Big had his legs spread, but then he leaned in with a curious twinkle in his eyes. “I might have an idea, but you’ll need to trust me, little vampire. I won’t be able to tell you until it’s time to act.”
Everyone stared at the giant in different stages of surprise, me included.
His grin was smug as he crossed his arms and met every stare. “What? You think I wouldn’t help? I want those bastards gone too, and I think our little vampire here will be the one to make it happen.” His smile grew. “It’s not just you Fae lot who come to a battle with tricks. We were the original tricksters no matter what they say.”
“You’re not a Fae? But…wings…glitter…cute…” Kate asked, getting a chest-rattling laugh out of him.
Big made a noise with his lips. “Fuck no, toots. We’re a whole other species, and we don’t even come from this realm. Same as your lot. But there’s a reason the Nether Royals have been hunting us down, and I’m about to make them wish they’d wiped us out.”
Even Cash was surprised to hear Big’s admission. “You don’t mean…”
Big put a finger to his lips with a snicker. “Na-ah, Dark King. That’s our secret. Very hush-hush. It does mean that I should start making a few calls, though.” He was on his feet and towering over us with a massive grin. “Can’t wait for the boys to meet the first vampire I give a damn about.”
In a swirl of sparkles, he was gone.
Kate stared at me in awe. “What kind of fucking pheromones are you putting out, chick, and how do I get my hands on some?! Come on, bestie perks or I’ll never forgive you.”
The entire room fell into laughter as we continued to contemplate our future clash with Lyra. We’d be off to find her as soon as we’d gotten a good night’s rest.
Chapter 24
Nether Douche Trio
Finding Lyra wasn’t tough, at least not for the monsters on my team. Or was it lovers since they’d all pulled that kissing stunt?
Jo made sure Kate had everything she needed and her style was never compromised by our new realm adventure. It was a nice bit of familiar in a world of change. That, and my two boys who still smiled and touched me the way they always had.
Kate’s cute pink hair was up in a messy bun and she was in another one of her favorite punk band t-shirts. Next to Goth Tinkerbell Dude, they were a matching set. She was a bit too excited to be on a stroll straight into the belly of the beast, but at least that made one of us. I’d been a ball of nerves with her tagging along.
Thanks to the mutinous two’s devious plan, Kate would go with me everywhere, so it was a relief she didn’t blink at my new roster of hotties for bedtime partners. If anything, she was hoping some of that mojo would rub off on her. Her words, not mine. I didn’t know how to explain it to her that even I wasn’t sure how it all happened.
Phillip and Sloan flanked my sides, carrying the usual Hunter equipment. The tattooed menace on my left had an arm wrapped around me and crossbow resting on his shoulder like this was a casual stroll through the woods, his thick military boots crunching rocks and probably destroying a population of Smurfs or something. Wouldn’t put it past this crazy realm to have those.
The celebrity with an accent that was as decadent to the ears as chocolate tossed me the occasional sultry smile, but otherwise stayed vigilant. He treated this world like the dangerous space it was, on the lookout for enemies at every turn, and I was grateful he balanced the reckless Austrian out.
Cash led at the front, and Jo kept pace at the group’s side. Nearly everyone was on pins and needles. Aram could show up anywhere and at any time, and we all knew it. I only hoped it was after we’d gotten Lyra under our thumb. I wasn’t over the moon about our future partnership with Lyra, but better that than taking on the Nether Royals blind.
Like Jo said, she probably knew more than we did.
The renegade One wasn’t staying in some random city hotel. She’d taken up residence in a motherfucking volcano. Or…not-volcano? Cash assured me the volcanoes here weren’t the same as the human world. They didn’t burn you alive when they erupted. Theirlavawasn’t hot or dangerous. More gel-like and a bitch to wash off.
The Fae realm and all its goo, amirite?
Stopping, Cash’s all-seeing eyes scanned the area, and Jo came to stand at his side. “You feel that?”
“She hasn’t put a ward up,” Jo confirmed with a fold of her arms, bothered for the first time since the encounter with Aram. “Not even to alert her to anyone in the area.”
“One guess why,” Cash murmured, turning his head so I caught a glimpse of his thin mouth.
Jo nodded and melted into the shadows. “Better I go check and you all wait out here.”
For once, he didn’t argue. One curt nod and she was gone. Cash turned and headed for me. Phillip and Sloan watched him come over in a few obnoxiously long strides, but they didn’t stop him from touching me.
His pupils were thin and eclipsed by nothing but purple. “Love, I think we might have to do this—”
Jo was back before he finished, appearing next to me. “We need to leave.”
I was disoriented by the sudden change in her tone. I’d never heard Jo’s voice shake, but whatever she found bothered her. She removed several daggers and her magic sparked around her. Big cursed and grabbed Kate’s hand. Glitter swirled around them, and they were gone before I knew what happened. Cash had a stone in hand, the little pebble floating above his palm, but he was too late.
