Chapter 14 – Malice
Chapter Fourteen
Malice
“ T here’s a dead body on the floor,” the soothsayer mutters.
I laugh, wiping a hand over my face. The human realm is more entertaining than I would have guessed.
“Would you like to explain that?” Ali asks me as she sidesteps Kash’s shell, moving until the orc can wrap her up in his arms.
I’m not sure I want to get into all of that with her husbands around. I know all about them.
I’ve seen them in her nightmares for the better part of five years.
My tendrils dance out, following my command. Both fae princes take a step back, but I have all I need to. If I focus my intent, I can make the smoke nearly invisible.
My head cocks as I process what I’m reading.
The soothsayer is afraid he won’t be able to protect Ali from the truth of her family.
The details are sparse, because he’s excellent at shielding his mind.
Most demons aren’t so skilled, but many fae have telepathic gifts.
He fears what will happen if the fae catch up to her and she refuses to protect herself.
That’s a senseless fear.
She wouldn’t need to lift a finger.
The orc and I would slaughter our way through anyone necessary without a second thought.
My head tilts the other direction.
Color me intrigued.
The kraken is even more complicated than the soothsayer. He loves and resents his wife in equal measure. His greatest fears are deeply intertwined with his most severe regrets, which isn’t unusual.
My shadows tease at the skin of his forearm, probing for more. His beast passed feral long ago. He’s on the edge of being rabid.
The kraken can’t comprehend why his mate doesn’t want him. It’s a longing so fierce that I glance away. I don’t revel in the misery of others like so many of my kind do. There’s also the fact his beast has no ulterior motives. He wants to claim his mate and protect her for all of eternity.
Hex the man isn’t so easily judged. He holds no guilt or treacherous intent, but he yearns to punish Ali for abandoning them. The kraken has kept him in a state of constant misery. The beast, even now, is at odds with the man.
Hex has hurt and suffered, but not as much as his monstrous side.
The kraken wishes to claim his mate, impregnate her with his eggs, and the psychotic bastard would keep her prisoner if necessary to prevent her from leaving him again.
He believes, with enough time, he could win her love. Which might border on Stockholm syndrome, but it’s so pathetically sweet that my lower lip pokes out dramatically. The big, gooey fucker has a romantic side.
The kraken and I are of a similar mindset.
My affection might be a bit over the top, but I too would chase if Ali tried to run. I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t be above trapping her to me, either.
Nightmares make for adorable hell-spawn. We’re mostly in shadow form for several weeks following the live birth. Huh, she could have an actual litter with eggs and live births. Combine that with my little shadow spawn, and my cock hardens uncomfortably.
I think I’d like to knock her up immediately.
Being a first-generation demon, I have no family of my own. Perhaps that’s why I built a life with my cluster.
Wraith and Knight are back in hell, at least as far as I know. They’re likely beyond pissed at the naughty little witch for refusing to command them to stay.
That’s not my problem.
My darling fae is excited to have me around. She quite literally welcomed me with open arms. It’s all I’ve dreamed of and more. No one is ever particularly pleased to be in my company, but she is. It’s terribly humbling and only exacerbates my obsession.
My brethren did not receive the same welcoming from the witch. Nadia may have been a bit more accepting if the circumstances surrounding our entrance into the human realm hadn’t been quite so bizarre. Last night was a clusterfuck for all involved, but today is a new day.
“I’ll say it again. There’s a corpse on the floor,” Silence says.
I’ve never met the Prince of Spring, but I easily recognize him from Ali’s dreams.
“He was becoming a problem.” I give the warlock’s shell a kick in the thigh. “I haven’t disposed of him yet.” I shrug. “It seemed prudent to keep his options open.”
“What?” Ali snorts, shaking her head. A goofy smile crosses her face that makes me ache to worship every inch of her soft skin.
She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.
I normally see her when she’s suffering, but I prefer seeing her joyous.
It’s strange, because she’s the most delicious meal I’ve ever tasted, and yet, I’d forego it to keep her content.
I shake my head, refocusing on the conversation at hand.
“Explain,” Silence demands.
“He’s a council agent. If he goes missing while they’re in the process of investigating how and why so many monsters go missing in Haven.
..” I give him a look to indicate he should think that through.
“You’re just asking for a full-scale council inquiry.
” I cross my arms over my chest. “I can’t be out of his shell for more than a couple of hours, or it will begin to.
..” I frown, unsure if I want to say the exact words that come to mind. I settle for, “Deteriorate.”
“Eww,” Ali says, snuggling back into Atlas’s chest.
“Indeed,” I agree.
“That’s actually what I originally came in to inform you,” Silence says, staring at Ali and Atlas. “There’s an employee who didn’t show up for her shift. Saber is going to her home to check in.”
“Who is it?” Ali stretches forward as wrinkles appear on her forehead.
“Skylar.” Silence shrugs. “She was due several hours ago.”
“Oh,” Ali says, exhaling loudly. “She’s late or no-shows at least once a week. It’s still a good idea to check, though.”
“So, you are aware Haven has had a much larger number of monsters than normal go missing in the last few years?” I muse, carefully eyeing Atlas as my shadows dance over his skin.
I avoid touching Ali. I get no enjoyment from sensing her pain or fears. I remove them solely to ease her suffering. It is convenient that it feeds me, but I’d do it even if it didn’t. I’ve developed a bit of an obsession with being her savior. I’ll harbor all her torment so she doesn’t have to.
Atlas clears his throat awkwardly. He’s been quite the prolific serial killer in protection of our dear, sweet fae.
I’ve known for ages, thanks to the fact Wraith often reaps the souls Atlas is responsible for sending to Hell. It’s the main reason why I had to commandeer Kash’s shell. He was getting a little too interested in Atlas, which would have eventually led to Ali.
It really is quite the beautiful ecosystem.
Monsters looking out for monsters.
“Aline?” a deep voice calls through the closed door. “I need someone in upper management.”
“I’m coming.” Ali disentangles herself from Atlas and heads to the door. “Don’t leave that there for anyone to see.” She gestures to Kash’s shell.
“I’ve got you, kitten.” I wink as the kraken scoffs.
Once the door closes, I lift Kash with my shadows and place him on the couch.
“Not much creeps me out, but that’s fucking disturbing,” Atlas deadpans.
I snort, settling myself back into Kash’s body. I hope that fucker is enjoying the void of nothingness that comes from being absorbed by a reaper.
“It seems like we need to have a conversation.” I point at Ali’s husbands to let them know they’re the ones in the hot seat. “I have one word for you. Groveling.”
Atlas chuckles.
“What?” The kraken scoffs. “She ran from us.”
“Now, there’s your first problem. If you can’t admit where you fucked up, then you’ve got no hope,” Atlas says.
“Exactly,” I agree, nodding.
“That’s so fucking weird.” Silence takes a step back, followed quickly by another.
“We’re all on the same team here, gentlemen?—”
“Speak for yourself,” Atlas growls, cutting me off.
“They’re her fated mates. She’ll never be as satisfied, or feel as complete in life, as she will be with them at her side.” I study Kash’s nails, looking for any of the subtle signs of decay. There are none, which is good, since I’ve only been in this vessel a day.
“He’s right, and you know it,” Hex says.
“That’s only true if the two of you are worth keeping around. Otherwise, she’ll adjust.” Atlas crosses his arms over his chest, glaring at the kraken.
“We’ve loved her for longer than you’ve known she exists,” Silence snaps.
“I don’t know,” I muse. “I tend to treat those I love with the utmost care and respect.” Granted, the list starts and ends with one, but they don’t need to know that.
“We were in an impossible situation,” Silence says coolly. He goes on to recount a bit about the specifics of their wedding day. “The queen didn’t want us to breathe a word to Ali. We respected that, but she has always and will always be our first priority.”
“Words are cheap.” I shrug. “I spent years rescuing her from her nightmares. Nightmares, I might add, that the two of you played a large part in. The orc is practically an undocumented serial killer. If you want to fit in, in this harem, then you’re going to have to put in the work.
No one wants a lazy packmate.” I direct the last line to Atlas, who snorts.
We still haven’t been formally introduced, but I feel like we have an unspoken agreement.
My clustermates have been cleaning up his rampages for ages. I think that means we’ve got a kind of unarticulated bond going on, right? Yes, I’m sure of it.
I need at least one friend until Wraith and Knight make it back into the human realm.
At this point, there’s a line drawn in the proverbial sand.
It’s two against two—her soulmates versus her chosen mates.
Ali pops back into her office, grimacing when she catches sight of me. “Okay, I need all of you out.”
Atlas pushes his almost eight-foot-tall frame off the couch and swaggers over to the darling fae.
Silence and Hex bristle, but Atlas ignores them, lifting her with ease. Her back hits the door as he pushes his mouth to hers for a filthy kiss.
I unceremoniously cross Kash’s leg over the other. It feels creepy to get a hard-on in his body.
“That was actually quite smooth,” I tell the two men, who look like they might spontaneously combust at any moment. Oh yeah, they’re good and furious. “Maybe you should take lessons.”
“I have a feeling I’m going to kill you before all this is over,” Hex mutters.
“You can certainly try,” I agree, chuckling. Kash’s phone buzzes in my pocket as Atlas dry fucks Ali into the door.
I’d prefer to focus on that, but unfortunately, Kash is still an active agent. I’m going to need to plan a way to publicly dispatch of his vessel.
I add that to my to-do list as I pull out the phone.
Human jobs are so monotonous.