Daemon Grudge

by Stacey Brutger

  “Not that I mind,” Nikos crept closer until he was her shadow, then leaned over to whisper in her ear, “but why are we following a bunch of lesser daemons?”

  She reached back and covered his mouth with her hand, shushing him. A dangerous spark of mischief lit his eyes, his lips curled against her palm, and she quickly yanked her hand away before he bit her.

  She flicked his ear, pleased when he frowned and rubbed the abused appendage. “What was that for?”

  She turned away, flashing him a smile over her shoulder as she practically flew down the stairs. “For talking without permission.”

  Swear to the gods, his eyes dilated with lust. A reckless smile canted his lips, and he gave chase.

  Atticus heaved a sigh and followed.

  Keegan appeared intrigued, leaning over the railing to call down to her. “He does have a point. What are we doing?”

  “You’re the ones who wanted to come here. You wanted me to make friends and ferret out everyone’s secrets.” She pointed to the doorway where the other daemons had disappeared. “Doesn’t this seem odd to anyone else?”

  Warrick went from disapproving to curious, picking up his pace to reach her side, then nudge her aside. “You’ll let us go first.”

  When he reached for the door handle, she jammed her foot against it to prevent him from opening it. “What are you going to do? Charge in there and demand answers?”

  She raised a brow at him, then turned to lean against the door and survey the guys critically. “Do you think they’ll talk to any of you?” She snorted at the likelihood. “The best way to find answers is to send me in there alone.”

  As if on cue, the guys’ expressions shut down.

  “No.” Warrick crossed his arms to punctuate his remark.

  “Unacceptable.” Atticus shook his head and inched closer to her, as if he expected her to give him the slip.

  “That’s not wise.” Keegan glanced at the door as if he could see through the thick metal. “If you get into trouble, we’d be too far away to help.”

  Nikos’s lips tightened. “Are you sure you want to risk them discovering the real reason why you’re here? If you go alone and feel threatened, the chance of the stone remaining secret is slim.”

  He meant the stone.

  “I’m more than capable of fighting without my abilities. I’ve been doing it my whole life.” Octavia rolled her eyes, thumping her head back against the door when they didn’t unbend, and gave them a pointed look. “Not to mention you will be within shouting distance.”

  The guys exchanged glances. Warrick snorted under his breath in a way that she’d almost swear was a laugh, then opened the door and wave her through.

  As she passed him, he bent and whispered to her, “Scream and we’ll come running.”

  Her head snapped up to meet his gaze, his husky tone making her think of sex and all the things he wanted to do to her. A broad grin took over her face as she patted his chest. “You can try all you like…I’d be very curious to see which one of us would scream first.”

  As his eyes widened, she danced out of reach and could swear she heard one of the guys groan.

  It took her a moment to push those deliciously naughty thoughts out of her mind and follow the hallway where the daemons disappeared. She hadn’t gone more than twenty feet when she heard rowdy arguing.

  She held up her hand, indicating the men should wait, then turned the corner.

  And stopped dead when she saw the place resembling an old prohibition bar, including a huge dance floor. The lights were dimmed, the alcohol was flowing, and the room was packed.

  Talk of rebellion floated on the air, snippets of conversation echoing around her.

  Any amusement from flirting with the guys vanished. She wound her way along the outside of the room, spotting the kid from the cafeteria shouting at another angry dude. “Swapping out demigods with daemons isn’t going to change our position. We’ll always be known as lesser daemons. At least we know where we stand with the demigods.”

  While she slipped through the crowd to reach the kid’s side, the group slowly began to quiet and edge away from her. Fear became palpable. A few of the lesser daemons even ducked their heads, terror of retaliation making them flinch away, while more than a couple scowled and began to make their way toward where she was moving through the crowd.

  The man from the cafeteria turned, surprise lighting up his expression. His sandy brown hair was short and a little bit windblown, his eyes so blue they were pale. He was slim to the point of being skinny, all elbows and knobby knees, his skin almost unnaturally white. Intelligence gleamed in his eyes as he smiled and reached for her. “Valkyrie—”

  “Octavia, please.”

  He flashed her a smile, the excitement in his eyes undiminished. He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. “I’m Aldrich. Welcome to Dionysus.”

  The whole room fell silent.

  The mood of the tavern fluctuated wildly, like a school of piranha ready to feed on her carcass, only to dart away, terrified of getting too close. Deciding to dull the edge of the Sword of Damocles hanging over her head, she jumped in with both feet. “I came here because Eldon asked me on his deathbed to help.”

  Everyone stilled, and the focus of the entire room riveted on her.

  “I wasn’t raised with daemons or demigods and their customs. I’m training with Warrick and his men to help avert the coming war…but I’m not sure what war I should be stopping.”

  An uneasy murmur went through the crowd.

  “If it comes to war, the world will change, not just for daemons and demigods, but everyone. Before you do anything you regret, I want you to be clear about what you actually want to achieve. Are you fighting for demigods or daemons, or are you fighting for yourselves?”

  “How do we know we can trust her not to tell the others about our plans?” a man near the bar called out. “If anyone discovers what we’ve been plotting, we’ll be punished.”

  Unease ran through everyone. People shifted, casting her dubious glances, and she wondered if she was about to be lynched.

  “She’s the Valkyrie.” Aldrich grabbed a chair and climbed on it. His earnest face shone, his voice cracking as he shifted from foot to foot. “Eldon trusted her and sent her here to help us. She’s been helping daemons—lesser daemons—for years without asking for anything in return. She’s different from the other elites…and she’s strong enough to survive without the blessings of the demigods.”

  Shock blanketed the room, then arguments broke out, people shouting over each other to be heard. Everyone seemed more riled now than when she first entered, which was the last thing she wanted.

  She let out a sharp whistle and people quieted. “I don’t get a say in your choices. While I don’t like that our kind are indebted to the demigods, I hate even more that people are willing to sacrifice their own women and children. And that’s what’s happening. Something needs to change, but war might not be the answer.

  “What guarantee do you have that your life will be any different when the others take over? What if it’s worse? The elite want their freedom, but at what cost? Do they plan to take over the territories? If they try to be the new gods and demand obedience, humans will rebel. They’re already working to create their own super soldiers.”

  The room fell eerily silent, and she shifted to be closer to the door, uncomfortable at the distance between her and the guys.

  Aldrich jumped down from the chair and grabbed her shoulders. “Do you know who’s behind the abductions?”

  Octavia wished she could tell them the truth about the humans, but instinct warned her it would only get them killed. They weren’t hunters, so their fighting abilities were limited. No, they were the daemons humans captured for one reason—to take apart and harvest them for parts. “Not yet, but I will.”

  It was a promise.

  Everyone began yelling at once, demanding answers and justice, more riled than when she first entered the tavern, and sh
e resisted the urge to sigh.

  The last thing she wanted to do was incite a rebellion.

  As the people became more irritated, things started getting rowdy, Warrick and the team entered Dionysus. Disquiet rippled through the bar, and she hurried toward them, not liking the ugly turn the crowd has taken, the threat of violence hovering in the air.

  Aldrich stuck by her side, ushering her into the hallway, and the guys followed. She turned toward the kid, not sure she understood lesser daemons even a little bit. “Why stay and pledge yourself to the demigods? Why bother with the fight at all?”

  He looked amused and a little sad. “The prestige…and the contacts that we garner while in service. It protects our families. It’s considered an honor. Plus, if our kids turn out to be one of the elites, our service guarantees them a place to train.”

  “It doesn’t bother you?” She couldn’t live that way, indebted to someone for the rest of her life.

  “We have an edge—we don’t need the demigods the way the elites do. While we rely on them to keep us safe, we’re not tied to them beyond a pledge of service.” He gave a little chuckle when he saw her moue of disgust. “It’s no different than a human signing a contract with a business for a certain number of years of service.”

  Octavia would never understand their way of life, but wouldn’t judge them for their choices. “Will you promise me you’ll be careful? Not everyone will have your best interests at heart.”

  He gave a nod, distracted when more arguing erupted behind them. “We’re not the ones starting your war.”

  “Not my war.” She scowled at him and crossed her arms. “While you might not be the ones to start it, my guess is the lesser daemons are the ones who are going to be hit the hardest. Just be careful.”

  Glass shattered inside Dionysus, and he walked backwards toward the door. “I will try to convince them. Knowing they have the Valkyrie fighting on their side will help.”

  Then he was gone.

  She gazed at the doorway a beat longer, more than a little unnerved by his praise. When she turned to face the guys, she felt sick to her stomach. “He expects too much.”

  “You’re his hero.” Warrick scanned her face dispassionately, then turned and walked away. “If you fail him, will you feel better?”

  Jackass!

  Octavia glared at his back and scrambled to catch up with him when he moved back toward the stairs. “Why are you so convinced I’ll fail?”

  He paused when he opened the door to the stairwell, then glanced back at her. “I’m not the one who thinks you’ll fail…you are. The only thing you can do is your best and live with the consequences.”

  Then he began climbing the stairs, moving like the wind. The rest of the guys were silent as they followed. Her outrage at his comment vanished, leaving her completely flummoxed.

  He believed in her.

  Disbelief curdled in her stomach until it churned.

  And she was even more stunned to realize she didn’t want to disappoint him.

  So much was riding on her, and she was very afraid that she might not be up to the task.

  They entered their apartment silently, Atticus heading toward the kitchen, Nikos to his couch. Keegan sat on an uncomfortable chair and picked up his book, while Warrick stood gazing out of the darkened window.

  Octavia stopped in the middle of the room, one thing troubling her. “I don’t understand it. If they know the kids are being taken, why don’t they do something about it? Why don’t they raid the military base and destroy them?”

  “They probably don’t know anything about the base, and they wouldn’t believe humans are involved even if you told them.” Keegan didn’t open the book in his lap, absently running his fingers along the spine.

  “They don’t see humans as a threat?” She protested. “Even the weakest of creatures can grow fangs and claws when threatened. I don’t understand how they can just dismiss them.”

  Not when she lived her whole life under their thumb and knew just how cruel they could be.

  “It’s not that.” Warrick had his hands on his hips, not turning away from the glass wall when he spoke. “The humans aren’t the problem. Only a small portion of them are the real threat—the bigger issue is the elites who are allowing this to happen. They’re the ones handing over the kids and turning a blind eye.”

  Octavia couldn’t stop herself from walking over to him. She stopped next to him, looking over the dark landscape spread out before them. It was primal and vicious and deadly beautiful…just like her guys. “We’ll catch them.”

  “Not in time. The damage has already been done.” He turned away from her and stalked toward his room.

  When his door closed, she turned toward Keegan, not liking how Warrick went from the cool, controlled man she first met to the broody man who just left. Violence brewed below the surface, just waiting to explode, and she was afraid he didn’t care if he survived. “Shouldn’t you go after him?”

  “Not if I don’t want to get my ass handed to me.” Keegan absently fluttered the pages of his book, his fingers tracing along the edges. She walked closer, then snapped the book shut, nearly taking off the tip of his finger. He blinked up at her in surprise, then relented. “He needs to work off his anger. He blames himself for leaving and not noticing everything going to hell. He blames himself for not preventing Eldon’s death.”

  Nikos grabbed her ankle when she walked past. When she would’ve lifted her foot to shake him off, his grip tightened. “He’s worried you’ll be next, and afraid there’s nothing he can do to stop it.”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Octavia tossed and turned on her bed, sleep eluding her. Keegan, Atticus and Nikos decided to sleep in the main room and watch her for signs of sleepwalking again. Pythia’s warning had them freaking out. Every fifteen minutes, one of them would stop by her broken door and peer inside.

  She wasn’t used to having anyone watch her sleep.

  Hell, she wasn’t used to anyone caring.

  Period.

  It was an hour before sunrise when she conceded defeat. She dressed quickly, then paused by her door, backtracked, and headed for the bathroom. She stood in front of the connecting door that separated her from Warrick, swearing she could feel his turmoil.

  Pythia said she needed them if she was to have any hope of succeeding.

  Said they were her mates.

  Yearning fluttered wildly in her stomach at the thought of seeing him again. Which was stupid. They were here to train. He’d shown no interest in her at all. But ever since Pythia put the idea in her head, she couldn’t stop thinking about it…about them.

  Would it be so ridiculous?

  Then she shook off her idiotic thoughts.

  She had a mission—to prevent a war.

  She didn’t have room for anything else.

  With that in mind, she lifted her hand and knocked. It took less than a minute for the door to open. Warrick crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, and she could only gape at him stupidly. His dark hair was tousled in a way that made her fingers itch to touch. His blue eyes were soft, the stubble on his jaw giving him a rugged look that shouldn’t have been so fucking sexy.

  But it was the absence of his shirt that made her forget how to swallow. The man was solid muscle, not an inch of fat on him. Light hair dusted his chest, but it was the way his pants were unbuttoned and hung low on his hips that emptied her brain of all thoughts but the need to touch and see if he was real or pulled directly out of her fantasies.

  He seemed tired, his look unguarded as he peered down at her, his eyes tracing her lips—until he came to himself and snapped to attention. “What do you want?” he barked.

  “Atticus showed me how to use emotions as a weapon.” She tore her eyes away from him, having trouble keeping her gaze on his face. “You’re the opposite. I want you to show me how to reach for my powers without the need for emotions.”

  He grunted, rubbing his hand across his chest, a
nd she was helpless to look away, watching with bottomless fascination while his palms glided over his heated skin.

  “Octavia?”

  “Huh?” She blinked, and it took a moment for her to look back up at him.

  Only to find him smirking at her.

  She scowled and crossed her arms, not appreciating his amusement, especially when it was at her expense. “What?”

  His expression cleared and he gave a nod behind her. “Sounds good, but unless you want to join me in the shower, I suggest you leave the bathroom.”

  Instead of leaving immediately, her brain hiccupped at the thought of joining him, and she couldn’t help turning to look at the tiny stall, imagining them both inside.

  When he nudged her aside and strode into the bathroom, the fantasy shattered. Cheeks burning, she ducked her head and scurried to her room, snarling at the amused chuckle that followed her. The fucker didn’t even bother closing the door all the way, leaving a deliciously tempting crack open before he turned on the shower.

  Steam filled the tiny space in seconds, and she couldn’t make herself turn away when she heard his pants hit the ground. The reflection in the mirror gave her an enticing glimpse of him entering the shower that made her mouth go dry. She wasn’t aware that she’d taken a step to follow him until she found her hand on the doorknob.

  Octavia jerked away as if burned, then ran, already out of breath when she burst into the main room. The guys glanced up at her…Keegan was alert, waiting to see what was chasing her. Atticus appeared amused, as if he knew exactly what happened…which he probably did thanks to his excellent hearing.

  Nikos was leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in front of him, looking barely able to function. He peered at her with bleary eyes, a tiny spark of interest seeming to rouse him. She leaned against the counter next to him and glared at them all, muttering under her breath, “Not a word.”

  Instead of mocking her, he silently handed her his coffee.

  She side-eyed him, not sure she trusted his uncharacteristic generosity, and hesitantly accepted the cup. She took a sip, then grimaced, and shoved it back at him. “You call this sludge coffee?”