Page 28 of The Clash of the Damned (The Titan Syndicate Saga #2)

Sloane

I wonder when someone cleaned the hotel ceiling last. Is that something housekeeping does? The rich would probably know that answer.

What is the rest of the Siphoner empire up to right now?

They all know about the plan for me to go undercover with the Sorcerer’s, but what has my father updated them on? Has he poisoned them against me?

While each Supernatural type has several families, a product of the wealth they’ve experienced in this country, the Siphoner’s are significantly smaller. We only have three families, including the ruling one, mine. There have never been more than twelve Siphoner’s at once, including myself.

The way we decide leadership is…unorthodox.

A few years after we settled in the deep South, my ancestors realized that with living so closely together we needed a fair way of maintaining leadership amongst all.

While we didn’t want to end up as a dictator like our faithful Goddess, we also didn’t believe in full democracy.

Thus, cycling between each family and giving everyone a fair chance at leadership began.

We stayed small at first as it was easier to manage and hide after what we did to Hecate.

But then we started to notice the other benefits.

Being surrounded by family was one, making it so everyone always knew each other’s business, but learning from each other was another.

Siphoner magic can be unpredictable, and we’ve worked hard to control it.

Not all Siphoners can convert energy to magic as easily as I can; some only have the ability to convert the easiest of spells, and the act of conversion drains them.

So we’ve adapted as is common with our type.

We knew from our origins that we could have children with humans; it’s why the Siphoners exist after all.

But part of leadership’s job was selecting exceptional humans to continue our line with.

Marie Leveau, my ancestor from my father’s side, was renowned for being a leader in times when it wasn’t safe to be a woman, or one of color.

But unfortunately, by the time we had found her, she had passed.

While she had many children, few survived until adulthood, and it was years before we found her children, and then their children.

It’s why I was the experiment, the first of both the Frankenstein and Marie Laveau legends.

Back then, tradition dictated each new girl was called Marie, and their middle name was something different.

That’s where Mom drew the line and compromised by switching it around with me.

I finger my new locket, otherwise known as a gris-gris or voodoo talisman.

It’s more than a cheap trinket that’s hocked at tourists where I’m from.

It’s the reminder of what I’m fighting for.

To create a life for my people where they don’t have to keep dying just for existing.

While Mom was the Siphoner, she took it upon herself to teach me about the magical practice of my human ancestors, but after she died, Dad never bothered picking up the slack left by her death.

Moans from the next room travel to me, and I’m annoyed. This hotel promises discretion and sound proof relaxation in their rooms, and they don’t deliver. I flick my glowing hands, and the moans disappear again, my magic doing what this hotel can’t.

From what I understand, my parents were next in line to give me a sibling, and well, then Mom was murdered.

After that, the responsibility of maintaining our numbers fell to the other families.

With Nevis dead, I wonder who’s next on the list. Will I even be considered, being under-cover?

I always knew my turn would come to grow our family, but I never thought it could be so soon.

Being on the run as a family wasn’t so bad; we had each other.

Being on the run on my own…I never expected loneliness to be the thing that would bother me the most. Sitting up, I flick through the TV channels, looking for something to watch as I try my best not to worry about the future.

My phone chimes, ending my trip down memory lane.

“Meet me at the address below in an hour. I’ve got a surprise for you. E.”

Intrigued, I jump off the bed and throw my sparse belongings into a bag.

I don’t have many, at least that I care about.

But as I put away the family picture I treasure most in this world, showing Mom alive and all of us happy, I can’t help wishing for a time where things are simpler.

Before I leave, I withdraw a bit of energy from the hotel power grid.

But something makes me pause…drawing a bit more energy, I pray to my human ancestors for protection while invoking my magic.

I haven’t done this since I left home. Since I don’t have the luxury of a constant magical source like Dom near me, power grids are my next best thing.

After a quick drop off at the storage locker to drop off my items, I use an app to call a cab .

Walking out the front door, I feel raindrops hit me in the face, and I sigh; an umbrella is the one thing I don’t have.

Flicking up my flannel collar and making sure my jeans are tucked properly into my boots, I tap my foot while I wait for my driver impatiently.

It’s hard to shake the habit of checking if I’m being followed, but I know it’s impossible for someone to know I’m here.

One of my strategies for remaining undiscovered is moving to a new hotel every night.

Some upper class, some not. There is no pattern to the hotels other than they’re unpredictably chosen.

Finally, the cab arrives, and as I sit in the back in the heated leather seats, I mull things over.

Relationships of convenience always have an expiration date, so I’ve always known my arrangement with Eden would be temporary; we both have hidden agendas.

She has the manpower to do the dirty work in culling the Supernatural population, and I have the insider knowledge she needs.

But I’ve never trusted her, which has kept me alive until now.

So of course, I’m going to show up earlier than the time she gave so I can see how forthcoming she’s stayed.

I’m a firm believer in never making the first move, but letting the other party show their hand.

If Eden realized this, she would always remain on top, but instead it’s her ego that will be her downfall.

I don’t mind cabs if they’re all as discreet as my driver.

Other than the soft classical music thrumming in the background, he makes no attempt at small talk.

Only when he slows down, do I start paying attention to him again.

“We’re almost here. Is there a specific house you want me to drop you at? ”

Double checking the address again gives me an idea. “Just drop me at sixty-three. I’ll walk the rest of the way if needed.” If the cab driver thinks my response is strange, he doesn’t let on. I imagine in his line of work he’s seen worse.

To the unassuming eye, this looks like the average American neighborhood, with yards and white picket fences. But as part of the Supernatural world, I know to never accept things at face value. Everyone’s hiding a secret, even the ones that look harmless.

In all the times I’ve met with Eden, it’s been in public places, which is why this meeting spot has me on alert.

Spotting a telephone pole, I draw a bit more energy into my magic store for good measure before I walk up to the designated house.

Raising my hand to knock, I see the door fly open, and standing there is Eden, dressed like a cheap soldier knock off.

She even has dirt rubbed on her cheeks, like she’s some warrior, and I almost burst out laughing at how absurd she looks.

I don’t miss her surprise at me being here earlier than the designated meeting time.

“I thought you were only coming when I said.”

“I don’t take orders from you,” I tell her with a dangerously sweet smile on my face.

Alarm bells sound in my head as I spot flecks of blood on her face, barely noticeable under the moonlight and dirt.

Pretending I haven’t seen it, I act like everything is normal.

I need to know what she has planned. “If you don’t spit it out soon, I’m leaving, and that will be the end of our arrangement. ”

She gives in, the demand being met easier than it should have been, and she beckons me inside the house.

When the door closes, I notice how dark it is.

I’m comforted by the fact I’m faster than anything she can throw at me, which has to be enough.

Before I have a chance to wonder if today could mean my death, she grabs a headlamp and puts it on before she leads me down a long passage.

“When people think you aren’t watching, it’s interesting to see what you can learn.

Like how the Rogue’s fiancé thought no one was following her on her trip home to visit her parents.

” She turns to look at me, making sure I’m still following her.

I’m tempted to ask where she thinks I can go.

“I know you said you didn’t want to do anything to the Human Faction, but I did.

It was the one thing about our arrangement that bothered me.

How did you expect me to be okay with kidnapping humans but leaving this Faction alone in all their sins? ”

I don’t like where this is going, but I know I can’t reason with someone like her.

With Eden, one needs to be the strongest person in the room and dominate her with power.

But the reality is there is collateral damage in every war, which I try my best to minimise.

I don’t answer her as the question feels rhetorical, then we stop at a room.

She shines her head lamp on the contents, and it’s only years of being a Siphoner on the run that keeps me from panicking.

Dead bodies. Everywhere. Stabbed in various states.

So much blood. I’m pretty sure it’s Giada’s mangled body I see in the corner.

Turning to Eden, I keep my face neutral as I ask, “I’m unfamiliar with these Supernaturals; is this some part of the plan that I missed?

” We both know I don’t miss plans. I’m stalling for time.

“The silly Rogue’s only left one person to guard the Human Faction.

With enough force, we overpowered him and cut off his head.

You can’t heal from a missing head.” She giggles manically.

Turning to the bodies, she continues, “As for the rest of them, this was the Human Faction. After praying on it, I believed the best way to save their eternal souls was to send them back to our Father so they could mend their ways and be reborn. One empire down, five to go.” Ahh, so she’s now including me with the other empires.

From my peripheral, I see more of her church members step out of the shadows with bloody knives and flame throwers. Impressive.

“Now, it’s your turn, Sloane. You’ve lived out your usefulness. We know some of us will die in this war, and we’re willing to die for our cause. Are you?”

Something hits me over the head, and I fall to the ground.

It hurts like hell, and the surprise attack caught me off guard.

A part of me realizes that someone hit me with something.

While it definitely didn’t kill me, it did stun me.

My attackers won’t know this because of the protection spells I set before I came here.

The stupid humans cheer and congratulate each other for getting rid of another demon in their city.

Rising from the floor like a zombie from their nightmares, courtesy of a bit of levitation magic, I see a human scream and run from me, and I snort at how ridiculous their reaction is. Demons don’t exist, but I’m happy to be one in response to their attempt on my life.

Using the same levitation magic, my glowing hands the only source of light in this dark house, I freeze the running human, levitate him off the ground, and then snap his neck. The rest of the humans charge for me at the sound of their fallen comrade, like they can best my magic somehow.

“Not on my watch, bitch.” Throwing my hand towards the group first, then to her, I knock them off their feet and cause an explosion to disorient them. As a good measure, I cast an invisibility spell around me. Then, I run.