by C. L. Roman
“But there are a lot of cops who do that same thing every day. Where are they?”
Traffic came to a standstill, and she looked over at him. “You can’t question the way life works. Odin saw something in you he deemed necessary for his army. He doesn’t make mistakes.”
Seth didn’t answer. He caressed her hand with a finger. His breathing slowed and when the finger stopped moving, she pulled her hand away. A heavy weight fell on her chest when she glanced over and saw him sleeping. He was incredibly hot and sexy, but more than that he had a good heart. It didn’t matter what happened to her; she broke the rules. But this man deserved an afterlife and greatness and glory. He deserved more than she could give him on this side.
An hour later, Kai and Seth sat in Cecily’s office telling her the truth about their adventure at Liberty’s.
“Winston is in cahoots with Liberty? And your sister double-crossed you?” she asked. “You’re in deep.” She dug out a gem-encrusted vape pen, blowing caramel smoke above her head.
Kai faked a cough. “That’s still smoking, and it will kill you.”
Cecily pointed to herself. “Honey, djinn, remember. Smoke won’t kill me, it won’t kill you, and the stud muffin next to you is already dead.”
Seth walked to her desk. “Think I could take a hit? I haven’t had a cigarette in years.”
Cecily handed it to him and Kai shot him a dirty look. “Bucket list item?”
Seth shrugged.
“Boss-lady, we need a favor?”
“Kai, of course you do.”
“We need info about Winston. What can you tell us?”
“You know I don’t kiss and tell.” Cecily took her vape away from Seth before he finished it.
“We’re at a loss. He’s organized this auction and we have no idea for sure what he wants or how to get to him.”
“Well, I can tell you what he wants, a woman.”
“He can have any female he wants. That doesn’t make sense.” Kai kicked her feet up on the coffee table and held a couch pillow in her lap.
“He doesn’t want any woman. He wants THE woman. The one he can’t have. Lucifer’s daughter.”
Kai shot up and stomped to Cecily’s desk. She leaned her arms on the edge. “Lucifer has a daughter?”
“Yep, and honey, I tell ya. I’d do her too. She is knock-down-dead gorgeous.”
Kai plumped in a chair. “What’s her name?”
“Bella Donna.”
“I need to know everything about her.”
Seth sat in a chair next to Kai’s. “This is unreal. Lucifer has a daughter? Who’s the mother?”
“Lilith,” Cecily answered.
Kai put her hand on his knee. “Hang in there with me. I’ll get you through this.”
He squeezed her hand, a look of desperation on his face. “This is your world?”
“We’re not all baddies.” For a second, Kai forgot about taking care of him and thought of pushing him down on the desk for a repeat performance of earlier. She licked her lip and watched his eyes widen.
“Um, should I leave you two alone in here for a bit? I can close the blinds and everything,” Cecily interrupted.
Kai slid her hand from under his and focused on her boss. “I don’t know what you mean. What were you saying about Bella?”
Cecily shook her index finger like a pendulum on a metronome. “Never, ever call her Bella. She will kill you where you stand. She is a spoiled daddy’s girl. Winston has been in love with her since before he moved up in the ranks. That was part of his motivation. The sad part is everyone can see how much she’s stringing him along, except him. She creates a hoop, and he jumps through. There’s something about that key that will get him through another hoop.”
“How do we find out what she wants?” Seth asked.
An awkward silence hung over them like a low storm cloud.
Kai laid her head on the desk. “Dahlia.”
“Your sister?” Seth stood up and knocked the chair on the floor. “No way. She tried to kill you last night and wanted to kill me a second time. She can’t be trusted.”
“If she hired Winston to steal the key and he won’t give it to her, she’ll be pissed too.” Kai walked over to the window looking on the garage floor. Pat played poker with a couple of other drivers. The two angels leaned over an engine, debating the best way to fix a leak. A wolf shifter sat at a table working on a crossword. If Seth only knew how many people like her, paranormal-Americans as he called them, lived right under his nose.
She walked back to the couch and rested her arms on her knees. “I can contact Frigg. She can set up a meeting between Dahlia and me.”
Seth joined her on the couch. “I don’t know what I can do to help you, but you’re not going alone. I really don’t like the idea of you meeting with her.”
“Dahlia wouldn’t do anything to hurt her chances of finding favor.”
“Will Frigg talk to you? I didn’t think you were exactly her favorite, considering your mom and everything,” Cecily said.
“What does your mom have to do with this?” Seth asked.
Kai sighed and said to Cecily, “Thanks. You had to bring that up, didn’t you?”
Cecily harrumphed and shrugged her shoulders.
“I told you about what happened with Renato.” She reminded Seth of her past. He nodded. “When Odin cast me out, my mom begged him for forgiveness. When he refused, she shared a secret so powerful she’d hoped it would have changed his mind.” Kai paused.
“Go on,” Seth urged. “What was her secret?”
Kai walked to the window again. The angels finished working on the car. Pat gathered his winnings, boasting of his talent and the wolf shifter left. There was no easy way to tell him this story. She’d only told Cecily one night after two bottles of tequila, a cathartic cry over the latest romcom, and a blizzard. Only four other people knew her mother’s secret, and two of them were Gods
Kai turned to Seth, took a deep breath, and in a quick exhale blurted, “Odin is my father.”
Chapter Nine
“You’ve got to be joking,” Seth balked.
“I wish I was.”
“Then why did he kick you out? You’re his daughter.”
Kai got a bottle of water from Cecily’s refrigerator. She held out one to Cecily and then Seth. Both declined. “He would have let me stay as long as Renato joined with him. But then my mom revealed this deep dark family secret, and it all went to hell. Frigg overlooks Odin’s discretions as he does hers. But they keep them private. Kinda hard to save face when your husband’s illegitimate daughter is begging for her life at your feet.”
Seth sank against the couch and propped his feet on the coffee table. “This is crazier than the novellas my mom watches.”
“Real life is always crazier,” Cecily said.
“I still think this is a crazy dream or a hangover.”
Kai walked to the couch. She crossed one leg under the other and sat at an angle facing Seth. Her hand rested on his knee.
“It’s not a dream. You need to understand that. If you don’t pay attention, you will get into a lot of trouble.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “Thank you. Whatever happens, thank you for what you’ve done and what you will do.”
Kai furrowed her brow. “Um, you’re welcome?” She moved to stand, but he stopped her.
“Haven’t other people said that to you before?”
“Not really.”
The door crashed open and Pat rushed in panting. “B…b-oss, you…you…Mistress, you need to come out. C…c-ompany.”
They all looked out the glass to the floor. Standing next to an overturned game table, Dahlia waved. Two gargoyles in human form stood behind her.
“Hey, sis. Come down and let’s chat.”
Seth stopped Kai when she moved to the door. “Don’t go down there.”
“Shit.” She rubbed her temples. “You think you can tell me what to do? We need to find out what she’s got in mind. This w
ay we don’t have to get Frigg involved at all.”
“Then I’m coming with you.”
Kai sent a pleading look to Cecily. “Honey, you stay here and keep that pretty face safe. I’ll go with her.”
Seth would not move from the door. Cecily put her hand on his chest. “I’ve got her back. Go sit.” Seth moved out of the way but refused to sit on the couch, instead standing at the window.
Both ladies lowered their glamour as they descended the stairs, Kai armed with her knife and her wings tucked in and Cecily with a pink handled Glock.
Kai grimaced. “Couldn’t you find a bedazzled one?”
“I’m always in fashion and it still kills, so don’t worry about it,” Cecily said.
Dahlia spread her arms. “Ladies, there’s no need for you to arm yourself. I didn’t come here to fight. I simply want to talk.”
“Riiiggghhttt because you and I are so close.”
“We haven’t seen each other in centuries and this is how you treat me?”
“Considering last time you sliced my arm, I think this is the best way to treat you.”
“Fine.” She nodded to one of her bodyguards, who uprighted the table and a chair for her.
The other drivers had scattered to the shadows around the room, but Kai felt all their eyes, curious about what would happen next.
“Come sit with me, Kai.” Dahlia pointed to the seat next to her. “And of course, your friend can join us.”
Kai hesitated, scanning the garage floor one more time. Surprises sucked. Satisfied for the moment, she nodded to Cecily and they both sat on the edge of their chairs with their weapons on the table for easy access.
“How did you find me?” Kai asked.
“I asked around. There were enough people at Liberty’s who hate you. They gladly told me where you were. One vampire even offered to drive me.”
“You were the one who started this fight.”
Dahlia sighed and bent forward in her chair, placing her clasped hands on the table. “You might be right. Let’s say I was angry at the moment and took my frustration out on you.”
“Frustration? If that was frustration, I’d hate to see you mad.”
“Only dogs get mad. I get angry, or even, if the situation calls for it.” Dahlia scooted her chair closer to the table, her leather pants squeaking against the wooden chair.
“State your business and then leave. I need to make money and I can’t do that hanging out with you,” Kai said.
“Very well.” She smiled at her sister. “I want you dead.”
Cecily snatched her gun and aimed it at the unwanted guest. A couple of drivers stepped from the shadows and stood behind their boss. Kai put her hand out to calm her boss.
“Did you come here to kill me?”
Dahlia looked around. “Considering you outnumber me, I don’t think it would be wise.”
Several drivers stepped out of the shadows. It surprised Kai to see that kind of support from her coworkers. She rarely talked with any of them and never socialized.
“Then how do you propose I die?”
“Do the honorable thing and kill yourself. They would forgive your transgression and I would take your place. It would restore our family honor.”
“You would take my place?”
“Yes, and I would see that your friend gets across safely where he belongs.” Dahlia saluted Seth who stood staring out the office window.
Kai turned back and found him watching from the office. His breath fogged the glass and a clenched fist rested against the window. “He wouldn’t be crossing to Valhalla at this point if it wasn’t for you. How can I trust you?”
“True, I upped his arrival, but Odin’s been waiting for years for him so I’m sure he will overlook my little faux pas when I prove my loyalty.”
Kai crossed her arms and slouched in the chair. How did she know that? “Do Odin and Frigg know you’re here?”
Dahlia stiffened, tucking her hands under her legs. “No, but when I bring honor back to the family, they will welcome me.”
“If they wanted you to take my place, why haven’t they killed me? Why am I here still doing my Valkyrie thing?”
“It doesn’t matter why, especially since you lost your key.”
“I didn’t lose it, you twit. You hired Winston to steal it from me and now you need my help to get it back. That’s what this is all about. Isn’t it?”
Dahlia moved her chair back, stood, and sneered at her sister. “You cost our family everything. Mom has never joined in with the other nobles.”
Kai matched her sister’s stance. “Mom never cared for that life. You are the one who struggles with being the second daughter. Your self-esteem issues are not mine. Now, where is my damn key?”
Dahlia opened her mouth to say something, closed it, and sank back down in the chair. She blew out a long exhale covering her face with her hands. “I don’t know.”
“And that’s the problem. I came to you when Odin found Renato. I begged you to help. But when the time came, you claimed to not know who he was. So, tell me, how can you ‘not know’ again?” A nasty sneer transformed Kai’s face.
“Winston had other plans. He has the key and plans on selling it tonight.”
The two angel mechanics stepped from the shadows. One carried a pipe and the other carried a wrench. They stood behind Dahlia. A werewolf stood behind them. Kai watched the other cabbies prep for a fight. It touched her to think they cared.
Kai noticed Seth glaring at them from the office. Not since Renato had any man shown this much concern for her. An odd ache formed in her chest. It confused her. She could not allow feelings to get in the way this time. Seth was a good man who found himself in the wrong place and at the wrong time.
“So, what do you want me to do about it?”
Dahlia uncovered her face and screeched like a whiny teenager, “I don’t know.” She realized her lack of decorum and added, “I’m sorry. I screwed up. Do you know what it’s like to live in your shadow?”
Kai stared with no expression.
“You are the only Valkyrie who chose love over duty. The other Valkyries revere you and the Gods fear you. Everyone knows despite everything, you are and always will be Odin’s favorite.”
“If that were the case, he wouldn’t have sent me here.”
“If he were unhappy with you, you would be dead.”
Kai smirked. “Being here has been like death.”
“Oh, really? It doesn’t seem that way to me.” She waved her arm around the room. “You have friends who care for you, a smoking hot man, and a connection to Valhalla. Mother can go nowhere without whispers behind her back. Our family is never invited to dine with Odin and I cannot fulfill my destiny.”
“Your destiny?”
Dahlia jumped up and the chair fell to the floor. “Yes, what about me and my destiny?”
“I’m the older daughter. I’m the one destined to be a Valkyrie.”
Dahlia leaned on the table. “And how can you do that without your key?”
Kai shot out of her chair and lunged at her sister, but one of Dahlia’s guards pushed her out of the way and stood between them. Kai inhaled and slowly exhaled. She punctuated each of her next words. “I would have my key if you hadn’t interfered. We need to get that key back.”
“So, you can go back to being the favorite?” Dahlia peeked around her guard.
Kai shook her head. “No, you bitch. With my key, Winston can sell it for anything he wants. If the wrong person used it…Nevermind. Do you have a plan to get it back?”
“Not really.”
“Why did you think making a deal with a demon would work out in your favor?”
“We shook hands,” Dahlia protested.
Cecily said, “Girl, you can’t be that stupid. A demon never keeps his word.”
“Hey,” Pat called out from his hiding place against the wall.
Cecily blew Pat a kiss. “Well, not all of them. No offense, Pat.”
Pat mumbled something they couldn’t hear.
“Do you know what Winston plans to do with the money he will get from the auction?” Kai asked.
“He wants to buy magical artifacts,” Dahlia said.
“What?” Cecily asked.
“He wants magical artifacts, powerful ones. He’s hoping to attract enough attention that Odin will interfere rather than risk a Key to Valhalla falling into the wrong hands.”
“Why involve Odin?” Cecily asked.
“Winston wants Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer. It’s the only artifact that will give him what he really wants. Odin understands the dangerous implications of the key falling into the wrong hands. Winston believes Odin will step in and stop the auction. Odin will force Thor to give Winston his hammer and the Járngreipr, the Iron Grippers if he wants them.”
“Thor won’t do that,” Kai said.
Cecily smacked her forehead and laughed at Dahlia. “Tell me you are not that stupid, girl. If Odin commanded it, he would.”
Kai snickered. “What does Winston want with Thor’s stuff? What’s he going to do with it?”
“That’s simple,” Dahlia said. “He’ll kill Lucifer and take over Hell.”
Cecily and Kai laughed. “He’s some kind of stupid if he thinks this plan will work,” Kai said.
Dahlia moved her chair closer to Kai. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I need help. I made a huge mistake.”
“Why would I help you?”
Dahlia turned her head up to Seth. Kai followed her gaze. “Because of him.”
“What does he have to do with any of this?”
“If you don’t get him across the gate soon, he will remain a spirit and never find peace.”
Kai was done listening to her sister whine. She stood up, pushed her chair back, grabbed her sister, and pulled her up glaring in her eyes.
“This is your mess. If his fate ends poorly, that is on you, not me.”
The gargoyles moved in closer but stopped when three more drivers stepped from the shadows and blocked their path.
“But you have to help me,” Dahlia pleaded. “We are sisters.”
“Half-sisters.”
“We share the same blood regardless of our fathers.”
Kai shoved her down in the chair and headed back to Cecily’s office.
