Demigod Down (4 page)

I had a moment of indecision, where I wanted
to throw the covers back and stare holes in him until he relented.
Softening my tense shoulders, I thought through my own list of
secrets and weighed my trust for Blake. He had stood by me when the
puppet master hijacked my brain, gone to fight for me when I was
too weak from blood loss, and cared for me as no one ever had.

If he needed to have his own secrets, I would
respect that. I wanted my own kept back into their darkest corner
never to see the light of day.

Groaning, I battled the soft bedding down,
wiggling my legs out as I crawled across the bed sitting on my
bottom. Rubbing my eyes, I blearily looked up at my boyfriend.

“Hey beautiful,” Blake smiled, turning on the
charm.

I grunted, giving him a half-smile before
pushing off the bed and stumbling into the bathroom.

Handling my necessary business, I came out
from the bathroom stretching in the doorway, watching Blake’s
shoulder’s tense up. He had tossed his phone into his jean pocket
before turning to me, pushing up his own barriers.

Shuffling forward, I hugged him throwing my
arms around his middle and snuggling under his chin. “Something
come up?” I asked my voice husky from sleep.

His arms came around my waist and I felt the
tension drain from his shoulders. “Yes,” he replied simply.

“Want me to tag along?” I asked around a
yawn.

“Not this time,” Blake said, leaving so much
unsaid.

“Will I see you again?” I asked
uncertainly.

Pulling back, he cupped my face with his
hands looking deeply into my eyes, “Yes, baby. I’ll only be gone a
day at most. You can - no you will - stay here during that time,”
he said, searching my eyes with a hint of desperation.

“I don’t do dishes or laundry. You will come
back to a mess,” I warned him.

He smiled, pressing a gentle kiss against my
lips, “I have maids, baby, I have maids.”

Showered, dressed, fed, and slightly more
awake, I sipped my coffee waiting for my stinky SUV to come out of
the car wash. Jerry, my usual driver when I was in town, was busy
playing a more proactive role with Mercer at the police
department.

Watching the men and women in their red polo
shirts and black pants, I chewed thoughtfully on the lid of my
coffee cup. I wondered what I was going to do with myself while
Blake was gone. I suppose I was overdue to catch up on my soap
operas.

My phone started ringing however as the man
working on my SUV waved his red rag over his head. Raising my
coffee in acknowledgement, I pulled my phone out and saw Kass’
number appear on the screen.

“Hey missy,” I answered in a good mood.

“It’s all ruined!” she sobbed, pulling a
large choking breath.

“Kass what are you talking about?” I asked,
trading the man my receipt and a tip for my keys. He nodded, bowing
slightly before moving on to the next vehicle.

“The wedding.” She reminded me.

“What happened?” I asked as I started my
car.

“I have no bridesmaids!” She wailed.

“I’m here. Do you want me to come over?” I
asked, steering my car toward her home.

“Yes,” she answered quickly.

“I’m on my way,” I reassured her, hanging
up.

Kass was one of my closest friends, one of my
only friends really. We met as dancers at Kitten, the club I owned
with Grams the head of the Supernatural Council. Recently she had
fallen in love, gotten engaged, and pregnant by Darren, the lion
shifter brother to the giant pain in my ass, Logan.

Darren and Logan had a rocky relationship
since.

Making the quick twenty-minute drive, I
pulled into the driveway of the four-bedroom and three-bathroom
home. Stepping up to the chestnut door, I didn’t have a chance to
use the lion door knocker before a sobbing Kass pulled me into her
arms.

“What’s going on?” I asked, feeling her
distress as my own.

Shaking her head, she tried to speak only to
have more tears flow out. “Okay. Deep breaths,” I tried instead,
leading her to the living room to sit on the overstuffed couch.

She attempted to comply, pulling in a few
shaky breaths.

“Everyone backed out,” she confided, blotting
her eyes with the crumpled tissue in her hand.

“Who?’ Why?” I realized I probably didn’t
know who the rest of Kass’ friends were.

“They said – they said it’s too dangerous to
be involved with me right now, given the unrest in the shifter
packs.” She stared at her trembling hands.

“Do you want me to change their minds?” If
the assholes thought they were in danger for being involved with
Kass, I would show them a whole new level of “unrest.”

“No, Olie.” She smiled slightly. “But thank
you for offering.” She finished, finally able to look at me.

“I didn’t expect you to let me.” I squeezed
her shoulder sympathetically.

Exhaling forcefully, she stared at the
ceiling, “I can’t lie. It’s tempting. Putting the wedding together
so quickly while trying to keep food down isn’t leaving much room
for being kind.”

“Being kind is highly overrated.” I reassured
her, pulling my feet underneath me.

“Get your feet off the couch,” she scolded
me.

I obliged as she puttered into the kitchen,
leaning over the back of the couch. “What are you doing?” I
asked.

“Getting you wine. And a cookie for myself.”
She answered.

“Why do I need wine?” I asked
suspiciously.

She came in with a full glass. Looking
directly into my eyes, she held my gaze for a long moment. “I need
you to be my maid of honor.” I should have seen that one
coming.

Forcing down the groan that wanted to break
out of my throat, I took a long sip of wine instead. “You do
realize I have no idea what those duties include?”

“I do.” With a sigh, she took a bite of her
cookie.

“What I really need Olie, is someone to help
me.” She took another bite of her cookie.

“I guess I am back in town for awhile then.”
I drained the wine in my glass.

“Don’t sound so enthused.” She stated,
refilling my glass.

“It’s not that. I just don’t think this thing
in Oklahoma is finished yet.” I took another long sip as memories I
was trying to repress flashed in front of my eyes.

“We have 6 weeks until the wedding, I am
certain if you need to run off for a few days everything will be
fine.” Kass munched on her cookie.

I shrugged. “I guess we will find out. What
is the first of my maid of honor duties?”

“We need to find you a dress.”

“We need Jerry for that.” I kicked my feet
back on the coffee table.

“Seriously? Were you raised in a barn?” she
pushed my feet off.

I shrugged. No, I was raised in a lab.

Sensing my mood shift, she shook her head.
“Sorry.”

“No worries, I’m going to call Jerry.” I
pulled my phone out, dialing him.

“Well if it ain’t the long lost succubus!” he
greeted me.

“Hey Jerry. You busy?” I asked, taking
another sip of wine.

“I am at the moment, but I can make time for
you.” He purred.

Rolling my eyes, I informed him, “I need a
maid of honor dress.”

“Oh, good, lord. When did this happen?” he
asked shocked.

“Two glasses of wine ago,” I informed him,
gulping down the rest of my wine.

“Honey, that hardly seems like enough for
you,” he informed me.

“Yeah, well, what can I say. When are you
available?” I asked as someone yelled for Jerry in the
background.

“Tomorrow one p.m.” he stated briskly. “I’ll
pick you two up at the manor.”

“See you tomorrow,” I said.

“I think he hung up on me,” I stated, looking
at my phone.

Kass laughed, “You can’t blame him. Things
with the local police have really picked up for him. They are even
using his talents on human cold cases.”

I shrugged, “That’s good. How are he and
Mark?” I asked about Jerry’s boyfriend and right hand man to
Darren.

“Sickeningly adorable,” she said rolling her
own eyes.

“Give me all the juicy details I have
missed,” I told her smiling.

Kass and I spent the rest of the afternoon
and evening catching up as she showed me picture after picture
online of what she envisioned the wedding to look like.

“It all depends on the venue really, Darren
and I are going this weekend to make a final decision, but I have
my heart set on The Gardens,” she said, settling back against the
couch.

“They all are beautiful, but I agree that is
by far the best.” I said, stretching with a yawn and checking my
watch.

“Crap! I need to get going. I want to check
on Kitten tonight,” I said, standing up. “Thanks for the wine, and
I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She laughed, “Tomorrow.” She confirmed
walking me out.

Kitten was running smoothly in my absence. No
surprise there. I wasn’t a person who could be depended upon to
react quickly with frequent changes happening constantly.

Slouching in Rose’s office chair, she watched
me from the corner of her eyes as she typed on the computer
reminding me of Grams.

“So, you are here why again?” she asked
uncertainly her delicate frame slouching down slightly, just not as
confident as Grams

“Just checking in,” I said in her black
office chair. “These are nice chairs.”

She smiled “Thanks, I found them used at an
auction. The folding chairs in here didn’t give the room the right
feel.”

I could see that. The office I had occupied
had been transformed. No longer were supplies laying around in half
unpacked boxes or rickety furniture supporting mounds of paperwork.
Tall metal file cabinets were stacked four deep on the other side
of Rose in her simple black desk and the half-finished walls were
repainted a light gray with neat shelving units for the orderly
supplies. Rose was doing well in this role, although she did look a
little weary.

“How are you doing?” I asked as her large
jade green eyes latched onto my own.

“Fine, why?” she asked uncertainly.

“You look tired Rose,” I said, trying to make
myself less threatening, which was totally pointless.

She shrugged, “I need to fire some of the
staff.” Her voice was hesitant.

I shrugged. “So do it,” I answered
simply.

Rose rubbed the back of her neck. “I don’t
want to,” she confessed.

I leaned forward, “Too bad.” I informed her
and she slouched in her seat, sighing dejectedly and picking at her
keyboard.

“Can you at least work tonight?” Rose asked
in a whine.

“Right after you get done firing everyone.” I
said pulling my chair into the corner, raising an eyebrow at
her.

She sighed resigned, “Fine.”

Rose had a host of people she needed to fire
- a line cook who hadn’t shown up in three days; a bartender who
was already so drunk on her shift that I needed to help off the
property, and a server who gave off the creepiest vibe.

The server had slicked back dark hair that
was plastered to his skull, and he slouched so far forward in
Rose’s chair I wondered if he had back problems. The worst of it
had to be his eyes, recessed into his skull - a piecing light brown
that were almost attractive.

“I – I really need the job,” he muttered
unable to look at Rose, whose was trying unsuccessfully to mask the
disgust she was feeling.

“I’m sorry Joshua, but we have to let you
go,” she said again firmly.

The sudden shuddering of his shoulders had me
standing as he launched over the desk at Rose. He weighed nothing
as I hoisted him up by his collar, throwing him from the room and
into the hallway.

“Bad idea, kid.” I told him as he scurried
up, watching me stalk him. He quickly made his way toward the exit,
leering at me.

“He won’t like this,” He hissed at me as I
pushed him into the ally.

“Can’t say I really give a fuck,” I told him,
turning away and back into Kitten. I needed to find Gunther for my
hair and makeup. Thankfully, the man could work small miracles with
the dark circles under my eyes for my performance at Kitten.

Turning back, I looked around the back
entrance having a sudden realization of how vulnerable it was. I
needed security back here - more cameras and probably a hand or eye
scanner for the back door. What had I been thinking? That Kitten
would be exempt from those who came after me? Foolish. I would fix
that situation immediately.

I had just plopped myself ungraciously into
Gunther’s chair when Rose found me. “He’s gone?” she asked, her
arms wrapped around her middle.

“Yes. Keep security with you, if you are
worried.”

She nodded, her mind clearly preoccupied.

“You did good Rose.” I told her as Gunther
arrived and slathered foundation on my skin.

Rose smile and shrugged slightly, “Being the
boss isn’t nearly as glamorous as I thought.”

I smiled as Gunther smeared foundation over
my teeth, spitting it out. I pushed his hand away to finish the
conversation and turned so Rose could see the sincerity in my eyes,
“You are doing a wonderful job.”

“Thanks Olivia,” she said, smiling genuinely.
“I’ve got work to do.”

Gunther batted my hand away. “You are the
most difficult subject I have ever worked on,” he huffed. “You are
saved only by your exquisite cheek bones.”

Raising an eyebrow, I let him continue in
silence. He was supremely gifted at what he did.

At Kitten, the performance that night was a
tribute to the greatest of the big bands. The large stage in the
center had been broken apart into numerous smaller stages for
couples to dance on. Even though I was fresh from the field, I had
no problem picking up on the routine as an incubus ran through the
routine with this partner.

Luke nudged my shoulder gently from behind,
“You ready?”