the door. I would

  beg the Kings if I had to, losing what little dignity I had left. However, it

  would be worth it. Jax was worth that and more.

  Come hell or high water, I was getting my mate back.

  THE KINGS WERE AN INTIMIDATING BUNCH.

  The power they exuded was almost staggering. It wrapped around my

  throat like a wire, pulling until I could no longer breathe. Even if I didn’t

  know what species they were, the way they sat would tell me.

  The Mage was sleeping, the Incubus was winking seductively, the Shifter

  King was coiled with unrestrained tension, and the Mermaid King glared

  enviously at the Vampire’s golden goblet.

  All seven of them immediately turned towards me when I entered. I

  noticed, somewhat distantly, that the old assassin, Axel, was standing just

  behind the Shifter King’s throne, watching me as intently as the others.

  Ignoring his obsidian gaze, I directed my attention to the Vampire King. I

  knew that would piss off the others, particularly the Mermaid King. Fucking

  drama queen.

  “Your highness,” I addressed the handsome Vampire. He looked a lot like

  Jax, but unlike my eccentric mate, his face was hard and his eyes were cold.

  Still, both men had light brown hair grazing their foreheads and lean,

  muscular bodies. The red robe anointing him as a member of the Vampires

  flared around his ankles as he reclined in his throne.

  “What’s the meaning of this, assassin?” the Shifter King demanded. I

  ignored his outburst, keeping my attention on Jax’s father. Did he feel any

  love for his missing son?

  “I heard that Jax Vampire has gone missing,” I declared. There was no

  use beating around the proverbial bush. I learned long ago that I needed to be

  direct with what I wanted, especially when it came to these seven men.

  Anything else and they perceived it as a weakness.

  I stared at the arresting man, searching for any indication that he cared

  about Jax’s disappearance. There was no surprise on his face, no worry, no

  fear. It could’ve been hewn from stone with how expressive it was.

  “And?” he drawled lazily.

  A long, potent silence descended between us, only broken apart by the

  Incubus King’s fingers thrumming against the arm of his throne.

  “And,” I began, taking a fortifying breath. “I would like your permission

  to go
after him.”

  The asshole didn’t even blink. Instead, he continued to stare at me with an

  unnerving clarity that made goosebumps blossom on my arms.

  “Why?” the Vampire King inquired at last, canting his head to the side.

  My eye began to twitch. Literally twitch.

  If there wasn’t a spell prohibiting me from hurting them, I would jab my

  knife in all of their throats.

  “He’s royalty,” I explained, repeating the line I’d rehearsed with the

  others. “It is my sacred duty as the Kingdoms’ assassin to protect him and the

  others.”

  “Ridiculous,” the Mermaid King huffed. “Why should we waste our

  valuable resources to save a dim-witted boy?”

  My hands curled into fists as anger pulsated through me. Smug, idiotic

  asshole.

  Fortunately, the Mermaid King’s outburst had the opposite reaction he

  had hoped for. The Vampire King leaned forward in his chair, eyes

  penetrating the side of the other man’s head.

  “You can’t talk about my son like that,” he hissed, fangs elongating and

  piercing his bottom lip. Red rims appeared around both of his pupils as his

  Nightmare floated closer to the surface. “He’s my heir. If I want our assassin

  to retrieve him, she will.”

  I just barely resisted the urge to smile. Who would’ve thought that their

  own internal rivalries would aid me with my request?

  “I agree with the Vampire,” the Shadow King retorted from his throne.

  Shadows hugged his skin, obscuring his features from view. “I vote the

  assassin retrieves the missing prince.”

  “All in favor?” the Vampire King asked. All the Kings, sans the Mermaid

  and Shifter ones, raised their hands in solidarity.

  “Don’t be so upset,” the Incubus tsked, turning first towards the Shifter

  and then the Mermaid. “We could make this another game for our little

  human assassin. Her next task to prove her worth. She does have six more,

  does she not?”

  Oh, fuck.

  The Shifter King’s eyes gleamed maliciously.

  “A scavenger hunt,” he declared to the murmurs of approval from the

  other Kings. To me, he said, “You will find the Vampire prince and bring

  him home. You have five days. If you fail, you will die.” His smile grew until

  it practically cleaved his face in two. There was something evil lurking just

  beneath the surface. Something that made fear trail an icy finger across the

  nape of my neck.

  “Axel,” the Mermaid King interrupted, nodding towards the stone-faced

  assassin. “Would you accompany Z on her quest for the missing prince?”

  If it was possible—and I didn’t think it was—Axel’s face hardened even

  further. Lips pressed in a solemn line, he nodded once.

  “Perfect!” The Vampire King gleefully clapped his hands together. “You

  leave tonight. If you return, Z, we have a special surprise for you. A reward,

  you could say, for completing your mission.”

  Fuck. Me.

  SEVEN

  LUPE

  M y jaw cracked with my next yawn as I scrubbed a large

  hand through my hair.

  I didn’t know how long I’d been in the library, only that

  the sky was turning a metallic gray outside. Books covered the oak table,

  pages loose and strewn across the wood.

  I had been at this for hours now, and I still had yet to find the strange

  symbol in any of my books.

  During The Damning, numerous assassins had gone after Z and my

  brothers under Aaliyah’s orders. Each one had a tattoo etched into their skin,

  on the back of their right shoulder. It appeared to be thin black lines

  morphing into thicker red ones in a makeshift circle. The symbol had to mean

  something. My analytical brain refused to accept anything else.

  But what?

  My eyes flickered towards a history textbook praising the Kings and their

  generosity. I actually scoffed as I read a paragraph detailing my father’s

  contributions towards “improving Shifter and human relations.” The man had

  placed them in work camps, killing those he deemed too weak to survive. If

  that was what history called “generous,” then I didn’t want to know what

  they considered brutal.

  The textbook also briefly described a prophecy. The prophecy. The one

  that had been ingrained within me at a young age.

  According to some ancient Mage hundreds of years ago, seven

  descendants from each species—with a relationship resembling that of

  brothers instead of enemies—would either bridge the divide between

  Nightmares and humans...or ruin it completely. Our powers were supposedly

  more potent than that of our parents or any Nightmares that came before us.

  Slamming the book closed, I tilted my head back and stared intently at the

  ceiling. A mural was painted across the gilded wood. Seven demons encircled

  an angel. I could only tell they were demons from their grotesque appearance

  —horns protruding from their scalps, veiny tails wrapping around their

  clawed feet, and skin that varied in colors. Red, purple, blue, green, white,

  pink, and gold. The hues of the sins. The angel, however, was a combination

  of all seven of them, her skin comparative to a rainbow.

  I had been in the library hundreds of times, but I’d never noticed the

  painting on the ceiling before.

  My thoughts were interrupted by a throat clearing behind me. I jumped in

  my chair, startled by the intrusion.

  My father glided forward with Atta following closely behind him. He was

  a tall man, handsome in an untraditional sort of way, with muscles that gave

  him a towering, imposing stature. His piercing brown eyes focused first on

  me and then on my books.

  He never understood my obsession with reading. He believed Shifters

  were good for two things: fucking and fighting.

  “It’s our sin,” he always said. “We’re wrathful, not studious. Don’t be a

  fucking dumbass.”

  My father wasn’t a good man. I knew that. The world knew that. Z knew

  that. However, my father never hit me. Not really. He was cruel and

  domineering, always staring at me like I was a bug on his shoe, but he never

  physically hurt me. I often wondered if it was because he was as afraid of me

  as I was of him.

  “Father,” I addressed him, nodding respectfully. I hated that I had to play

  nice with the murderous asshole. I wanted nothing more than to slash my

  claws across his throat. “Atta.” I turned to my sister next, my hard eyes

  warming marginally.

  My sister received our mother’s vibrant red hair and freckled face. With

  her soft, dewy features and bright green eyes, she was the light to my father’s

  darkness.

  “Lupe,” Atta replied back. Her voice was reserved, terse, and her eyes

  flitted from book to book without ever sticking. My hackles immediately

  rose.

  “What can I do for you, father?” I questioned. Every muscle in my body

  was rigid, bracing for a fight, and my stomach swirled and tightened

  uncomfortably. Daddy dearest rarely called for me. Actually, I could count

  on one hand the amount of times he had.

  Did he know about my mating with Z? I kne
w that he, along with the

  other Kings, suspected as much. It was dangerous knowledge to have.

  Threatening her would have all seven of us on our knees, begging for mercy.

  The mighty would fall and the world would burn before we’d let anyone hurt

  our mate.

  “Come with me,” he demanded briskly, turning on his heel and stalking

  out of the library. I exchanged an anxious glance with my pale-faced sister

  before following after him.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, racing to keep up. I was easily able to

  match my long strides with his.

  I could feel my Bear prowling just beneath the surface, demanding to be

  let loose. He sought to protect his mate from all harm, including from his

  father. If I released the fragile grip I had on my animal, hell would reign.

  We entered an unfamiliar portion of the Capital where the number of

  servants hurrying about became lesser and lesser. Still silent, my father led us

  both down a rickety staircase. The distressed wood creaked with every step

  we took, and I questioned if it would be able to hold our combined weights.

  The further down we descended, the staler the air became. A musty smell

  barraged my enhanced senses.

  “Where the hell are we?” Atta grumbled, tripping over the hem of her

  gown. I reached out a hand to steady her before pulling it back just as

  quickly. If my father were to see me help my sister, he would perceive it as

  weakness. From both of us. She should never need help, and I shouldn’t offer

  it without expecting something in return.

  The hall was lit by hanging bulbs evenly spaced down the long corridor.

  Iron cages were on either side, consisting of nothing but hard-packed dirt,

  rusty chamber pots, and worn cots.

  A dungeon.

  My dad had brought us to a dungeon.

  My unease ratcheted up a dozen notches as I stood protectively in front of

  Atta. I had no idea what my dad’s plans were, but I’d be damned if she got

  hurt because of him. Did he intend to lock us down here? I would fight tooth

  and nail before I ever allowed that to happen.

  Atta, sensing my anxiousness, dug her fingers into my shirt from behind.

  Her touch grounded me, causing my muscles to relax incrementally.

  I wanted to assure her that we would be okay, that I would get us both out

  of this mess alive, but I couldn’t get the words out. Especially with my father