Pandora's Box

by Miller, Gracen

  “What’s the relevance?” Madison glanced between Zoe, Gage, and Phoenix.

  “It may not have any.” Phoenix ran a hand down his face. She noticed he executed the move when things were complicated. “But demons rarely do anything without a reason and—”

  “My husband was not a demon.”

  “You need to prepare yourself for the real possibility—”

  “He wasn’t!” She slammed her hand palm down on the table and glared at Phoenix. “Micah was a lot of things—” Liar, manipulator, and deserter were the first of many words to jump to mind. Swallowing hard, she lowered her eyes and determined regardless what transpired in her bedroom tonight, the man she’d married wasn’t a demon. The attempt to calm the pounding of her heart only relocated the pulsing into her temples. “—but he wasn’t a demon,” she whispered, horrified by the thought that not only could Micah have been a demon, but Amos held half of the same genetic disposition.

  She could feel Phoenix’s stare as potent as a touch, and it held her as accountable as any words he could have spoken. Realizing her hands shook as she twisted the kitchen towel, she pulled them into her lap.

  Obviously Phoenix could read body language better than she could have hoped. “What happened in your bedroom tonight, Madison?”

  She flung a hard look at him. She never wanted to think of that nightmare again. However, even Gage and Zoe seemed to be hanging on her every word. Hoping to compose her escalating temper, she took a deep breath and allowed it to exit her lungs slowly before answering. “I already told you. He kissed me, slapped me around, and choked me when I refused to become his—” she curled her fingers with air-quotes “—‘Queen of all Nations.’” No way in hell would she add fuel to his little “your husband is a demon” party and tell him the demon looked exactly like her ex. “Such a lovely time, Phoenix, I wish you’d arrived sooner to enjoy the show.”

  Zoe barked with laughter, and Phoenix shot her a less than amused expression. “Sorry, Nix, sarcasm thrown back at you is priceless.”

  Gage sat forward in his chair, his expression fierce. “Queen of all Nations?”

  Madison nodded and shoved her chair back. “I’ll be right back. Feel free to talk about me while I’m gone.” She walked out of the room to more of Zoe’s chuckles.

  She strode from the kitchen to the liquor cabinet. She grabbed the first bottle her hand touched and carried it back into the kitchen. The bottle clattered loudly when she set it on the center of the table.

  “I need a drink,” she said, retrieving four glasses. “You’re all welcome to join me.”

  Phoenix grabbed the bottle and whistled loudly. “Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George Five Edition.” Reading the label, his voice dropped an octave, going whiskey roughened, as if the expensive scotch already tickled the back of his throat. “We’re drinking good stuff tonight, ladies and gents.”

  “Micah drank only the good stuff.”

  Their eyes locked. It felt as if Gage and Zoe melted from the room, leaving her alone with Phoenix. The man possessed a potent aura, compelling enough that he stole attention from everyone else. “And you? What do you drink, Madison?”

  Madison gulped. The way he said her name, only a smooth caress could compare.

  “I don’t drink.” She’d only ever imbibed spirits on special occasions and never as a coping mechanism. Something about suffering a demon’s molestation made her think now a perfect time for a harmless drink or three, not that she hadn’t already been flirting with the idea. Truth was, she should’ve trashed all the liquor after Micah left, but she’d never been able to bring herself to toss something he cherished.

  “Virgin drinker.” Phoenix winked and grinned, devilry chock full of hardcore sensuality twinkling from his eyes.

  “Oh, God.” Zoe groaned, sounding like she rested on the verge of puking.

  She silently acknowledged Zoe’s sarcasm and the fact Phoenix flirted with her. Madison’s stomach swirled, and her limbs grew hot. “Not quite but definitely not after tonight.” She held her empty glass out. “You care to pour?”

  “My pleasure.” Phoenix twisted the cap and the unbroken seal crackled.

  “More,” she said, when he gave her only a half-finger of the scotch.

  He peeked up from her glass. “You sure? This is some strong liquor, and that’s not a glass meant for drinking booze.”

  “All the way, Phoenix.”

  He arched an eyebrow and shrugged, suggesting it would be her head splitting tomorrow.

  “Nix,” he corrected as he poured more into her oversized glass and then splashed some into his own.

  She sent him a teasing half-smile and nodded. “Nix, I need a stiff one tonight.”

  Nix coughed and almost spilled the liquor across the table, the glass clinking when the bottle hit her tumbler. Hand trembling, he set the bottle on the table and stared at the glinting amber color of the ridiculously high-priced scotch. Taking a deep breath, he wet his lips and met her gaze. Eye contact with him was intense, and she knew he’d caught the double entendre of her statement. Flirting with Phoenix—Nix—was easy and sinfully fun. Gage’s disgusted grunt and Zoe’s soft laughter barely penetrated her Nix-centric focus.

  She lifted the glass in a toast. “To outsmarting demons.”

  “To killing the motherfuckers,” Nix said.

  With a nod, she brought the glass to her lips and held his green eyes as the smooth liquor burned a path to her stomach. She’d thought their lives changed drastically with Amos’s psychosis? Tonight, she knew differently. Amos’s episodes were only the beginning. Tonight signified an invasion she held no hope of winning. Nothing except hell awaited them. She doubted the Birminghams could help them. She’d let them try, but she’d stared into the demon’s face and into his eyes. They were dealing with a terminator demon. He wouldn’t stop until he obtained what he wanted or upon her death.

  How bad could it be to become a Queen of Hell?

  A sick knot of dread settled in her stomach. Realizing she wasn’t doing the liquor justice by sucking it down like water, she drained the last of it from her glass and prayed she could find liquid courage in its potency.

  For the first time in her life, she held a unique understanding of the saying ‘Hell on Earth.’

  Chapter Fifteen

  Nix watched Madison gulp the hard liquor. Fear glazed her eyes. Nonetheless, he saw the fight settle into her spine. A good sign. Going from naiveté to worldly in the blink of an eye—yeah, not the easiest way to wake up to the paranormal world. He knew from experience.

  He hoped the demon stalking her and Amos was in for a surprise when it came up against her for the final fight. She wouldn’t go down easily.

  Nix wasn’t stupid. He realized she withheld vital information about the attack. Unsure of why, other than maybe she still distrusted them. He couldn’t blame her. A single mother looking out for her young child. He couldn’t imagine her acting differently.

  Gage snatched the Johnnie Walker bottle off the table. “We can’t kill the motherfucking demons if you’re both drunk.”

  Nix snorted. It’d take a helluva lot more than a finger of anything to get him toasted, and Gage knew it, which meant all of Gage’s bluster was for Madison’s benefit.

  For a second, he thought Madison would argue, when she tossed Gage a narrow-eyed glare. Finally, she took a deep breath and released it, and she nodded her agreement. “You’re right. Getting drunk won’t solve a thing.”

  Nix snorted again. The sound drew her attention back to him. Getting drunk might not solve anything; it could sure as hell numb the senses though. Sometimes he couldn’t face another day without escaping from the reality of his life for at least a few brief hours.

  “What do you two think the demon meant by her being ‘Queen of all Nations’?” Zo asked, a worried frown creating folds between her eyebrows.

  Gage shrugged. “No idea. It’s not one we’ve ever heard before.”

  “You can bet it’s nothi
ng good,” James said, coming into the kitchen with Amos, who carried a black pickup truck, a red sports car, and a motorcycle. Nix tore his focus off Madison and wondered how much of the conversation his uncle had heard. From his grim expression, he guessed he’d heard enough.

  Amos crawled onto a chair, placed his toys on the table and made “vroom, vroom” noises as he pushed the red sports car around.

  “Maybe we should see what Georgie thinks.” Zoe tilted her head and stared at James.

  “Just got off the phone with her while the scamp,” he nodded at Amos, “collected his toys.” Everyone except Madison looked at James, hanging on his every word, while she caressed her son’s head and gave him a warm, loving smile. Nix envied the maternal love she gave the boy. James dissolved his jealousy with his next words. “We’ve got big problems. Georgie thinks this is apocalyptic.”

  The statement garnered Madison’s complete attention.

  “There is widespread demonic activity in Washington State and New York City,” James said. “But most of the activity is within a thirty-mile radius of here. This home.”

  Madison flinched at the final sentence, her nails ticking a nervous rap-tap-tap on the tabletop.

  “They’re trying to separate us.” So they could weaken them. The strategy pissed Nix off. “Fuck, I hate demons!”

  James nodded. “Or force us to withdraw our protection of Madison and Amos completely, since they’re targeting states on opposite sides of the country.”

  “Or both,” said Gage.

  “I’m not leaving.” He’d made a promise, and Nix would be dead before he’d break it.

  “It’d probably be best if you left,” she said, her voice reed thin.

  “And let him have you? Let him win?” Nix rose to his feet, angry she thought so little of him. Frustrated that she expected him to leave just because she suggested it or because a demon chose to play hardball. “No fucking way, Madison!”

  “I agree with Nix.” James spoke in a calm tone. “The choices suck, but we have to split up. Zoe and Gage will go to New York City, and I’ll head to Washington State.” He contemplated Madison a moment. “Nix will remain with you.”

  A half-chuckle exited her lungs, and she shook her head. “Tell me the truth. Do you really think you can help me? Or are you assigning Nix to a suicide watch? No way do I want that on my conscience.”

  No way would Nix let his uncle answer such a loaded question. “As long as I have breath, there is a chance of defeating this demon.”

  “You’re a liar, Nix.” Their gazes locked, and Madison added, “And a colossal fool.”

  He shrugged. “I’ve been called worse. Two-headed cow springs to mind.”

  “Don’t!” She slammed her palm on the table, smacking it loudly, hard enough that Amos ceased to play and blinked wide-eyed up at her. “Don’t you dare make a blasé joke about this situation. We’re dealing with a terminator demon. He won’t stop until he accomplishes his goal or until he’s dead. The way I see it, staying here with me guarantees your death. You all should leave now and save your lives.”

  “Madison.” James’s voice turned soothing, and Nix knew his uncle geared up to deliver one of his famous pep talks. Madison glared, her stubbornness reminding him of a militant insurgent. “The likelihood of any of us surviving if the demon gets what he wants from you and Amos is zilch. Half the world will die from the outcome. We’re dead win or lose.”

  So much for pep talks. Nix rolled his eyes.

  “Nix said the demon would be back.” Before continuing to speak, Madison waited for James to nod in agreement. “So, teach me everything I need to know to be ready to kill it when he returns. I refuse for either of us to be a demon’s trophy, not without a fight anyway.”

  Nix watched her fingers curl into a tight fist and thought again how gutsy she was. A normal person would be cowering beneath the table, praying for a fast and swift death.

  “There’s no way you can teach her everything she needs to know,” Gage said.

  “None of us knows how to kill a King.” Zoe leaned forward in her chair. “But giving her any skill is better than none.”

  Nix agreed. “I’ll show her the basics, hit all the highlights.”

  “But?” Madison crossed her arms beneath her breasts. He ignored the way they swelled to the edge of her tank top.

  But…we’re out of our league. No way would he say those words aloud though. No sense in worrying her more.

  James spoke, eliminating the dead silence as she waited for Nix to respond, “Familiarize her with the standard weapons, too.”

  “Weapons?” Her voice broke on the second syllable. “I’ve never even held a gun.” She shook her head and glanced between them. “You really think all this is necessary?”

  “Hell, yes” Nix said.

  “Madison, you either step up to the plate, or you become a demon’s unwilling pawn.” Zoe reached across the table and squeezed Madison’s hand.

  Nix snorted. “Queen, Zo, not a pawn.”

  Zoe scratched her nose and shot him the bird. He returned it with a wink.

  Narrow-eyed, Madison’s gaze fixed on him. He guessed his sense of humor rubbed her wrong…again. Big surprise. It took a unique person to enjoy his particular dose of dry sarcasm, especially in the face of apocalyptic scenarios.

  “Being a queen can’t be all bad, right?” Madison failed to look anyone in the eye.

  Dead silence rang in his ears. How could any of them respond to such naïve bullshit?

  “Demon Queen.” He emphasized the demonic status because nothing could be graver than a demon with designs on her future.

  “What could he possibly have planned for me as Queen?”

  “Well, you can bet your pretty ass it won’t be like planting poppies.”

  Madison’s blue glare shot to him and narrowed sharply. “I don’t need your sarcasm! This is serious!”

  “No shit. As soon as you stop pretending being a Queen of Hell is nothing more harmless than a Friday night horror flick, I’ll can the sarcasm.”

  Nostrils flaring and mouth compressing into an annoyed line, she pointed at the door and in a low, chilling voice said, “Out!”

  “Madison—” Zoe spoke as she and Gage rose to their feet in an attempt to soothe her temper.

  “I mean it.” She swept them with a glower. “All of you. Right now. Out!” On the final word, her voice elevated to an octave normally only heard by the canine species.

  Nix flinched and sent his uncle an apologetic glance. Sometimes he pushed when he needed to shut up. Now could be counted as one of those times.

  James nodded for them all to leave. Nix waited outside the kitchen to eavesdrop on Madison and his uncle’s conversation.

  “I realize Nix can be a tad prickly—”

  “A tad?” Nix could picture her arching a questioning eyebrow and giving James the aloof stare he had already become accustomed to receiving.

  James cleared his throat. “He means well.”

  “Thanks for attempting to help me, Mr. Birmingham.”

  “Phoenix will whimper and scream in Hell,” Amos chimed in with his high-pitched, child’s voice. Shivers scattered across Nix’s flesh, and he popped his head through the door to get a look at the boy. The child’s eyes were orange.

  Gone demonic again.

  “The damned will parade through the streets of Hell when Phoenix falls.” Amos smiled, his eyes alight with mischief. A chilling sight from an innocent-looking child. “A new Phoenix spawned persecutes mankind, souls suffer, and all of Hell will sing their glee.”

  James and Madison stared at the boy in horror, but Madison drew herself together quicker than his uncle. She rubbed her arms with her palms. “His prophecies are always accurate.” His uncle’s head whipped about to stare at her, his mouth hanging open. Nix shuddered, wishing he’d missed this particular divination. “He told me a neighbor would have a vehicle accident the day before it happened. He predicted a fire at the theater a week befo
re the blaze started. Those are two out of more than a dozen visions. Take your family and leave; maybe you can still save your nephew.”

  Her expression told him she thought it an iffy outcome at best. Nix had survived more ominous predictions, and he wouldn’t sweat this one. He’d cheated death too many times to run from one wee prophecy, even if Amos was always accurate.

  Madison turned back to her son, and in a voice reserved for acceptance of grave consequences, she said, “Go now. Before it’s too late.”

  To Nix’s surprise, his uncle nodded and executed a perfect military about-face. Walking out of the kitchen, he nabbed Nix’s upper arm and dragged him out of the house. Gage and Zoe followed without objection.

  “We’re not seriously abandoning them to the demon’s sadistic plot, are we?” Nix demanded the moment her front door slammed behind them. “We never abandon anyone.”

  In his gravelly, don’t-question-my-judgment tone, James said, “Today we are.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Madison pulled back the curtain in her bedroom and scowled at Phoenix’s car, still parked across the street. Nothing incognito about his stakeout, she thought with a mental snort. She’d demanded they leave, and mentally prepared herself to face the demon and whatever he threw at them. Better they go down alone than take four innocent lives with them. Her conscience couldn’t take that outcome.

  Stubborn. The trait would get Nix killed. Amos had warned them of his future stint in Hell, and Nix still refused to save himself.

  Not a hair of James, Gage, and Zoe yet. She guessed they’d actually followed through with their plan to split up into teams and scope out the demonic activity in New York City and Washington State. Leaving Nix alone to fend for himself in Alabama with her and her demonized son. What a screwed up situation.

  What a dysfunctional family for leaving him behind to protect himself. Not to mention a messed up way of life. She wouldn’t want to hunt down demons and other supernatural scary jokers. Uh uh. Not her cup of tea. Not that she’d experienced any less of a dysfunctional family.