Page 35 of Malice: The Mate Games (Apocalypse #3)
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
ASHER
I ’d spent time in worse places, as far as hideouts went.
At least this currently abandoned secret fight club Lilith brought us to had plumbing and central air.
There was space for everyone too. And man, were there a lot of us.
The wolf packs alone took up so much space I swore I could smell wet dog every time I walked by them.
I was pretty sure magic was at play here, both in regards to the amenities and the way we never seemed to run out of room for all of us.
Lilith wouldn’t admit it, preferring to play coy, but c’mon.
I’d been to the secret rooms at Iniquity, and this had a very similar vibe.
Minus the sexy dungeon aspect, of course.
All around me, groups of different species were clustered together, speaking in indistinct murmurs.
I was most concerned about the Novasgardians and the shifters, if I was being honest. Both ran hot.
Both were easily coaxed into conflict due to their natural inclination for battle.
The shifters because of their animalistic, territorial natures.
The Vikings because... well... Vikings.
“Do you really think we can all stay here, babe?” Remi said under his breath.
I shrugged. “I’m not sure there’s any place else we can go. Not and stay safe.”
“The tension is already so thick I can hardly breathe. It’s a powder keg. If a vamp looks at a wolf the wrong way, it’s going to be a bloodbath.”
A snarl that was more animal than man ripped through the air as exactly that happened. West Blackthorne stood near enough to the wolf he’d been sizing up that he could’ve lost an arm, but Kingston was holding his packmate back, along with two other wolves.
“West, stand down,” Thorne ordered, but his brother, arrogant and young but still old enough to know better, simply huffed a condescending laugh.
“I’m not doing anything. All I did was look his way.”
“I’m not a blood bag, vamp. Keep your fangs to yourself,” the shifter snapped, his body returning to a more human state as he calmed.
“Noah, maybe West needs to take a walk and get his head on straight?” Sunday suggested gently.
I knew him as Thorne, as most who were acquainted with Noah Blackthorne did, but my mate and Sunday both called him Noah.
It had taken me a while to get used to the different moniker, though I understood the reason behind it now.
The closer you were to him, the more real he was with you.
I was not close with Thorne, and I never would be.
“I wouldn’t stoop so low as to drink your gamey blood,” West spat, anger making his eyes blaze.
Fucking hotheaded vampire royalty. He was going to get us all killed if he didn’t rein it in right now.
Another snarl escaped the wolf, and this time, it was accompanied by a handful of echoes from his pack. This was turning sour and quickly. Funny, I really had my money on the Vikings.
Before I could say a damn thing, two impenetrable walls of shadow appeared in front of each group, barring them from sight.
Hades strode between the walls of shadow, blue fire glowing in his eyes from the power he was using. “All right, y’all, that’s about enough. Who’s in charge of this shitshow? Because I can tell you one thing. We aren’t going to make it out of here if some law and order isn’t established—and fast.”
“Technically it’s Lilith, I guess, since she’s the one who brought us here and is in charge of this place,” I said, looking around like I might spot her dark hair somewhere in the crowd. “But I haven’t seen her all morning.”
“Well, I can’t keep them apart forever. We need leaders to keep things in line.”
“I run a tight ship. Allow me to advise,” Caspian offered from behind me, his arm around Dahlia as he gestured widely to the group.
“No.” Hades shut him down so fast it was all I could do not to laugh. Especially when his pout looked so similar to Remi’s.
“That’s precisely why Lilith is gone,” Caleb answered, joining our loose circle.
“Care to elaborate?” Hades asked, one eyebrow hiking up in annoyance.
“With this many factions banded together under one roof, she thought it might be best to re-establish the Council. Last I heard, she went off to collect someone she felt could be of assistance in that regard.”
“The Council?” Kingston said, coming out from behind the wall Hades had erected. “Like the Council. The one made up of assholes who tried to convince us to k-i-l-l our little sunbeam?”
If Eden were still here, I was certain she’d be shooting around the room like a bouncy ball. That kid only sat still when she was sleeping. My lips twitched in the beginning of a smile. I couldn’t help but wonder if our pups would be the same.
“One and the same,” Caleb affirmed.
Kingston made a face. “Sounds like a bad idea. Besides, more than half the members are dead.”
“That’s why we want to re-establish it. Create a new Council with a new goal.”
Hades nodded. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard in weeks. It’s the only way the gods ever achieved anything.”
“Well, who are we appointing to this society of weirdos?” I asked.
“Oooh, we can call it the Hades Society,” Remi suggested, grinning at the lord of the underworld like he was a delicious ice cream cone. “It has a nice ring to it. So chic, but also sort of sinister. It totally commands respect. Just say it. The Hades Society.”
Hades smirked. “Well, I don’t hate it.”
Caleb sighed. “Call it whatever you want.”
“Yes!” Remi whispered as he pumped his fist.
“What time is this Council meeting supposed to start?” I asked. Remi shot me a wounded look, and I immediately rolled my eyes and corrected myself. “Sorry, Hades Society.”
“Good boy,” Remi murmured, putting his hand in my back pocket and giving my ass a squeeze.
“First and foremost, we need to select members from each of the supernatural factions. That way we know who should be part of this Hades Society.” Caleb turned to face the crowd of people we’d brought with us. “Everyone!” he shouted in his hellfire and brimstone priest voice.
“Oh, daddy,” Remi said under his breath. “Take me to church.”
I elbowed him, but he wasn’t wrong.
Caleb continued, pure authority in his tone. “Choose amongst yourselves one leader to represent your species or realm. When called upon, this person will join us in the newly established Hades Society. You have one hour.”
Nine of us sat in a circle in a room that felt a lot like a dingy, unused basement, the atmosphere heavy with the gravity of what we were about to do. It seemed equal parts futile and vital.
The door was still open since we were four members shy of our thirteen. Caspian was currently leaning against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest and a petulant pout on his lips.
“I still don’t understand why he gets to represent all of Faerie. He’s only familiar with one realm. I was the king of Ravenndel, which is a sovereign realm, I’ll have you know. They deserve representation.”
Kai, the he in question, looked around the room. “Remind me again, Cas, where is the Ravenndel contingent? Are they here, offering their support in the upcoming battle? No? Then kindly shut the fuck up.”
Cas huffed, clearly affronted. “They are loyal to none but their realm. It’s the nature of Ravenndel. Why else would it be the escape for those who wish to stay forgotten?”
The dragon shifter placed a large hand on Caspian’s shoulder. “Go and see to our Dahlia. With two of her mates in here, she could do with a spare set of eyes.”
“Or hands,” Cas said with a lascivious wink. “Consider me convinced. As you were, dragon.”
Crombie strode through the doorway Caspian had just vacated, his hair slick and shining, a black waterfall down his back, suit impeccable, and throat noticeably free of the gold collar I’d grown accustomed to seeing.
He radiated power like never before, the promise of death, or at the bare minimum, violence if you fucked with him, following in his wake.
“Why haven’t you got everyone here, Hades?” Crombie asked. “My Lilypad will be here momentarily, and you know how cross she can get when her time is wasted.”
Hades, looking as unbothered as could be, simply shrugged. “Sit down and stop bothering me. I’m opening the portal now.”
Crombie raised a challenging brow. “How convenient. Funny how the mice all scurry into position when the wolf appears.”
Kingston glanced at Thorne. “Crombie’s a wolf? I thought he was fae?” The shifter lifted his nose and sniffed the air. “He doesn’t smell like a wolf.”
“It’s a metaphor, you absolute nincompoop.”
“You don’t have to be mean about it,” Kingston muttered.
“Guys, did he say he was opening a portal?” Alek asked, his voice betraying the apprehension he always tried to hide. “The last time he did that, there was a... ghost.”
“Christ on a bike, here we go again,” Caleb muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Before anyone could respond, Hades stepped forward and opened a shimmering portal at one end of the circle of chairs.
“Bossman! Fuckin’ finally. Do you know how long Keeks and I were waiting out here? I peed on every fuckin’ bush just to pass the time.”
That little dog was talking again. It was almost like watching a cartoon come to life. I couldn’t decide if I was fascinated or horrified. Not because I was afraid of tiny dogs, but because I’d watched a fuckton of cartoons, and the cute animals were usually always in the middle of serious shit.
“Oh, I love a super serious secret society. This is right up my alley. Saving the world, having a cool code name. Can I be The Editrix? You know, because I was an editor before I bit it?” Kiki, the most energetic ghost I’d ever seen, stood at the mouth of the portal, staying in her realm but fully in view of us all.
“No code names,” Hades grumbled.
“Aw, c’mon, boss. You named the group after yourself. The least you could do is let us have cool names.”
“Is she staying on her side the whole time?” Alek asked tightly.