Page 32 of Frosty and the Reaper
Zander had to agree.
With a wave of his hand, Devlin dismissed the demons. Both of them bowed low before leaving the room.
“What did he do?” Zander asked curiously.
Amon’s head snapped up at the sound of his voice, and his dark eyes went wide with recognition and fear. Zander ignored him for the moment, keeping his focus on the latest victim.
“I made a deal with a witch who needed money to pay for his child’s surgery. Occasionally, I take a charity case if I’m bored enough,” Devlin said, downplaying his benevolence. “This piece of shit is that man’s brother. He killed his brother and stole the money before the child could have her surgery. She ended up dying as well as a result of his greed. He’s only had a few days of torture, but he’s already broken. Pathetic.”
Devlin lifted one of the knives from the table and threw it at the male, burying it deep in his chest. He gasped for breath a few times, then slumped over in his bonds before disappearing into a cloud of ash that scattered in the air.
“Amon has been my guest for a few weeks now. It was fortuitous that I found him just in time for your return. Since theritual they did ended up draining most of his magic, he’s been hiding out here in the Human Realm.”
Zander clasped his hands behind his back and strolled forward, standing in front of Amon. The male’s fear was palpable, but it wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy him.
“Betrayer.”
“Forgive me, War. I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry,” Amon sobbed. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
Ignoring his pleas, Zander said, “You didn’t just betray me. You betrayed dozens of your fellow reapers. And for what? The promise of more power? Glory? What exactly were you lacking that you chose to commit such a sin?”
“Famine told us you were hoarding the source magic for yourselves. Why not release it into the world so everyone could benefit?”
“Lies,” Devlin growled. “You wanted more magic, and you thought killing War would help you get it.”
“I never tried to kill you. I didn’t know that was part of the plan. We were just stopping you from moving the seal and keeping it to yourself.”
Zander leaned forward. “And the souls you consumed before that?” he asked softly. “Do you really think I didn’t know that you were using the souls of other supernaturals to feed your hunger for power?”
In a panic, Amon struggled against the bonds holding him in place. Zander slowly held up a hand, making sure the bastard in front of him was tracking his movements and saw his end coming. Not wanting to drag it out, he ripped the bastard’s soul right out of his body and crushed it in his fist. Destroying his soul ensured he would never have a chance for redemption.
Magic lingered in the air like glowing gold dust, barely visible to even his enhanced eyesight. As he called it to him, an iridescent mark appeared on his palm as he absorbed the magic,returning it to the source. Being able to recall magic straight to the source was a trait specific to the Horsemen.
Satisfied with the results, Zander smiled. “Thanks for the gift. It was exactly what I wanted.”
“I’m glad. Most people don’t understand that we can read their thoughts,” Devlin pointed out. “Or they wouldn’t waste their time lying so damn much.”
“At least he was helpful. He knows where Somni has been hiding. Are you coming with me?”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss this for worlds.” Devlin grinned. “It’s been ages since I’ve been to Miami. I’ve had people looking for Somni for years, but I never suspected that lazy asshole would actually lower himself to get plastic surgery to change his face.”
That was a serious transgression, especially for more powerful supernaturals. Sure, some people used glamour charms or other spells to temporarily alter their appearance, blending in when necessary or just for fun. But no one would permanently change their face unless they were hiding from something truly terrible.
It was one thing to rely on magical illusions, but quite another for a celestial to let humans permanently cut and reshape his features. That kind of desperation spoke volumes about the gravity of the situation.
The God of Slumber couldn’t risk people finding out why his magic had been drained, nor could he adequately protect himself without it. So, his best chance of survival was to hide in the Human Realm, just like Amon had. That was a clear indication that he was scared shitless of being found.
Too bad for him, his time had run out.
Chapter Eleven
Lucid was thehottest club in Miami, earning that title since they opened their doors three years ago. Outside the club, the energy was palpable. The neon lights of the name sign shone brightly above the entrance, casting a vibrant glow onto the dark sidewalk where a line of eager people waited to get in.
Each person was dressed to impress in Miami’s signature blend of flashy and fun. The rhythmic bass of the music coming from inside warred with the sounds of laughter and excited chatter coming from the crowd outside. Bouncers in suits checked IDs and managed the velvet rope with practiced authority. Sleek cars lined up in the street out front, waiting to drop off those who considered themselves too important to wait with the rest of the crowd or who simply wanted to be seen.
Since it was too crowded to arrive inside the building, Zander and Devlin teleported onto the sidewalk by the beach directly across the street from the club. They bypassed the line, walking straight into the club. The bouncers blankly unhooked the rope and opened the doors to allow them entry without comprehending what they were doing.
The scent of the ocean breeze was far more pleasant than the mix of perfume and sweat that assaulted his senses the moment they walked inside. While their magic repelled people from touching them or getting too close, the crowd still made Zander feel a little claustrophobic. Since they masked their presence, people couldn’t see them as they made their way through the club, allowing them to cut through the kaleidoscope of color and movement unhindered.