Page 36 of Malice: The Mate Games (Apocalypse #3)

“I don’t have to. Want me to come over there and braid your beard, Viking?”

Alek jumped out of his seat and backed away until he stood in the corner, his index fingers held up in the sign of the cross.

“You’ve got to be fecking kidding me,” Caleb groaned. “She’s not a bleeding demon, Alek. Also, fingers offer no protection. You need a crucifix, not to mention genuine belief in the item.”

“This is the guy they selected to represent the big bad Vikings?” Kai asked, both his brows lifted toward his hairline. “Are they sure he’s the best choice?”

“Fuck you,” Alek spat. “Ghosts are a hard line for me. I’ve been very clear about that.”

“And we were clear on why we need her, Nordson,” Hades reminded him. “If you can’t play nice with Keeks, then we’ll get your brother in here to take your place.”

Kiki blew Alek a kiss from her side of the portal. “I don’t bite. I promise. Well, sometimes I do, but only with consent! I’m decent like that.”

“Pixie, how much longer are you gonna be?” a deep voice called from out of view.

Kiki looked to her left, her expression turning from irritated to absolutely twitterpated. “Not long. I’ll be there soon, babe.”

“Kiki and Bear, sittin’ in a tree, F-U-C-K-I—” The dog was interrupted before he could finish his song. “Quiet, everybody. Mommy is here.”

Everyone’s attention snapped to the door where Lilith finally made her grand entrance, a man I’d never seen before one step behind her.

“Lovely, we’re all here. Now we can begin.” Lilith slinked into the room, her stilettos clicking seductively with every step. “Allow me to introduce our final member. This is Evander. He will be representing the celestial realm since Gabriel has not responded to any of my summons.”

“He’s an angel?” I asked, my own angelic blood humming in my veins. My contact with angels had been limited to Gabriel, and I’d seen him only once, under extreme circumstances.

“Yes,” Evander said, pinning me with a startlingly emerald gaze.

“How’s the ear?” Kingston said, pulling the angel’s attention to him.

“I’m sorry?”

Thorne elbowed Kingston.

“Oof. C’mon man, it was low-hanging fruit.”

Evander’s brows pulled together as he assessed Kingston. “I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re talking about. My ear, as you can see, is fine.”

“Never mind. You ruined the joke.”

Asshole laughed from his place at the portal. “I got it. I really thought you were too young to remember Mike Tyson’s cannibal days. Good to see I was wrong. Maybe this generation isn’t a lost cause.”

Kingston pointed to the pup through the portal’s shimmering surface. “You get all the dog treats, big guy.”

Asshole puffed up his little chest. “Big dog energy, baby. Right, bossman?”

Hades winked. “Damn straight.”

Lilith heaved a sigh before settling in a chair and crossing her legs. “Is everyone quite finished with the comedy hour? We do have a world to save, after all.”

I couldn’t stop my smirk. Lilith losing her cool was rare, but always entertaining. Unless I was the focus of her ire. Usually it was Remi, but then he made everyone lose their cool.

A soft growl of thunder rolled through the room, setting the hair on my arm standing on end. “The fuck?”

“That’s quite enough, Drystan. They got the point.”

Crombie’s eyes were such a bright silver they almost appeared mirror-like. “Just reminding them of their place.”

Kai glared at him from his seat in the circle.

“Remind me why he’s here? You don’t exactly represent a court anymore, unless the rumors of your exile are false.

And unless I’m mistaken, you’re still top of the Hunt’s most wanted list. So what is it exactly, Nightshade, you think you’re bringing to the table here?

Besides a whole host of trouble we do not fuckin’ need. ”

Literal thunder crashed overhead, but it died down when Lilith put her palm out and Crombie took her hand.

“The Night Court is its own realm. Thus, it needs representation.”

“I’ll ask you the same question I asked Hook. Where’s your contingent? I don’t exactly see members of the Night Court coming to our aid.”

Crombie’s answering grin was pure evil. “I’m more than fae enough to get the job done alone.”

“Is this how it’s going to be? A bunch of posturing alphas volleying insults back and forth? If so, I can return to heaven and find more of the same,” Evander muttered.

“We need more feminine energy. This is absurdly male.” Lilith leveled a steely gaze at Hades.

Moira Belladonna, my favorite witch—which wasn’t saying much since I fucking despised witches—cleared her throat.

“Excuse me, I count for at least a dozen vagina-card-carrying members.” She held up a finger.

“One, I’m a witch. That’s like ten points on its own.

Two, I’m married to a woman, so like girl power. ”

“You tell ’em, sister,” Kiki said, giving an approving nod.

“But where are the others?” Lilith asked, glancing around. “Surely after all they’ve done, they wanted a seat at the table where decisions were being made.”

“None of them wanted the job,” Caleb answered.

“I think Rosie’s exact response was, ‘I’m growing tiny humans, find someone else to do your dirty work,’” Pan said, smug annoyance stamped all over his handsome face.

My brother had been sulking in the corner since we’d entered the room.

He did not want to be here, but he’d been roped into it because he was the only one with any knowledge of demonkind and what we might be up against. Well, he and Lilith.

“Sunny said the same, plus ‘I’ve done more than my fair share.’” Alek shrugged. “She’s not wrong. And carrying Kingston’s spawn has to be exhausting.”

“Hey,” Kingston said. “Well, yeah, you’re probably right. We Farrells make big babies.”

Lilith glanced at Kai and Hades. “I’m assuming it was the same for Dahlia?”

“Aye. She’s worn down to the bone.”

Kiki snorted. “The bone. That’s what we’re calling it now? You guys need to let my girl rest while she’s growing your little parasite.”

“Can we move this along? I have things to do,” Evander asked, impatience written all over him.

“Yes, we should. There’s no telling what the masses are up to without us in there,” Hades agreed.

“All right,” I said, slapping my hands together and rubbing them back and forth. “I call this first meeting of the Hades Society to order.”

Lilith sighed audibly and rolled her eyes. “That’s what I get for not being here to help name this collective.”

“First order of business, introductions,” Hades said. “I’ll go first. I am Hades, lord of the underworld, mate of Dahlia, who is the daughter of the horsewoman Death.”

And so it went, around the circle, as each member introduced themselves and the group they represented.

Some were obvious choices, like Alek, Thorne, Kingston, and Moira, who’d inherited their parents’ spots from the original Council.

Others were original Council members, like Lilith and Caleb.

Those two, along with Hades, now made up the “governing body” of the group, AKA they were the ones who would make and enforce the rules.

The rest of us seemed to be selected mostly due to chance or our connection with the other group members. In other words, we were convenient.

Or at least, I guess that’s why I was here.

Since Lilith had hand-selected Evander to represent the celestials, I wasn’t really sure what the fuck I brought to the table.

I doubted it had anything to do with my hacking skills, and I was certain no one here was interested in the human point of view.

This was a supernatural secret society, after all.

Finally, it was my turn to introduce myself. “Uh, I’m Asher. Half human, half angel, all hacker. Um, mate of Rosie, partner to Remi... and uh, to be honest, guys, I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t really represent anyone who hasn’t already been covered.”

Lilith laughed. “Oh, sweetheart, isn’t it obvious?

You’re the heart of this whole thing. If not for you, none of us would be here right now.

You were the one leading the charge and doling out information.

It only stands to reason that you would continue in that vein.

You’ve certainly earned your seat, if that’s what you’re worried about.

” She cocked one brow. “Also, have you forgotten you’re the son of a horsewoman? ”

I rubbed at the back of my neck, my eyes darting to Pan’s lavender ones. “I guess we are, aren’t we?”

“Don’t remind me,” Pan sneered. “She’s dead to me.”

“I mean, you did kill her.”

“More’s the pity it didn’t stick,” he muttered, wiping at an invisible speck on his pant leg.

“Unfortunately that is precisely why this group is necessary,” Lilith said. “We will never be rid of them. Once we stop this apocalypse, there will be another one brewing.”

Kingston groaned. “Are you for real?”

Lilith cut him a scathing glare. “Yes.”

Caleb sighed and adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves. “There will likely be a quiet period if we succeed, just as there was the last time Lucifer nearly ended the world.”

“Sounds a whole lot like it’ll be someone else’s problem,” I mused.

Lilith cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t be so smug, darling. That someone is likely your future children. Leave it to the humans to expect their progeny to clean up after them.”

“It’s not going to matter if we don’t nip this one in the bud,” Hades said, visibly irritated as his eyes burned with blue fire. “There won’t be a world to clean up, so can we focus on the matter at hand?”

The air felt like it had been sucked out of the room as we all took a collective sigh.

“Does anyone have any news about number six?” Kingston asked, attention on Lilith since she was the only one among us who’d left the so-called safe house since we’d relocated.

“If you’re referring to the release of the sixth Prince, that’s part of the reason I brought Evander,” she replied, gesturing for the angel to go ahead.