DH 05 Kiss Of The Night (28 page)

They left the apartment and headed back toward the merchant part of the underground city so that she could window-shop. But as they walked past the Apol ite townspeople, the animosity they directed toward Wulf was tangible.

And it wasn’t like he could blend in among the tal , golden-blond race. There was no doubt Wulf didn’t belong to them.

She was looking in one window at baby clothes when a young man who appeared the human age of sixteen, but was probably only eleven or twelve by real Apol ite years, passed by.

“Excuse me,” Wulf said, stopping him.

The boy’s eyes were panicked.

“Don’t worry, kid, I’m not going to hurt you,” Wulf said, his voice gentle. “I just wanted to ask you about that emblem on your sweatshirt.”

Cassandra turned to see the interlocking circle pattern in the center of his shirt.

The boy swal owed nervously as if he were terrified Wulf was one step away from hurting him. “It’s the emblem for the Cult of Pol ux.”

Wulf’s eyes darkened dangerously. “So you do hide Daimons here.”

“No,” the boy said, his face even more panicked.

“Is there a problem?”

Cassandra looked past the boy to see a woman her age approaching. She was dressed in a cream uniform that denoted an off-duty Apol ite police officer. Though the term “police” didn’t have quite the same meaning to them as it did to humans. Apol ite police were only used to manage Daimons since Apol ites rarely fought and never broke the laws of their people.

Phoebe had told her the Elysian police were paid to escort any Apol ite about to go Daimon out of the city and to give them money and transportation for the human world.

“No problem,” Cassandra said to the officer, who was eyeing Wulf coldly.

The boy ran off while the woman raked a sneer over Wulf. “I’m not a child to live in fear of you, Dark-Hunter.

After tonight, there’s nothing you can do to me anyway.”

“Meaning?”

“I die tomorrow.”

Cassandra’s heart shrank at her words. “I’m sorry.”

The woman ignored her. “So why were you scaring my son?”

Wulf’s face was impassive, but Cassandra knew him wel enough to know he hurt for the woman as much as she did. She saw the sympathy in his dark eyes, heard it in the tone of his voice when he spoke. “I only wanted to know about the emblem on his shirt.”

“It’s our emblem,” she said, her lips stil curled. “Every Apol ite here takes an oath at their majority to uphold the Code of Pol ux. Just like the ancient god, we are al bound to each other. We won’t ever betray our community or our brethren. Nor wil we be cowards. Unlike other Apol ites, we don’t practice ritual suicide the night before our birthdays. Apol o meant us to die painful y and so we don’t argue with his decree. My son, along with al my relatives, is wearing the badge to honor me and the fact that I refuse to run from my heritage.”

There was a suspicious glint in Wulf’s eyes. “But I’ve seen that emblem outside of here. It was on a particularly vicious Daimon I kil ed about a year ago.”

The officer’s sneer faded into remorse. She closed her eyes and winced as if the news pained her.

“Jason.” She whispered the name. “I always wondered what became of him. Did he go quickly?”

“Yes.”

The officer sighed raggedly at that. “I’m glad. He was a good man, but the night before he was to die, he ran from here, scared. His family tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen. He said he refused to die when he had never even seen the surface world. My husband was the one who took him out and let him go. He must have been terrified up there alone.”

Wulf scoffed. “He didn’t seem terrified to me. Rather, he burned that emblem on every human he kil ed.” The officer tapped her chin three times with her first two fingers—an Apol ite holy gesture. “Gods grant him peace. He must have been preying on evil souls.”

“What do you mean?” Wulf asked.

“He’s one of the Daimons who refuse to kil innocent humans,” Cassandra explained, “And who prey on criminals instead. After al , criminal souls are ful of power fueled by anger and hatred. The only problem is their souls are corrupted, and if the Daimon isn’t strong enough, their venom can overtake them and make the Daimon every bit as evil as they were.”

The officer nodded. “It sounds like Jason fel victim to that. By the time you kil ed him, he was probably wanting to die. It’s sheer torture when the souls begin to possess and control you. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told.” She sighed. “Now if you’l excuse me, I’d like to spend as much time as possible with my family.” Cassandra wished her wel .

With a nod, the officer left them and headed off after her son.

Wulf watched the woman leave, his eyes dark and sad. “So you weren’t kidding me about the Daimons.”

“Of course not.”

Wulf thought about that. There was so much about them that the Dark-Hunters didn’t know. It actual y amazed him.

She’d been right. Since Dark-Hunters spent so much time annihilating the Daimons, they should have a better understanding of them.

Then again, maybe not. It was much easier to kil someone you didn’t feel sorry for. Easier to think of things in terms of black and white.

Good and evil.

“Let’s go see Phoebe,” Cassandra said, taking his hand and leading him toward another corridor. “She told me I could drop in on her any time.”

It didn’t take long to reach her sister’s apartment. Phoebe’s side of the city was a lot busier than theirs.

Wulf stood to the side, watching the Apol ites walk hurriedly past them while Cassandra keyed in the code for Phoebe’s lock.

Cassandra was doing her best to not think about the future. Or to think about the officer who was spending her last night with her family. Just as she would do one day al too soon with Wulf.

How she needed to push him away. To keep him at bay so that her death wouldn’t hurt him too much.

She focused instead on the fact that she stil had one of her sisters with her.

The door slid open.

Cassandra started into the room, then froze. Phoebe was on her couch on top of Urian. Their bare skin was set off to perfection by the dul light of candles that had been set around the room.

Cassandra gasped to find them in flagrante delicto.

Phoebe jerked up, her mouth coated in blood.

Mortified, Cassandra stepped back and closed the door. “Oh, that was real y bad timing.”

“What?” Wulf asked as he turned toward her.

Grateful he hadn’t seen them and gone berserk over the way most Apol ites fed, Cassandra grabbed his hand. “I think I’l talk to her later.”

Wulf didn’t budge easily. “What happened?”

Cassandra didn’t want to share her experience with a Dark-Hunter who would judge her sister harshly for feeding.

The apartment door opened.

“Cassie?” Phoebe was now wearing a thick blue bathrobe. Her face and mouth were clean, but her hair was completely disheveled. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing that can’t wait,” Cassandra hastened to assure her. “You go finish and I’l talk to you later.” Her face flushing, Phoebe went back inside.

Wulf burst out laughing. “Let me guess. Urian in there with her?” Cassandra’s face flamed even more than her sister’s.

He laughed harder.

“It’s not funny, Wulf,” she snapped at him. “How would you feel if someone barged in on us?”

“I’d have to kil them.”

“Wel , there you go. I’m sure Urian feels the same way. Now let’s go back so I don’t have to think about the fact that the image of them naked together wil give me nightmares for months.” As they headed down the corridor, a little girl came running up to Wulf. She craned her neck to look up at him accusingly. “Are you real y going to kil my baby sister tonight because she didn’t wash behind her ears?”

Both of them were aghast at her question.

“Excuse me?” Wulf asked.

“My mommy says Dark-Hunters kil little boys and girls when they don’t behave. I don’t want you to kil Alycia. She’s not bad, she just doesn’t like to get her ears wet.” Wulf knelt down in front of the little girl and brushed her hair back from her face. “Little one, I’m not going to hurt your sister or anyone else here. I promise.”

“Dacia!” a man snapped as he rushed forward. “I told you never to talk to anyone with dark hair.” He scooped his daughter up and ran off with her as if terrified that Wulf real y would kil her.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you people that we don’t hurt Apol ites!” Wulf shouted after them.

“Sheez,” he said under his breath. “And al this time, I thought Christopher was the only person I terrorized.” A passing man answered his words by spitting on Wulf’s shoes.

“Hey!” Cassandra snapped, going after the man. “There’s no need to be rude.” The man raked a repugnant glare over her. “How could you let something like him touch you? I say we should have left you to die by the Daimons. It’s what a whore like you deserves.” His eyes darkening, Wulf slugged the Apol ite. Hard. The Apol ite staggered back, then charged him.

He caught Wulf about the stomach and slammed him back into the wal . Cassandra cried out at the sight, wanting to stop them, but she was too afraid of hurting the baby to try.

Suddenly, Apol ites came out from al directions to break them apart. Even Urian came out of nowhere.

Urian was the one who pushed Wulf back. His skin tone was ashen and it was obvious Urian was extremely weak. Even so, he put himself between Wulf and the Apol ite and kept a hand on each one.

“Enough!” Urian roared at the two of them.

“Are you al right?” Wulf asked him.

Urian released both men. The Apol ite was taken off by the others, but he cast a parting malevolent glare at them.

“You need to stay out of sight, Dark-Hunter,” Urian said, his tone much kinder than it had been earlier. He wiped a hand over his sweat-covered brow.

“You real y don’t look good,” Wulf said, ignoring his warning. “Do you need something?” Urian shook his head as if to clear it. “I just need to rest for a while.” He curled his lip at Wulf. “Can you stay out of trouble long enough for that?”

“Uri?” Phoebe asked as she joined them. “Did I take too much?” Urian’s face softened instantly. He pul ed her against his side and kissed the side of her head. “No, love.

I’m just tired. I’l be fine.”

He pul ed away and started back for their apartment. He staggered.

“Bul shit,” Wulf said. Before Cassandra knew what he was doing, Wulf had Urian’s arm slung over his shoulders and was headed back for their apartment.

“What are you doing?” Urian asked angrily.

“I’m taking you to Kat before you pass out.”

Urian hissed at that. “Why? She hates me.”

“So do I, but we both owe you.”

Cassandra didn’t speak as she and Phoebe fol owed after them al the way back to their apartment.

Kat and Chris were playing cards when they entered.

“Oh, jeez, what happened?” Kat asked as soon as she saw Urian.

“I think I took too much blood from him,” Phoebe said, her beautiful face lined with worry.

Wulf laid Urian down on the couch. “Can you help him?” he asked Kat.

Kat pushed Wulf out of the way. She held up two fingers in front of Urian’s face. “How many fingers do you see?”

“Six.”

She popped him on the side. “Stop that. This is serious.” Urian widened his eyes and tried to focus his gaze on her hand. “Three… I think.” Kat shook her head. “We’l be back.”

Cassandra watched in awe as Kat flashed them out of the room.

“Now why didn’t she do that when we were being chased by Stryker?” Chris asked.

“She’s taking him to Kalosis, Chris,” Phoebe answered. “I doubt any of you want to go into a realm ruled by nothing but Spathi Daimons and one real y pissed-off ancient goddess who is bent on destroying the entire world.”

“You know,” Chris said. “I real y like it here. Not to mention, I can now look at Kat’s hand.” He picked up her cards and cursed. “I should have known she wasn’t bluffing.” Cassandra watched her sister closely. In spite of the worry on her face, Phoebe looked a lot better than she had before. Her cheeks were pink, her skin bright.

“I’m so sorry I interrupted you two,” Cassandra said, her face growing instantly warm again.

“Please don’t be. I mean, don’t make it a habit, mind you, but if you hadn’t come in, I might have kil ed him.

He has a bad tendency to not tel me when I’ve taken too much blood. It scares me sometimes.” Wulf crossed his arms over his chest. “So Daimons can die from blood loss?”

“Only when it’s being sucked out of them,” Cassandra answered.

Phoebe gave him an arch stare. “Are you planning on using that against us?” Wulf shook his head. “I’d rather die myself than suck on another man’s neck. That’s disgusting. Besides, didn’t you tel me that’s how Apol ites can be changed into Daimons? It begs the question that since Dark-Hunters have no souls, could they be made Daimon too?”

“Yeah, but DH blood is poisonous to the Daimons,” Chris said as he shuffled his deck of cards. “Isn’t the point of that so that no Daimon can feed off or convert you guys?”

“Perhaps…” Phoebe said. “But then disembodied souls can possess a Dark-Hunter, and since Uri and I share souls, it makes you wonder if perhaps a Daimon and Dark-Hunter could share one too.”

“Let’s hope we never find that one out,” Wulf said as he moved to sit on the couch in front of Chris.

Phoebe turned back toward Cassandra. “So what did you want when you came to see me?”

“I’ve been putting together a memory box for the baby. Notes and pictures from me. Little mementos to tel him about our people and family, and I was wondering if you would mind putting something in there from you.”

“Why do you need something like that when we’l be more than happy to tel him anything he wants to know?”

Cassandra hesitated, not wanting to hurt her sister’s feelings. “He can’t grow up here, Phe. He’l have to be with Wulf in the human world.”

Her sister’s eyes snapped fire. “Why can’t he grow up here?” Phoebe insisted. “We can protect him just as wel as Wulf. Probably more so.”

Wulf glanced up as Chris dealt him a hand of cards. “What if he’s even more human than Cassandra is?