Genesis Queen (The Road to Hell Series)

by Miller, Gracen

  “Micah’ll be back,” announced Kur as the door clicked shut.

  Of course he would. She’d realized that when she dismissed him. He’d only left because Elias required assistance.

  “How should we proceed?”

  Nix’s uncle James’s question was delivered with calm serenity, but it struck a difficult chord in Madison’s heart. She had no idea how to carry on with their future because it was no longer about just her and Amos. Nix was now tied to them.

  “Changing safe houses won’t help.” Petra settled into a chair. “After the seraph exchange, Daddy can track her now, so he’d just follow us to the next house.”

  Amos made a beeline to Madison. The Hellhounds trailed him like devoted stalkers, at odds to the way the two fur-balls had whimpered when she’d forced them to remain with him earlier.

  Her son fidgeted with his hands when he halted in front of her. “Is Daddy mad at me for stealing you from him?”

  “No.” She tugged him in for a hug. “He’s irritated at me for not letting him stay.”

  “He’s worried about your safety.” Nix squeezed the child’s shoulder. “Micah says something is coming for you both.”

  “Any idea what?” James leaned against the chair Georgie reclined in.

  He shook his head.

  She noticed Cael perched on the arm of Alessa’s chair. The woman closed the magazine, set it aside on the coffee table, and gave her full attention to the conversation.

  Madison released Amos, who went to curl up on the sofa. The female Hellhound, FiFi, nestled beside him for a nap. The male pup, Devlin, plopped at Madison’s feet and yawned. Crossing her arms below her breasts, she turned back to the window.

  “We cannot prepare for the unknown.” It sounded like Zoe had shifted in her seat.

  No kidding.

  “What was Micah’s purpose in coming here?” Georgie sounded concerned.

  Nix propped a shoulder against the window sill and shot her a worried glance. She pretended not to notice. “He wants to help protect them from whatever plans to claim their lives.”

  “I don’t want him anywhere near Zoe,” said Gage.

  Madison couldn’t blame Nix’s cousin for his statement.

  “This is about Madison, Gage, not me. I’m sure I can handle….” Zoe went silent, unable to complete her sentence.

  “He killed you, Zoe.” Madison flinched as she pictured Gage trying to console Zoe through touch. “I don’t know that I could tolerate being in his presence without seeking revenge for hurting you.”

  “He had both of you murdered. Not to mention the hardship he put Nix through. That doesn’t mean Madison and Amos’s welfare isn’t worth some small sacrifice from us.” James was too forgiving, in her opinion.

  “Dad, he had her throat slit while I watched and the motherfucker laughed….” Gage choked up over that.

  Sensing her son’s objection to the word Gage used to describe his father, she sent the telepathic thought, Not a word.

  Madison turned in time to watch her child scrunch into the sofa, pulling the dog into a hug against his chest. FiFi licked his chin. At her feet, Devlin practiced a growl. With a tap of her toes, she scolded him with, “Shh.” The pup whimpered and settled his head on her foot.

  She caught Nix’s scowl in the dog’s direction, but figured that could be an argument for later. “Honestly, which one of you thinks we both should be killed before we get out of control?”

  “Mads….”

  She shot Nix a killing glare. “There is more at stake here than my life or Amos’s. I prefer cold, hard honesty.”

  “We don’t kill children.” James Birmingham’s pinched expression implied he was offended by her innuendo.

  “Fine. What about me? Who besides me thinks I need to be taken down before I go rogue?”

  “I do.” Gage executed a two-finger wave at her.

  Zoe backhanded him in the chest. “Gage!”

  “Thanks for your honesty, Gage.” Madison offered him a small smile.

  Beside her, Nix tensed.

  “Doesn’t mean I’m going to act on it, Zoe.” Gage glared at his feisty girlfriend. “Nix would never forgive me.”

  “Damn right, I wouldn’t.”

  “Nix loves you, Madison.” Zoe tightened her ponytail. “That makes you family.”

  Madison snorted and shook her head. “Fools.”

  “Madison, even if he didn’t love you, we’ve all grown to love you.” Georgie’s pep talk failed to alleviate her irritation.

  “All of you are fools. Nix is the biggest of you all.”

  “Mads, baby—”

  “Shut up. All of you are going to listen to me for a change. I’ve been saying it for years, telling you that you should execute me before I became the superhero-demon Micah wanted. Twenty-four hours ago, I’d have been your scapegoat and accepted death from any hand. Not anymore.”

  “Good.” Nix had never been a fan of her self-martyr syndrome.

  She didn’t acknowledge his comment. Frankly, she grew weary feeling like she deserved to die for genetics she had no control over. She focused on the leader of the dragons. “Kur, the order to fry me if I go bad is rescinded.”

  She didn’t miss the slight tightening at the corners of Zen’s mouth. His disapproval evident.

  Kur shrugged. “I’m not upset.”

  Madison narrowed her gaze on the dragon and made a mental record to get to the bottom of his sudden change of heart at a later date. Last night, he’d been eager to take her down in order to thwart Micah’s plans.

  Zen’s silver gaze flared when she met his eyes. “That goes for you, as well. I won’t accept any decision from you to kill me as willingly as I would’ve in the past. Expect a full-fledged fight on your hands if you decide to come for me.”

  Noted, he replied telepathically. Don’t expect any forewarning if I make that decision.

  A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She’d expected nothing different from him. “I’m not saying I’m planning on accepting my Queen of Hell status.”

  “As you would say, there is a ‘but’ at the end of your sentence.” Leave it to her immortal protector to state the obvious.

  “Maybe. Maybe not. I will tell you this. Micah wants a Queen he can control. Being bossed around is no longer my style.” Silence from the group. Madison could sense the growing alarm among the Birmingham family as she stepped closer to her Sherlock lover. “I almost killed Elias out there. Not only a fallen archangel, but a very powerful King of Hell.” That alone should have them scrabbling to kill her regardless of what she declared. But of course, none of them would cry over that particular fallen angel’s demise. They recognized him as a threat. A testament to his power, it still vibrated against her skin. Her succubus wanted the rest of what he had to offer. Was disappointed she’d been denied the conquest. “It was too easy, Nix. Way too easy to drain him to the point of death. If Micah hadn’t stopped me, he’d be dead.” Whispered words of confusion came from his family. Their bewilderment was ignored. She jabbed him in the chest. “Had I taken his entire seraph, I would now own his power, upping my demonic mojo. And you went and marked yourself with my sigil. A demonic symbol, for God’s sake.”

  “You told me to.”

  “I was wrong!” They stared at one another. A tense hush weighted the room. “That mark doesn’t just protect you from baser demons, it marked you as mine. Mine, Nix. Mine. Do you understand the significance of that to my succubus?”

  “Oh, my God,” Georgie whispered.

  Staring into his green eyes, Madison said, “Exactly, Georgie.”

  “Don’t try and convince me to leave you, Mads. I won’t.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way.” Madison grabbed the back of his head and gave him a hard kiss. Against his lips she said, “It’s too late to leave. You are mine.” She stepped out of his reach to see his eyes widen with understanding. Finally. It’d taken him long enough to understand the enormity of her meaning. If she went
to Hell, he would remain tied to her because of her demonic sigil. “Find a way to protect your family and Alessa and get them out of my home. If you don’t, I take no responsibility for their welfare.”

  Cold words, intended to spur him into action, because she’d feel guilty as hell if anything happened to them. Unease settled among the room’s patrons. No one said anything. Even Nix seemed at a loss for words as she turned on her heels to walk away.

  “Madison.” She stopped in the doorway when Zen said her name, and waited. “You cannot issue ultimatums in this mixed group without expecting us to rise to the challenge.”

  She threw a smirk at him over her shoulder. “I can stop anything the Birminghams throw at me, and I’m sure they know it, as well. I control the dragons. Nix and Amos wouldn’t harm me if they needed to. And you…well, we’ll just see, won’t we?”

  Chapter Ten

  Nix watched Mads exit the room, surprised Zenny didn’t go after her over her veiled challenge. Normally, his Sherlock family would scramble to concoct a plan to take down the demon that issued such a flagrant dare. He considered his family. They watched him carefully. “I seriously hope none of you are thinking of trying to kill her like a common demon.”

  James came off the arm of the chair and paced behind Georgie. “It is our job.”

  Amos’s head snapped up. The child was loyal to his mother at any cost. He could picture the boy glaring at Uncle James.

  “FYI, all of you will have to get through me before you get to Madison.” Petra blew Gage a kiss and swiped her finger across her neck when James shot her a mutinous glare. She waggled her fingers in a mock goodbye and sashayed out of the room.

  If it came down between choosing Mads or his family…well, he hoped it didn’t go that far.

  Gage watched him closely. “Did she really almost kill Elias?”

  “Yes,” the immortal said as he crossed the room, treading silently. He stopped in front of Nix. “Do you think we should remove your family and Alessa from the residence and hide them in a safe location?”

  “Are you sure that’s wise? Micah said they could be used against her. At least here we can try to protect them. Once removed, we’re running on hope that no one finds them.”

  “Ah…shouldn’t that be our choice?” James voiced his concern.

  “No.” Zen didn’t even look at Nix’s uncle. “Their presence is a distraction if something manages to get through our protective shields. We both know, regardless of what Madison just said, guilt would be her companion if any of them were harmed.”

  “Since when are you taking advice from a King of Hell?” Gage had risen to his feet, his arms casually at his sides, but the tight line of his shoulders spoke volumes about his apprehensive emotions.

  “We take his advice since he’s agreed to keep Mads and Amos safe. I trust him with her life.”

  “And you, Zen?” Gage paced a short path in front of the hallway. “Do you trust Micah with Madison’s life?”

  No hesitation from Mads’s crystal genie. “Yes.”

  Gage came to a halt, his forehead a network of frown lines. “I’m beginning to worry you’re not the same person that went to Hell, Nix.”

  He laughed. “Gage, no one can go to Hell and return unaffected.”

  “Nix, honey, everything that happens in our lives changes us. You’re still good at heart, that’s what matters.” The concern in Georgie’s eyes bothered him because it was for him, rather than someone else. And because he knew her well enough to realize she wasn’t certain she believed what she said.

  “Aunt Georgie, I know you love me, but you cannot dismiss that I did bad things in Hell. Some so atrocious I’ll never tell anyone. Others I cannot hide because they were committed on earth. I’m ashamed of my actions, but don’t pretend I had no choice in them. Every action was done with complete understanding of what I did and why I did it.” He swiped his fingers through his hair. “When Micah killed Gage and Zo, and he made his offer for my lineage, I told him to go screw himself. All it took was thinking he’d killed Mads for me to forfeit every one of my morals and beliefs. That should tell you how much she meant to me. Still means to me.”

  “That is the only reason why I’m not plotting to kill her.” Gage had always told it to him like it was. He nodded, letting his cousin know they understood one another.

  “If anyone is going to kill her, it’ll be me.” Zen and Gage went into a mini-staring contest. No surprise, the immortal won. Gage looked away after a short count of five.

  “Zen’s not the only reason you won’t kill her.”

  Everyone looked at Amos. He flexed pencils in each hand across a sheet of paper, staring at Gage as he sketched. At his feet, the Hellhound growled a low warning, as if the boy needed her support. He wasn’t even certain when the child had retrieved paper and pencil.

  “I’m…sorry.” Gage swallowed. “I shouldn’t have said that in front of you.”

  “Why? Because she’s my momma? Or because you know you’d have me to deal with later?” The child cocked his head to the side and Nix caught the making of a very visible frown plowing across Zen’s forehead. “Or because you know Daddy Nix”—he jerked in surprise—“would be really unhappy if you tried to harm her?”

  Daddy Nix? Jesus Christ! He wanted to embrace the child. Georgie smiled as if she suspected his immediate emotional response.

  Nix didn’t give Gage time to respond. “Don’t make me choose between you guys and her. Trust me to make the right choice.”

  “Pack your bags. You leave in an hour.” The tone of Zen’s voice indicated he’d accept no arguments from the Birminghams or Alessa.

  “I think they should remain,” he argued, his voice level, and certain of his position. A poker-faced stare from Zenny, but Nix knew the man thought over his initial stance. “There’s a safe room. They can be housed there with magic if and when something comes.”

  “I need to think.” The immortal swiped hair off his forehead; like they were magnetized to his flesh the locks fell back over his brow. “I’m going to go meditate. I want Madison addicted to messian when I return.”

  Nix closed his eyes and ran his hand down his face. “You say that like it’s crack, Zenny.”

  “Get the job done, Phoenix. If you don’t, you will not like the way I get the job done.”

  Eyes flashing open, he ground his teeth, ready to go toe to toe with Mads’s crystal genie, but Amos shoved the picture he’d been working on into Nix’s hand.

  “Zen ain’t gonna hurt Momma. This is who’s behind the coming attack.”

  He held the drawing at an angle so he and Zen both could peer at the artwork. Wings! The child had sketched a male on his knees, with his head bent forward as if in prayer. His features were in shadow, so Nix was unable to make out the face, but the wings sprouting from the creature’s back sucked all of his attention. Not like the ones birds used for flight, but instead they were long and wispy. Just like an angel’s. But not corkscrew-shaped like Micah’s.

  “What else has wings other than an angel?”

  “Dragons.” Kur approached.

  “These aren’t dragon wings.” Nix handed him the picture. “Georgie, you think you can try to get a read from the photo?”

  She was already out of her chair and walking toward Kur. “Of course.”

  “The first attack will be in the dead of night.” Amos’s eyes glowed fiery orange. He hadn’t seen that look since the child had been five and acting demonic. “Death will claim its victim, but a short-lived victory will be granted. The dark-man will arrive later. He’ll be stronger, his attack bolder.” The boy blinked and his blue gaze returned. Tears glistened in his eyes. “Without Daddy, we will die.”

  Nix’s heart beat as if cement hardened within the valves. He tugged the child against him and they clung to one another. “I’ll die before I allow anything to happen to either of you.”

  “I know.” Amos nodded, sniffling as he pulled out of Nix’s hold. “Wanna play Zombie Wars
when you finish talking with Momma?”

  Only a kid could shift topics so easily. No, that wasn’t exactly accurate. Amos was old enough to understand the danger. Only a kid raised with constant peril would think of playing a video game on the heels of witnessing the death of his mother in a psychic vision.

  “You bet.” He cleared his throat. “I promise to show no mercy and beat you.” He allowed a grin to surface, but the stretch and pull of his lips felt forced.

  “Game on!” The child took off at a dead run, the Hellhounds traipsing after him.

  “Nix.” Georgie’s hand shook as she passed the picture back to him.

  As if James could sense Georgie needed comfort, he pulled her against his chest.

  He loved the way his uncle supported his aunt through touch. He realized he offered the same physical reinforcement to Mads. He couldn’t recall his own parents doing the same, so the chances were he’d learned it from James. “What’d you see, Aunt Georgie?”

  “Blood. Screams.” She rubbed the flesh over her heart with a fisted hand and squeezed James’s arm with her other hand. “And pain. God…the pain. My chest hurts from the vision.”

  “I’ll gladly suffer throughout eternity to guarantee her survival.” Believing Mads was dead had been worse than any agony he could endure.

  “Madison is the one in pain. Not you.”

  Terror sliced through him so hard his breathing grew irregular. “Zen, I won’t lose her again. I have to make sure Mads accepts the help Micah is offering. Any arguments over that, let me know now.”

  “None.”

  Zenny agreeing to accept Micah’s help…must be an apocalyptic omen.

  Nix strode from the room, fighting the overwhelming urge to run to Mads and drag her into his arms. He needed to touch her, see her, and hold her before he’d believe she was okay. Less than twenty-four hours since she’d accepted his love and taken him to her bed, and he already fretted they wouldn’t last a week. The Azura stones had seen the threat sooner than the psychics in their lives. He’d make damn sure Mads accepted her prophetic rocks when her husband arrived.