Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sage
It’s Desdemon. Danika’s brother, and also apparently the Dei of Vampyres. Would’ve been nice to know that before I fell all over him in my tank top and panties the first time I met him.
He’s sitting on the porch of Hack’s home in Georgia, his perfectly tailored suit still crisp and sharp, but there are a few strands of his red hair that aren’t slicked back with the rest. For any normal person it would be acceptable and barely noticeable, but for Desdemon, there’s no denying his turmoil.
“No. I haven’t found her.” His answer to my question makes every muscle in my body fall limp as I collapse to the ground in front of him, tears freefalling down my cheeks. If he hasn’t found her, and he is here now, that must mean only one thing.
Danika is dead.
I’m being lifted and wrapped into Hack’s warm embrace within seconds, and I sob into his chest.
“She’s…gone.” I’m strong, I can handle a lot, but this is going to break me.
I didn’t do enough. I flounced around, having orgasms, learning magic, all while my best friend…
“Who’s gone, Satapti?” His voice is so soft I can barely hear it over the noise in my head.
“D-Danika…he said—”
“She isn’t dead, Petite Sorcière. But she could be if we don’t move quickly. Can we talk inside, Liege Hack?” Desdemon sighs heavily as my sobs stop immediately and hope blooms.
My breaths are still stuttered, my eyes feeling thick from the tears, but I’m paying full attention now.
“Yes, you are invited into my home. For today.” Without waiting to see if he’s following, Hack carries me up the steps and in through the front door, where there is a very tiny and very angry looking…faerie?
“You might be a Dei, sir, but frightening me like that was uncalled for.” He’s standing on a waist-height table by the door, where he was looking through the window, his little arms on his hips and a scowl on his face directed at Desdemon.
“It’s been a while since I tasted brunie.” He snaps his teeth at him, his elongated fangs on full show.
The brunie squeals and jumps behind the planted vines on the table.
“Stop being so cruel. You’re scaring him.” I jump down from Hack’s arms and swat at Desdemon’s arm before crouching so my head is level with the brunie—which, if I remember my folklore, they hailed from Scotland and are known to perform household chores at night.
It’s not night, though. And why would a brunie be cleaning a demon’s house? I’m most definitely well off the mark.
“Hey, don’t worry about Desdemon. He’s harmless. You can come out…my name is Sage.”
The vampyre of the moment snickers when I call him harmless and I feel Hack’s protective presence move closer behind me, putting himself between me and Desdemon.
The brunie gingerly pokes his head from behind the vase.
“Vampyres are not harmless, so you’ll forgive me for not believing you…whatever you are. You smell funny.” For a kyn no bigger than an average mouse, I didn’t expect all the attitude. Especially after he scurried away so quickly.
“I’m trying to help you, so you could be nicer.” I would usually be more polite about it but I’m aware Desdemon is here for a reason and this brunie is taking up valuable time.
“I’m here to help you, so I’ll be as nice as I want to be.” The brunie straightens his brown cloak-like jacket but stays half hidden, despite the bravado.
The vines from inside the vase grow quicker than I can blink, wrapping around the brunie’s waist and lifting him up toward Hack’s now-pumpkin head.
“Sage is the lady of this house, so you’ll hold your fucking tongue or you’ll find yourself being fed to my horses. Why are you here?” His demonic voice is more gravelly than his human one—I still can’t get my head around the word anthros—and I can’t decide whether I like it more or not.
The brunie squeaks and wriggles, but his efforts are useless against the vines.
“Speak, Brunie.” Desdemon commands the room—entrance hall—moving so fast he’s behind me one second, and in front of me the next, holding the wriggling brunie between his fingers.
Hack wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me into him, his heavy breaths at my back.
“One of the homes I clean…it belongs to a nephilim in Faloria. He came home a couple of nights ago, angry that some plan hadn’t gone right.
He doesn’t usually come home at that time of night.
If he’s out, he’s out. So I thought I had my cleaning time, but he did, and I barely managed to finish.
The surfaces didn’t shine at all. It was really a terrible job—”
“Get the fuck on with it, Brunie.” Desdemon shakes him, reminding him to stay on track. None of what he’s saying is making much sense though.
Trying to mask his annoyance, as well as how scared he is, the brunie bows his head.
“Apologies, Dei Desdemon. He used to spend most of his time on Earth, with the anthros, but he came back a few months ago. He has a lot of meetings with the djinn and gorgons, which is unusual because they are ruled by different Dei and they do not get along. One is from Ryetoh, one is from Kohrye, it doesn’t make sense.
” Hack sighs behind me, but he remains patiently quiet while we listen.
“I listened when he came home. I heard him mention Liege Hack’s chosen, that Dei Rafi would be angry with him for failing to take her again.
I clean here, too, which is why I have access, but only when Liege Hack isn’t in residence. ”
“What do you mean, he failed to take me again? Oh my goddess…” I’m putting two and two together with this limited information and probably coming up with ten, but my optimism is winning right now. “It has to be the professor.”
Hack growls on an exhale and Desdemon turns to me.
“The professor from Staten Island? The one responsible for Danika’s kidnapping?” Without waiting for confirmation, Desdemon whips his head toward the brunie. “Tell me where to find him.”
“I believe he is back in his home in Faloria. I can write down the address?”
“You’ll take me to him.”
“Sorry to interrupt, but not really sorry at all…didn’t you come here for a reason, Desdemon?” I can feel Hack shaking his head behind me, his arms unmoving around my waist.
Chuckling, Desdemon looks at me, his red irises shining bright. At least he looks happier than he did when we arrived…whether that be because murder is now on his mind or not, who knows?
“I have exhausted my sources and you are the only thing left that connects to Danika and the night she was taken. I was going to ask to read your thoughts to see if we overlooked anything.”
“Not a fucking chance.” Hack’s hold on me gets firmer as he speaks and I turn to glance up at him.
My words are directed at Desdemon, though. “I would have said yes, of course. Anything to help find her. Do you still want to?” Moving my gaze from Hack, I look to Desdemon, whose brows are raised in surprise.
“When Danika told me about her best friend, I thought it would be a fad, but you really are loyal. I commend you for that, and my offer of help should you ever need it still stands. I think this new lead is just the thing I have been searching for.”
“As the Dei of Velmore, the vampyre kyn, Dei Rafi is going to see you stepping foot in Faloria as an act of war. I will call Slash—”
“We’ll go!” I jump in, offering myself up as sacrifice because, one, the professor should just hurry up and die already, and two, if I can help to save my best friend and he is the one to tell us how, I’m all for it.
“Satapti.” That’s it, just one word, said with complete exasperation.
“Yes?” I turn in his hold, resting my palms against his firm chest, and grin.
“When do you want to go?” Resigned to my plan, Hack sighs and I see the beginnings of a smile on his lips.
“Now?”
“Good answer.” Desdemon drops the brunie, who yells as he hits the floor. I’m surprised he didn’t just break all of his bones with that fall, but he’s quickly on his feet, shaking his fist at the vampyre.
“It’s no wonder there are rumblings of a rebellion.
With Dei like you, it’s easy to want change.
” The brunie huffs before pulling out a tiny notepad from his brown tunic pocket.
He scribbles something down before slamming it on the floor in front of me and scurrying away, out of the still-open front door, and literally poof… gone.
“That’s the second time I have heard of a rebellion. I have already informed Dei Samhain, but it needs nipping in the bud…soon.” Hack addresses Desdemon as I bend to pick up the tiny note.
The writing is miniscule but I can make out a few words. I don’t understand them, the address is foreign to me, but hopefully it’s exactly what we need.
“I will bring it to the next meeting of the Dei. Contact me as soon as possible if you find anything. And don’t fuck it up.” Desdemon’s last few words are a clear threat. Then, as if he were never here, he speeds away, the door slamming closed behind him, leaving Hack and I alone at last.
“Well, that was…something.” I chuckle, pulling away from his chest and looking up at him, his stunning green eyes connecting instantly with mine.
“You’re something.” His one-sided grin almost makes me forget how to stand properly, my knees weak and my pussy dampening, but…Danika.
Orgasms can wait.
He’ll understand that orgasms don’t come before saving my best fucking friend.
Because I will save her.