Sin & Surrender (Demigods of San Francisco Book 6) Read online

  She shoved my shoulder to make me face front again. Kieran had gone rigid and nervousness bled through the link.

  When I saw why, I stopped dead.

  6

  Alexis

  Magnus, my father, sat on a bench between the draping branches of a weeping willow. A small hole had been cut into the curtain to allow the observer to watch the goings-on in relative obscurity. His crew of people were pushed in behind him, standing stock-still within the branches, hardly visible.

  Zorn bumped into me, and Mordecai crashed into him. Kieran tugged at me—he’d continued walking, not yet realizing I’d stopped. The cats bounded forward, Chaos launching himself at the leaves of the willow. That cat was clearly very good at identifying the source of my distress, and very bad at knowing how best to deal with it. He batted the leaves with his big paws, seemingly playing, his claws extended. Magnus didn’t so much as twitch in discomfort.

  Kieran glanced back, his gaze imploring me to get moving. I cleared my throat as Magnus stood, his three-piece suit black on black again, the only pop of color his deep blue tie. His intelligent brown eyes surveyed me, the exact same color as mine, ignoring Kieran completely. I remembered his face perfectly, his strong jaw defining his features, his thin lips and slightly too big nose doing nothing to detract from his striking appearance. His charisma almost seemed like a solid thing, oozing out around him. I had never been, even in my best moments, as cool as my father. That gene hadn’t been passed down.

  “Alexis,” he said, taking one step forward. “Please, join me. Let those behind you pass.”

  On wooden feet, I walked toward him, a million emotions raging through me. I’d only seen him one other time, when he’d waltzed into Lydia’s house and saved the day. To say the situation between myself and my father was colored in confusion was a gross understatement. He’d started watching me before the rest of the world had taken notice, and had saved my life a handful of times in the often baffling world of spirit. But he’d only bothered to intervene at the last possible moment in our showdown at Lydia’s mansion, and he was as culpable as Demigod Aaron in Jack’s death, Mordecai’s near-fatal attack, and Daisy’s abduction. I couldn’t forget that.

  And yet there was no denying part of me wanted to get to know my biological father. In a perfect world, I’d form some kind of a relationship with him, maybe share a meal on a holiday.

  “Hi,” I said, my face practically numb.

  “Hello. How has your walk been so far? Fruitful?” He looked at Kieran now, his eyes flat and distant. He was greeting Kieran exactly how Zander had not long ago.

  Kieran bowed, just as deeply as before. “Quite, yes,” he said when he came back up. “Thank you for taking the time.”

  “Your party is inspiring a lot of interest. They will have a great many challenges tomorrow. As I’m sure you know, Alexis will be open for attack until your mark is sanctified. They will come at her from all angles, wondering what a Soul Stealer’s magic feels like. What she can really do. I assume this curiosity will die down quickly, given her magic is not pleasant when used correctly. Still, the initial assaults will likely be hard and fast. I realize it is none of my business professionally, but personally, I’m sure you can understand my concern. Tell me, who are you sending out with my daughter tomorrow?”

  Shivers coated me upon hearing him call me that so openly. Daughter. I snaked my arm around Kieran’s, needing something solid to hold on to.

  Kieran bent his arm to give me better purchase. “Those you see here,” he said. “My best and most trusted.”

  Magnus looked over Kieran’s people. “Yes, good. As I’m sure you understand, the protection I pledged to provide is no good here. No one would attempt to force her into an oath, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility someone might ‘accidentally’ kill her. Your Lightning Bolt, too. Sometimes it is seen as preferable to eliminate a potent, rare magic rather than to face said magic.”

  “Understood.”

  “I would not be pained to lose you, but I do not want to lose her.”

  “Understood.”

  Magnus nodded and reached out his hands. Confused, I just looked at them.

  He huffed out a laugh. “I mean to take your hands, Alexis. There is no trick up my sleeves, I assure you. Just a father wanting to finally, properly meet his offspring. With all the pandemonium at Lydia’s…living establishment, we didn’t have the chance. Now that we are here together, I’d like to construct that bridge, if you will let me.”

  His hands remained in the air, reaching for me. People on the path slowed to watch us, their eyes wide, and stepped to the side for a better look.

  I took his hands hesitantly, hope and fear warring. He was not one to be trusted, I had to remember that, no matter how much I wanted to believe otherwise.

  “Will you dine with me sometime this week?” he asked, his eyes direct but open, his touch light. It was genuinely a request, not a command. I could turn him down if I wanted to.

  I didn’t want to.

  “Yes,” I answered, my hands shaking a little.

  His small, kind smile said he felt it, but I did not miss the cunning glitter in his eyes. He knew he affected me and was clearly wondering how he could use it to his benefit. I was starting to realize how Kieran had probably felt his whole life.

  “I would ask you to join me tomorrow, but you will be tired from your day.” He lowered our hands before he let go. “My people will be, too. Every year they are sought out by people who wonder if they’re as good as they’d expect. They are, of course. I haven’t lost anyone in…years. Decades. But the constant challenges take a toll, all the same.”

  “If I may ask…” Kieran let his words fade away.

  Magnus took a moment to turn his head, and Kieran didn’t continue until he did. Another game of status.

  “Do you keep your people together for the most part, or do they break off into smaller groups? I’ve heard differing opinions.”

  Magnus made Kieran wait, as though considering if he would actually answer. A moment later, he angled his head slightly, and a short woman in bright clothes came forward. I recognized her from the confrontation at Lydia’s house—she was the one who’d ruthlessly manhandled the Demigod’s broken arm. Her pleasant disposition was not to be trusted.

  “Those with experience and useful magic, like us, usually head straight to the halls. We find it easier to travel the tight space in smaller teams,” the woman said, speaking directly to me. “We can change tactics on a dime, and it’s easier to get away quickly, if need be.” She paused for a moment. “With larger groups, an attack can quickly devolve into chaos. You seem to do very well in uncertain situations, Alexis, so it’s a tough call. In the halls, though, without much room to maneuver…you and a large group would likely amount in a disaster of some kind.”

  “That would’ve suited her mother to a T.” Sadness crossed Magnus’s face so fast that I wondered if I’d imagined it. I wanted to ask him about it, but it wasn’t the time. He gave a nod and the woman backed away.

  Kieran bowed again. “Thank you. That lays my dilemma to rest.”

  “She’ll do whatever the moment calls for, like she always has,” Magnus said, and his tone spoke of history. Of knowledge about my life. “Alexis, expect a formal invitation to dine. You may bring your beau, if it pleases you, and your wards, of course.”

  Not Demigod Kieran, but my beau. This could not be mistaken for a professional engagement.

  I nodded and tried to tone down the pleased flush that I felt on my cheeks.

  He is not a nice man. Do not be fooled by his civility. He’s a kid killer!

  “Well, until we meet again.” He laid his hand on my shoulder for a moment before turning onto the path. His people fell in behind him immediately, organized and in sync, a well-oiled machine. Kieran and I stayed where we were, watching them go. It wasn’t long before he turned off the promenade all together. He didn’t plan on checking anyone else out.

  T
he breath gushed out of Bria. “That was…unexpected.”

  “That guy is super suave. Lexi, how come you didn’t get any of that in your genetic makeup?” Daisy asked.

  “He’s making a public connection to Lexi and humoring you in the process,” Amber said to Kieran, looking in the direction Magnus had exited with narrowed eyes. “He’s trying to call dibs on the Soul Stealer should anything happen to you, and he’s doing it in the name of family. Smart. Too bad no one else gives a damn about family ties when it concerns a magic like hers. Expect others to try to establish a personal connection with her, too. I wouldn’t have turned down Magnus, given he is her father, but anyone else should be scrutinized before she accepts their invitation. If the asker is a single male—”

  “I already know her answer if it is a single male,” Kieran growled, taking my hand and heading back to the promenade.

  “Lemme guess.” I smiled up at him. “It’s yes, right? If a single male asks me to dine alone, you’ll be all for it?”

  He squeezed my hand and chose to ignore me, making me giggle. “Just a little longer, love, and we’ll call it a night,” he said a moment later. “We’ve gotten more than we bargained for. I don’t want to press our luck.”

  In a rare occurrence for the Summit, nearly all of the big dogs had come out to sit or walk. By the end of the evening, Kieran had gotten looks or nods from a great many of the people he’d planned to seek out.

  By the time we got back to the warehouse-home, my feet were aching from the shoes, and stress coiled tightly within my belly. After those couple of great meetings, I’d been so worried I’d mess something up that I’d spent the time clenched up tight, barely trying to breathe.

  “I’d say that was a successful start to this Summit,” Jerry said as we gathered around the kitchen island.

  Bria shooed away all the service staff before rooting around in the cabinets for alcohol.

  “Obviously that was a success, Jerry,” Donovan said, emphasizing Jerry’s name like an accusation as he grabbed items out of the refrigerator. The joy of mocking Jerry was still going strong, made hilarious when occasionally Jerry decided to volley an insult back.

  “That went smashing, Jerry,” Thane added.

  “Smashing?” Boman gave Thane a funny look. “What are you, an Englishman from yesteryear?”

  “Yeah. Got a crumpet in one of your pockets?” Thane clapped back.

  “Considering how often he keeps reaching into them, he probably has his balls packed away in there,” Henry supplied, taking a bottle of wine from Bria and opening drawers, looking for the wine opener.

  “That was beyond a successful start to the Summit.” Amber sat at the small, round kitchen table in the corner and pushed open her laptop. “We have something for everyone. We have a brand-new Demigod that stole a territory from his extremely capable father, a legendary magic as feared as it is coveted, a Lightning Bolt back from the dead, a giant who must now have a reputation for the longest enduring scowl during an outing”—the guys burst out laughing—“the first Chester to ever walk the promenade, a YouTube star Berserker, and a few other people no one noticed.” She leaned back and rubbed her eyes before pinning me with a severe stare. “Tomorrow you will be the most sought-after group around. I hope you heard what Magnus’s team leader said about being quick. She wasn’t talking about running away from a fight. If you kill someone, get the hell out of there. Don’t get caught standing by the body.”

  “I don’t get it, though,” I said. “Everyone knows people die here. Why would we need to get out of there? Besides, it’s not like it’ll be a mystery what happened unless we kill all the witnesses.”

  “Killing is technically against the rules,” Amber said. “When it wasn’t, bodies piled up. Demigods were losing a lot of their star players. They brought in the no-death rule to keep things a bit calmer. They need to hold the rule to keep things from devolving again. Now crews attack as hard as they possibly can without actually killing. That’s the game. You maim just on this side of living. It’s a show of dominance. A few times every year, someone goes too hard, and they kill or get killed because of it. Sometimes the kill is on purpose. Regardless, it’s important to keep the illusion that it was an accident. If too many people start dying, an inquisition will happen, and those aren’t any fun for anyone.”

  I took a deep breath and nodded. Magical people weren’t known for being reasonable, but at least this was a nod to law and order. Still, the fact that people routinely got away with murder so long as they walked away made it pretty clear the no-murder rule was upheld by the honor system.

  “How hard do you think they’re going to go at us?” Donovan asked, his smile dripping off his face.

  “Treat the halls and grounds like the Colosseum of Rome. With the Demigods away, their people will play. And we’ll be the biggest prize around town.”

  7

  Alexis

  I fluttered my eyes open when I felt the kiss on my forehead. The morning sun filtered through the windows and dappled the hard wooden floor. Kieran leaned over me, wearing a fresh suit and smelling scrumptious.

  “Come back to bed,” I said, letting my magic flower around him, knowing he loved the feel of it.

  He sucked in a breath and closed his eyes for a moment, letting one of his hands wander across my chest and clutch my naked breast. “I wish I could.” He ran his thumb over my taut nipple. “But I have to go to work. And so do you.” His eyes opened again, sparkling with desire but serious enough that I knew he wouldn’t get back into bed. “Be careful today, okay? Don’t look for fashion in your clothes, look for ease of movement. As everyone keeps reminding me, you’re still viewed as a normal Joe, so you don’t need to look the part of a Demigod’s wife today.”

  My belly fluttered and a smile pulled at my lips. I would probably never get used to hearing that.

  He bent and kissed me. “Remember what Amber said. People will want to try their might against you, and some of them will go harder than they should. Try not to kill anyone, but if you do, get out of there quickly.”

  I sat up. “I know, Kieran. We’ve talked about this. I know what I have to do.”

  “I will be stuck in meetings all day, so I won’t be able to help. None of the leaders will.” He paused, then said, “I know everyone has been talking about status and the pecking order, but I don’t care about that right now, okay? Once we’re married or the mark is validated, you’ll be out of this. Then we can leave the others to show what they’re made of. Until then, keep yourself safe, whatever you do, okay?”

  “I will.” The covers dropped away as I stood.

  His gaze burned down my body, lingering on my chest before catching at the strip of hair leading to the fun zone. A muscle worked in his jaw and his hands found my hips. “Heavens help me, Alexis, you are so damn beautiful.”

  “Five minutes,” I whispered, running my palm over his pounding hardness.

  With what was obviously great regret, he pulled his hands from my hips, applied them to my shoulders, and gently held me while he stepped back. “I’m already late. Tonight I’ll massage you and pamper you and then make you scream my name, I promise. Just come back to me in one piece, okay?” Seriousness stole through him again. He shook me just a little to jog me out of my haze of lust. “Okay?”

  Reality wrapped its bone-cold fingers around my spine.

  I’d seen the way those people had watched me last night. The rest of the crew, too. They’d been sizing us up, in the way people did when they were planning to take someone on.

  A lot of people planned to take us on.

  “It’s going to be okay.” Kieran pulled me into a tight hug, forcing the air out of my lungs. He could feel the trepidation burning inside me. “It’s going to be fine. You aren’t as green as they think you are. You’ve been in some hairy battles already. You’ve taken on Demigods and won. You can do this.” He looked down into my eyes. “Fight your way. You have better instincts than most people, and you ha
ve my crew. You’ve shown time and again that you don’t need me there to claim your victory. This will be a walk in the park.”

  I felt the lie in his words. I knew he was just trying to build me up—to bolster my confidence. Logic wasn’t letting it happen.

  After a deep breath, I hugged him again, gave him a bruising kiss, and stepped away. “Last chance for a quickie.”

  His smile was short-lived. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  It sounded like a command.

  We disembarked from our golf carts in the parking lot of the Summit building. Bria stood in front of a large flatbed hand trailer piled high with bodies. I couldn’t help but wonder if the bodies had been provided to us or if they’d been on our private plane yesterday. No one had told me.

  “Time to split into groups,” Amber said, stepping in front of the group and turning to face us.

  “No,” I blurted. “You should go with Kieran.”

  I hadn’t planned on saying that, but amazingly, the only person who seemed confused was Amber. “Kieran is safe. You’re the one who needs backup.”

  Do it your way. Fight your way.

  “All due respect, Amber, and it is monstrous respect, but I’ve never fought with you. I don’t have experience with you. You were really stressed by the unpredictability of our walk last night. Well, this will be ten times crazier, trust me. I think it is best if you direct Kieran’s guys. They’re new and untested. You’d best watch their backs. They’ll get beat on, too.”

  She studied me silently. No one contradicted me, which made me ten times more confident. These guys wouldn’t hesitate to tell me if my ideas were terrible. They’d done it often enough in our time together. If they were going along with my play, they thought I was exactly right.

  Amber nodded. “Keep your wits about you, always. If you can get away with no deaths, that’s the best outcome. If you have to, kill and run.”