“Liar,” Asmodeus hissed.
Kala felt the hairs on her neck raise. Asmodeus looked at her like he was going to kill her, but she kept her cool. “His name is Talan.”
Again, Asmodeus’s face revealed more than he probably wanted: both seething and frightened at the same time. “Talan,” he said his name like he was warding off bad spirits. “Is it just him?”
“Grigori? No, he said they were all back,” Kala lied. She liked scaring the bejeezus out of Asmodeus. It was fast becoming a favorite pastime.
“I have to warn the Elders.” Asmodeus looked…official. It was the only word Kala could think of to describe him. He wasn’t Mr. Playboy anymore, he was all business and official looking. She liked this side of him more than the other side though Kala guessed that an all-business King of Demons probably meant bad news for her.
“Elders?” Kala pried. “I thought you were king or something.” Kala remembered when she first met Atlas and he had said that Titans were Elder gods now it sounded like there were Demon Elders as well? Too many Elders.
Asmodeus looked at Kala like he had just noticed she was there, he was so caught up in his thinking. “The Elders make Malaks and Demons look like humans compared to their power. But the Grigori…” Asmodeus showed a flash of fear again, but quickly hid it. “Let’s just say they were banished to the fifth heaven for a reason. The Elders used their combined power to do it.”
“If the world ends, what does it matter?” Kala was starting to wonder just how powerful Talan actually was. And seeing how this was rattling Asmodeus, she didn’t want to tell him that as far as she knew only a few Grigori had escaped the fifth heaven. Kala had seen this “heaven” first hand and had thought it was breathtaking for a prison. If the Elders were strong enough to send a bunch of Grigori to some kind of heaven jail, Kala wondered what chance she would have if she ever had to confront them.
“The world as we know would end,” Asmodeus corrected her. “What will be left will be chaos and mayhem for centuries. Hell on earth as they say, which is heaven for a Demon.” Asmodeus reached over to brush his hand on Kala’s arm.
She resisted the urge to slap his hand away. Pissing off Asmodeus would only hurt her cause. Kala needed him wrapped around her finger to get anything from the guy. She put on her pouty-seductive charm and said, “If there’s chaos for centuries, why do you have to kill me? Can’t you protect me instead?” Kala knew the answer was ‘no’ before Asmodeus could say it, but she hoped he would reveal a tidbit of information about the ceremony he wanted to perform on her. If she could find a way to trap Atlas then maybe she could force him to take his job back.
If Asmodeus knew Kala was faking her attraction he was too much of an egomaniac to notice. He sighed, “The only way to make sure the world never rights itself again is to kill Atlas. The only way to kill Atlas is to force him to make an appearance. The only way to force him to make an appearance is to kill you.”
“I see,” Kala tried to sound as sad as possible, but internally she felt energized by the information. Kala remembered a few years back, General Turner had given the whole team a shot of some kind of serum that had stopped their vitals so that they could be transported into enemy territory as corpses. Though they weren’t really dead, maybe it would be dead enough for Kala to contact Atlas.
Asmodeus looked at Kala with frustration. “Just when you were starting to like me.”
“Oh, I don’t like you,” Kala gave him the you’re a leper look. “I just need information from you and stroking your ego seems to be the only way to get it.” Kala wanted to smack herself. Why did she get so defensive when men claimed that she liked them? It was quite possibly the worst thing anyone could say to her. Kala couldn’t even tell Jack, the man she actually loved, that she loved him. But Asmodeus? A Demon she despised? She just couldn’t hide her dislike any longer.
“I don’t believe you.” Asmodeus wasn’t angry. Yet.
This was where Kala should have backed down to fool the guy into thinking that, in fact, she did like him. Nope, couldn’t do it. “I really don’t care what you believe. You may be a gagillion years old, but you can’t seem to take a hint.”
Asmodeus stood up angrily. “You are the most infuriating human I’ve ever met. I’m looking forward to killing you tomorrow.”
“No you’re not because if I die you’ll know that there was one girl in all of time that you couldn’t get. You couldn’t convince me to like you when you wiped my brain. If I die you’ll never know if you could have changed my mind or not.” Kala figured she was grasping at straws. What did a Demon care if one freaking human didn’t want him?
But by the way that Asmodeus stared at Kala, she could tell that he definitely cared. It was downright eating him alive. “I would have convinced you,” he said lamely.
“Dream on, buddy.” Kala crossed her arms and smiled at him a little too cruelly even for her.
Asmodeus was becoming more shocked than furious, but it was a close toss up. “The fact that I allow you to live after speaking to me like that astounds me. I should kill you right now. I’d have to wait another four days, but it might just be worth it.”
Kala stood up and faced him, all bravado, but her insides were shaking in fear. “No, I don’t think you would. I don’t think you can kill me. I think that if you could kill me, you would have done it already. Why wait four days on an unpredictable human that may or may not complete her mission when you can guarantee that you would let the four days pass so you can have your ‘utter destruction’.” Kala air-quoted that last part. She hated people that air-quoted, but it somehow felt extremely appropriate right then. Kala had no idea if her theory was correct, since she was making it up on the fly, but it was one of those arguments that felt right as it was coming out of her mouth. Like a part of her had been working it out since she first met Asmodeus.
Asmodeus lost all his anger as he raised his eyebrow in fascination of Kala. “Interesting theory. Care to bet your life on it?”
Go big or go home… or die… “Absolutely,” Kala said without blinking an eye. She wished she were as confident as she sounded.
A good minute passed as the two of them stared each other down, each waiting for the other to blink.
Finally Asmodeus spoke, “I cannot confirm or deny your theory, but let’s just say it’s a bit more complicated than what you suggest.”
“I’m sure it is, but bottom line is: you’re not killing me, and I’m also willing to bet that no other Demon is either.”
Asmodeus didn’t speak. He looked genuinely baffled.
“I’ll take your silence as a yes. Now, do something useful and hand me that room service menu.” Kala whirled around before Asmodeus could decide she wasn’t worth the trouble and send her to some kind of torture cell. But she was relying on the fact that so far Asmodeus had acted like the quintessential male who loved a woman who played hard to get, and that he would appreciate Kala’s bossiness.
When she turned around and sat on the foot of the bed, Asmodeus handed her the menu with a smile. “You know this room is protected by Demon wards, right? So don’t even think about hopping a ride on the room service cart to get out of here.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Kala took the menu and pretended to thumb through it. That was exactly what she had hoped for, but at least she knew the place was rigged with Demon wards, whatever that meant. “You going to order something? Do Demons eat?” Kala examined the menu, feeling her stomach growl.
“Yeah, we eat. Let me see that.” Asmodeus plopped down next to Kala and if it weren’t for the fact that he was the King of Demons and generally the epitome of evil, it almost felt like two friends ordering room service.
“Burger sounds good,” Kala mused.
“Fifty bucks for a burger?” Asmodeus sounded appalled. His complaining about the cost of food made Kala feel normal for a second.
“Won’t be able to charge that tomorrow,” Kala joked.
Asmodeus laughed.
“Can I ask you a question?” Kala turned to Asmodeus seriously.
Asmodeus looked at Kala with thoughtful eyes. “Shoot.”
“Since I’m going to die tomorrow anyway, can I see my foster parents? They live here in L.A., you know.” Kala had the sudden urge to see Owen and Linda. If she couldn’t be with Jack, then spending her last hours with the only parents she’d ever known was the only thing she wanted to do.
“I can’t let you do that.” He didn’t say it in a cruel way; it was almost as if it were out of his hands.
“Why not?” Kala decided to be direct.
“Because, if you see them, it may change your mind about your mission.”
That had been a fleeting thought before, but when Asmodeus said it, it hit Kala hard. The only reason he would say that was because he knew they’d probably die tomorrow too and if Kala could stop that from happening, she would try.
Meaning:
In the end, Kala might have to kill Jack after all.
But now that she thought about seeing Owen and Linda, Kala knew she wouldn’t rest until Asmodeus took her to them. “You have me imprisoned, and Jack is on the other side of the country. I think you’re safe on the me-completing-my-mission front.”
“Malaks have the same teleporting power I do. So do Grigori. If Talan or one of his men finds you, you’ll be back on the east coast in seconds.” Asmodeus didn’t mind admitting his weaknesses, Kala realized. She hadn’t really thought about that. As quickly as it took Asmodeus to get her here to L.A., going back to D.C. would be just as easy.
“Look, I accept my death. I accept being your prisoner. I accept not doing my duty as an Atlas. I know you’re supposed to be evil or something, but I know there’s more to you than that. I’ve seen it.” Not really, but Kala would say anything to convince him.
Asmodeus stared at Kala for a few more seconds, then agreed. “Fine. But only for an hour.”
Kala smiled, genuinely happy. “Thank you.” She meant it.
Asmodeus pointed his finger at Kala, trying to be tough, but failing miserably. “Only for an hour.”
Kala nodded emphatically, afraid he would change his mind.
Asmodeus smiled back at Kala as he touched her arm gently.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Kala felt the now-familiar dizziness of teleportation as the scenery around her came into focus.
With Asmodeus by her side, Kala now stood in front of her foster parents’ home in the L.A. suburb of Sherman Oaks. She felt nostalgic at seeing the old place with its blue exterior and white wood-slat shutters. The lawn was perfectly manicured, but the trees were slightly overgrown. The biggest tree was in the center of the grass: a ten-foot peach tree full of ripe peaches, a good portion of which had already fallen to the ground. The other trees were fruit trees as well and they lined the front of the house. Lemons, oranges and avocados, all in abundance, and much larger than Kala remembered.
It made her realize that she hadn’t visited Owen and Linda’s house in years. The only times she’d seen them lately was when they had come to visit her in D.C.
Kala took a deep breath and headed for the front door. Asmodeus followed.
Kala stopped. “You’re not coming in.”
“Relax, just tell them I’m your boyfriend.”
“You wish.” Kala put her hand on Asmodeus’s chest. “No way. I’ve never introduced any guy to them before. They’ll think we’re serious.”
“For someone who’s going to die tomorrow, you certainly care a lot about what people think. Besides, if you’re gone wouldn’t you want them to think that you had a bit of happiness in your life before you died?” Asmodeus caressed the hand Kala had pressed on his chest.
She pulled her hand away. “You suck.” That was Kala’s usual response when she didn’t have an argument. Not mature, but it was all she had.
“I won’t eat them, I swear.” Asmodeus smiled wickedly.
Kala was pretty sure he was kidding, but as he was a Demon she had to ask. “Do you eat humans?”
“Only the tasty ones.” Asmodeus gave her a knowing glance.
“So. Gross.” Kala shook her head. Turning her back on the Demon, Kala approached the front door.
She felt nervous as she knocked gently on the wooden surface.
After a few moments, Kala heard footsteps approach from inside. Asmodeus reached down and clasped his hand in hers.
Just as Kala was prying his hand away, the door opened to reveal Linda standing there. When she saw Kala her eyes lit up with such happiness it made Kala’s spirit soar.
“Hi, Linda,” Kala smiled. Though every part of her wanted to call her foster parents mom and dad, Kala still couldn’t. It was like saying love, it wasn’t in her nature.
Linda’s arms were around Kala in an instant, squeezing her so tight she could barely breathe. “We’ve missed you!” Linda spoke in Kala’s ear.
When Linda pulled away, she looked at Asmodeus for the first time. “And who is this?”
Kala was about to say his name then realized how crazy his name sounded. “Frank. This is Frank. He’s my… boyfriend.” The words burned in her mouth.
What burned even worse was the grin that Asmodeus had on his face after she used the “B” word.
Linda was beside herself with glee. She immediately hugged Asmodeus with almost as much fervor as she’d hugged Kala. “So nice to meet you Frank.”
When Linda pulled away, Asmodeus didn’t miss a beat. “I’m so happy to finally meet you, too. Kala has told me so much about you.”
Mock-scolding, Linda eyed Kala. “I wish I could say the same about you, Frank.”
Kala squirmed uncomfortably. “You’re meeting him now. You know I like surprises.”
Linda reached out and squeezed Kala’s hand affectionately. “I’m just kidding you. Now, come on in before we let in the flies.”
“Wouldn’t want to do that,” Asmodeus agreed and re-captured Kala’s hand. Kala wanted to punch Asmodeus in the stomach with the hand he was holding, but her foster mom’s excited grin at the sight of them made her curb her violent thoughts.
The house felt as cozy on the inside as it looked on the outside, with blonde hardwood floors and plush linen furniture. Even the dining table was in the blonde wood family, with chairs to match. Starting in the living room and passing through the dining room, it all led to the heart of the house: the kitchen. Kala noticed that it had been recently remodeled with new black granite countertops and the same blonde wood cupboards as the flooring.
“Did you grow up here?” Asmodeus asked. “It’s lovely.”
Kala wanted to kick him in the shins, knowing full well that the King of Demons could care less about home décor, but she answered anyway. “Owen and Linda took me in at fifteen, remember? I grew up in foster homes before that.”
Asmodeus didn’t miss a beat. “I just meant is this the house you lived in when you met your mom and dad?”
The fact that Asmodeus had now called Owen and Linda mom and dad before she did made Kala suddenly furious. She was about to say something nasty in true Kala fashion when Linda mouthed to her so only Kala could see, “Gorgeous!”
Kala smiled back, trying to let Linda enjoy the moment she thought she was having: her daughter bringing home her first serious boyfriend. Inside she was screaming: he’s a freaking Demon, Mom, but Kala let it slide. Kala knew her mom was just excited and besides, Asmodeus was gorgeous. That’s what made him so annoying.
“Can I make you something to eat?” Linda asked as they arrived at the kitchen.
Kala and Asmodeus sat down on the stools at the island breakfast bar.
Asmodeus nodded enthusiastically. “I’d love a sandwich.”
Linda picked up on Kala’s annoyance at Asmodeus’s request. “Kala, it’s no fuss, I’ll make you both a sandwich.”
When Linda turned to open the fridge and retrieve the ingredients, K
ala turned to Asmodeus and mouthed, “Really?”
He mouthed back, “What?”
Kala ignored him and turned her attention back to Linda. “Where’s Owen?”
Linda started to make three sandwiches, laying everything out on the island in front of them. “He should be back any minute. He just went out to pick up a few things at the grocery store.”
After a few more minutes the sandwiches were made and properly eaten by all parties. Kala had never had a more satisfying meal, probably because she had been starving.
“How long are you in town?” Linda was already clearing off the plates.
“Just this afternoon. We’re on a mission. I just wanted to stop in and see you guys.” Kala found herself welling up with emotion. She tried to hide it as best she could, but she knew Linda could see right through her.
“Kala, what is it? Is it dangerous?” Linda came around the island and put her arm around Kala supportively.
Though Kala wasn’t a touchy person, Linda’s embrace made her feel immediately better and worse at the same time. Asmodeus’s fears were right: seeing Linda like this made Kala terrified that if she didn’t kill Jack her foster parents would die.
Kala wrapped her arms around Linda and held her close. Linda squeezed tighter and Kala heard her mother’s slight choking sound as she held back tears. “Oh Kala, you’re really scaring me.”
Pulling away, Kala forced a smile. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine. Just some jitters, that’s all.”
Linda held Kala’s chin with her hand looking her straight in the eye. “I am so proud of you, Kala. You save the world every day and I just want you to know how amazing I think you are. You’re my little girl and I love you more than anything.”
Normally, Linda’s praise would lift Kala’s spirits beyond measure, but today, it just hurt. She wasn’t saving the world, she was ending it.
“Mom… I…” Kala couldn’t finish. She didn’t know what to say. She was ashamed of herself.
Linda’s eyes filled with tears at Kala calling her ‘mom.’ Kala had been so wrapped up in the emotion, she hadn’t thought about it. Then she realized, she hadn’t thought about it because it was natural for her to say, Kala had just been too stubborn to admit it.
Atlas (The Atlas Series) Page 20
