Of Gods and Sorrow (Of Blood and Sorrow Book 2) Read online

  Chione clasped her hands under her chin. “I’m here for you, my lord. You must come back to the Lake of Fire. Come back to your rightful place and rule forever.”

  Not a vacation spot I’d ever want to go to. Cort didn’t look my way. I wanted to ask what he wanted me to do. I’d force Chione out of his office and the building if he said so. I could understand why he didn’t do it himself. It would look bad if a man handled a woman that way.

  Cort closed his eyes and rubbed them with one hand. “I’m not going anywhere, Miss Nassry. If you really want to do something for me, please leave and never come back.”

  Chione sprang forward and grabbed the front of his jacket. Her chest heaved with her words. “You must! I have foreseen it.” Her voice rose an octave as she continued to cry. “You in your true form, in all your glory. Granting us power, immortality. I didn’t know it was you until I saw you. But it makes sense you’re here.” Her rambling picked up speed. “The Great Devourer of the Dead punishing the unworthy. But I am pure. I am yours!”

  Prying her hands off him, Cort stepped around the side of his desk as I hooked Chione’s arms from behind. He pointed at her. “You need to leave or I will call the police.”

  “No! My lord, please.” She wailed and fought against my hold. Fanaticism makes people strong. I might have been taller and had demonic strength, but she was difficult to keep a hold of. She threw back her head and whacked it against my chin. Hot pain lanced through my jaw.

  Chione needed to calm down. I jerked her away from Cort and out the office door as I drew on her desolation. Her joy had fled, and I found a feast of energy I could sup upon. I sucked inward, as if slurping through a straw, but not with my physical mouth. It was like drawing in a breath, not of oxygen, but her misery.

  Memories flashed through my mind.

  Chione as a little girl, hiding in the back of a closet, listening. A whip and a scream made her cover her head.

  A young teenage Chione placing her head in the mouth of a crocodile and holding it there. Tears dripping off her cheeks into the reptile’s mouth.

  The woman as she looked now, breathing in something noxious. Such a horrible smell. And spasming as a vision of Ammut claimed her. One with a great lake full of fire.

  I yanked Chione to the ornate wooden double doors at the front of the funeral home. My spots burned hot. So she’d had a vision. Or something evoked by that awful stench. Not many true seers out there, and while it didn’t make me pity her, I did worry for Cort. What if what Chione had seen came true?

  The bigger question was what did I have to do to make certain it did not.

  I stopped drawing on her energy as Chione sagged against me. Glancing back, I spied Cort standing in the entrance to his office with his arms crossed. I had to tell him what Chione said was true... but maybe not with her still there.

  “Let me go.” Chione mumbled, barely standing on her own.

  Gracia trotted out of her office and, without a word, opened one of the big wooden doors for me.

  I nodded to her and dragged Chione outside. One of her sneakers slipped half off. No sirens sang but a guttural roar vibrated in my head as a motorcycle sped into the parking lot. The rider skidded to a stop ten feet from us and shut off his bike.

  Abdiel. Security had arrived. So that’s who Gracia called.

  With more force than necessary, he kicked out the stand on his bike and stepped off it. When he removed his helmet, Heath Ledger stared at us.

  Chione screamed.

  I didn’t bother shaking my head. It wasn’t the deceased actor. Abdiel just had a twisted sense of humor.

  “The unworthy still walks among us!” Chione elbowed me, and I let her go. She backed away from both of us. “Ammut lives. Ammut lives!”

  How she found the energy to run off, I didn’t know. Hopefully she didn’t have far to go. I had no desire for her to collapse in the middle of the street.

  “I didn’t even have to threaten her and she ran off. Perhaps I should wear this face more often.” Abdiel smirked. Damn, he even had the accent down to a tee.

  “No.” I spat it out before I thought it through. I didn’t want him wearing the face of an actor I had crushed on, and now he’d likely torment me with it. After I spotted Chione disappear around a bend in the road, I turned back to the funeral home.

  Cort had joined Gracia at the entrance, and Zaphkiel hobbled down the hall toward them.

  “She’s gone.” I headed back inside and paused by Cort’s side. “What she said is true, or at least, she believes it’s true. She had a vision of you.”

  “Tell me of this vision and who she is.” Abdiel came in directly behind me, now wearing a different face. Connor’s face. He should have stayed Heath.

  Zaphkiel reached us and leaned on his cane. He scratched at his upper thigh where what remained of his leg met his prosthetic.

  Paul, Connor, and Cort. It was as if the Putzkammer brothers were back together again. My throat tightened, and I wrapped my arms around myself. Connor had been the youngest of the siblings and my best friend. I should have never involved him. He died because he helped Nicolas and me.

  The phone rang in Gracia’s office, and she excused herself. Probably glad to get out of the presence of the Allu. It was a good idea, in fact.

  “Let them know what went on, Cort. I have to check the tea and prep for this evening.” I didn’t wait for his response. Business came first for him, so he wouldn’t protest. Two of my adopted brothers weren’t alive anymore, and I couldn’t look at their faces right now.

  My shoes tapped and my pants swished as I reined in the urge to run to the family room. I went immediately to the small kitchenette and checked the shelves. There might be enough tea, but maybe a trip to the store would clear my head.

  I opened the fridge. We’d need bottled water too.

  Leaning my head against the top of the cool frame, I closed my eyes. The trouble Chione brought our way wasn’t something I wanted to deal with. Not that I would have to do anything with Abdiel around, but I had fed on her. She was in my head.

  Her vision was true. Well, at the very least, she was certain it was. I had only her emotions to gauge the truth. She’d seen Cort in his fully transformed state, and having seen him that way myself, I knew it was accurate. But why? Did she honestly think he’d go be her master? I wished it was some kinky sex thing as it would be easier to handle, gross yet easier, but she believed him a god.

  I flattened my hands on the inside sides of the fridge, soaking in the cold. It wouldn’t stop my spots from being hot, but it still felt good.

  If Nicolas was here, he’d make some joke about crazy chicks. Probably a dirty one. He’d keep going to get me to laugh. If he had been an expert at anything, it was chasing away stress. And responsibilities. And promises.

  Why did I think he’d give up his old ways for me? He had centuries ahead of him. Why would he want to spend it cuddling with his girlfriend in a basement apartment watching television and trying to win against me in Jeopardy? No. He wanted to party all night and fuck models.

  I couldn’t make him happy. So he left me. And what did I do? I held back everyone who wanted to kill him for it. Still loving him even after he broke my heart.

  “Erin.”

  I spun around, half pressed into the fridge.

  Abdiel cocked his head as he stared at me from the doorway.

  “Yeah.” I shut the fridge door and wished he’d look at something else. “Did Cort give you all the details? Chione Nassry will be back. She really believes he’s a god.”

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  I swallowed, louder than I wanted to. Whenever an Allu demon said that, it had to do with killing. While I knew Abdiel was different than the rest of his kind, I still wondered if he would really murder Chione. He was just as dedicated to protecting Cort as I was.

  Abdiel stepped into the room. He still wore Connor’s face. A face that once was full of smiles now way too serious. “Tell me what you s
aw when you fed off her.”

  I didn’t question how he knew I fed on Chione. Not that Abdiel was psychic or any such thing, but he had good intuition. It kept him alive this long. “I saw a girl who had a rotten time of it. Rough home life, and uh, crocodiles as pets. I don’t know. I saw her put her head in one’s mouth. I’m pretty sure she’s also a real seer too. She did have a vision of Cort being her master, ruling in his transformed state, and what she saw did look like him when he was that way. I don’t think he’d do such a thing, but she believed what she saw.”

  He pressed his mouth together in a thin line. “Do you think she’d hurt him?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “Not at all. I think she would do anything for him, except go away and leave him alone.” When I said anything, I meant it. She’d offer herself up in all sorts of ways. “Wasn’t Ammut once worshiped as a god?”

  “Ammut wasn’t worshiped. She was feared.” Abdiel said the words with a hint of pleasure. “Cort has the Blood of Ammut, but he is not Ammut. I’ll place a guard permanently around him for a while. Make him carry the gun I got him too.”

  “You got him a gun?” I folded my arms. Abdiel hadn’t trained me with any weapons. Even a Taser would be handy to have. I had my compact that Demi had made for me, but the sunlight it contained only helped against vampires. I’d rather not have to physically fight anyone. “Would you teach me how to use one?”

  “No.” His abrupt reply hit me like a verbal slap.

  “But why?” I didn’t want to whine like a child, but it made sense to train me with firearms.

  Abdiel stared at me for a few seconds and turned to exit. “Because you are a weapon.”

  I

  steeped pot after pot of tea. The Futakuchi might not drink so much if they had been sipping with the mouths on their faces. Yet within the safety of the funeral home, they drank with their second mouths. The ones on the back of their heads big enough to chomp off a man’s arm.

  At least they were solemn and quiet. The Azeban laughed and sang. I had no doubt at least one of them brought alcohol, even though the Allu security checked.

  Washing a dozen teacups as the kettle boiled, I dried and set them on the cart next to me. Bolona had taken care of the food and beverages for years at the funeral home. Cort now had a caterer in case any food was needed, but brewing coffee and tea was left to me. Those months Nicolas had worked here, he helped me. All those extra duties I gained had been easier then.

  I turned as I heard the tinkling of porcelain and smiled as one of the Futakuchi carried a silver tray into the family room, holding it with her hands and prehensile hair. Hurrying over, I took it from her. “Thank you. You needn’t worry about this. We can take care of it all.”

  “It’s my pleasure.” The young woman dipped her head. She was petite, so lovely in a blue traditional Japanese kimono. “It gives me something to do. Mourning lasts for several days, and I need to move around before we have to sit for another three days as my grandmother’s spirit moves on.”

  Setting the tray by the sink, I grabbed the kettle just as it started to whistle. “Feel free to run laps around the room if you need to. There’s no one else in here to see.”

  She laughed. A full toss-your-head-back kind of laugh. She then held out her hand. “My name is Shiori Kon, but my friends just call me Ri. It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Putzkammer.”

  I shook her hand with my free one. “Oh no, I’m not a Putzkammer. Cort and Paul are the namesakes here. I’m Erin Driscol.”

  “I apologize.” Ri motioned to the front of the building. “It’s just when we came in, I saw you with Mr. Putzkammer, and you seemed very familiar with one another.”

  A faint heat rushed up my neck and into my cheeks. I turned my head and poured the hot water into the teapot. “No, no. Cort is like a big brother to me. You know, one of those brothers who is super overprotective and would love to forbid you to do anything that might be slightly dangerous. Like go out after the sun is down.”

  Though, there was a reason for that fear.

  Ri laughed again, and her hair wiggled and twirled. “Yes, my father is that way. I took both ballet and martial arts growing up because he wanted to make certain I could fight off any man who dared look my way if he was not there to do so.”

  Her comment reminded me of my letter. I hadn’t gotten a chance to open it yet. I’d left it in the front office after Gracia went home for the day, and now my hands itched to fetch it.

  “I’m certain you’re more than capable. Funny how men can act that way even when they know the women have had training.” Would my father be the protective type? Or would he not want anything to do with me?

  “You’ve had training too? It would be great to get together some time and spar. I go to school in Chicago, so it’s not far away. Though my family has me holed up with them in a rented manor.” Ri was probably my age, but she had the exuberance of a teenager. I wondered if she had many friends. Likely not if her family was overly protective. “I have never sparred with another woman who is... like me?”

  Setting down the kettle, I dropped a few teabags into the pot and closed the lid. “I am a demon, if that’s what you mean. All of us here are except our receptionist, and she was raised with them.”

  Ri grinned and opened her mouth to say something, but someone shouted her name from the hall. We both turned to the door as an older man stepped in. He wore a kimono with the same blues, but his did not feminize him in any way.

  “Shiori.” He snapped. “Your mother is looking for you. Come at once.”

  “Yes, Father.” Ri sighed and paused to give me a small bow. “It was nice to meet you.”

  “You too.” I waved as she followed her father out of the room. I set more water to boil and washed my hands before I wheeled out the tea cart. I left it outside of the viewing suite as I didn’t want to intrude on the family inside.

  When I turned, I almost walked into Abdiel. He wore a black suit and Connor’s face.

  “You need to be more aware of your surroundings.”

  And he needed not to stand so close. I went around him back to the family room. “I’m busy. I can hardly keep up with how much tea they’re drinking.”

  Abdiel followed me in and leaned on the wall near the door. “You weren’t too busy to flirt with clients. I thought that was my job.”

  Was that Connor? I did often wonder how much of the persona of the dead man’s face he took on. He wore Connor’s a lot, but not as much as Zaphkiel wore Paul’s, and he seemed so much like Paul these days.

  “I wasn’t flirting. It’s called being friendly, making small talk.” I turned on the water in the sink to wash the teacups. “Something you might like to try one day.”

  He didn’t answer, but remained watching me for a minute before he spoke. “It’s not wise to be friendly with the Futakuchi, especially the Kon clan. They don’t like to mingle with others of our kind. Her father would never approve of her visiting you to spar.”

  How much of our conversation had he overheard? Yes, Abdiel had made a promise to Aleo to protect Cort and me, but sometimes he was worse than Cort in that area. I shook my head and continued to wash the cups.

  “I was just being friendly and so was Ri. People just say those things. I didn’t think she really meant she wanted to get together.” I had thought Ri had meant it, but I didn’t want to let him know the disappointment I felt at hearing how strict Ri’s family was. Connor had been my best friend, and then for a little while, I had Nicolas to share things with. Now he was gone, and I had no one. Cort was busy and Demi didn’t often leave her house. A few times I’d visited Yelena and Izolda–the Rusalka demons who aided me when the vampires attacked–at St. Joseph’s River or Lake Michigan, but they didn’t look human enough to go to the movies or a bookstore. Yeah, my life was thrilling if I thought those were the best places to be.

  “Her father would not approve.” Abdiel repeated.

  I frowned and glanced at him. “I know.”

&nbs
p; It sounded more like Abdiel was the one who didn’t approve. Before I could think any more about it, a shriek and an angry shout came from the hall followed by laughter and a crash. I left the water running as I ran out behind Abdiel.

  The Azeban faced off against the Futakuchi. Ri’s father and two other of the males from their family wielded swords. All of the Azeban had their claws out. The two Allu in the corridor stood off to the side. Were they seriously going to sit back and watch?

  “Back down.” Abdiel stepped between the two groups. “Weapons away. This is a place of peace.”

  “They insult us.” Ri’s father spat on the ground. “Put eyeballs in our tea.”

  Oh, shit. Could the tricksters really not resist?

  Some of the Azeban laughed, but the woman at the head of their group shook her head. Her bushy dark hair bounced. “We didn’t. We respect the house of the Putzkammers.”

  “There are eyeballs in our tea. Only the Azeban would do such a filthy thing.” Ri’s father didn’t put away his sword.

  I spotted Ri standing in the doorway to the viewing suite, her hands on her hips. The other women stood behind her. None weeping. All intense.

  “Now you insult us.” The Azeban woman bared her teeth. Some were pointier than they should be. The dark shadows around her eyes didn’t hide the furious glint. All Azeban had dark patches around their eyes like masks. While in their everyday lives they might have hid it with makeup, here they did not. It was like a masked bandit versus samurai showdown.

  “You will return to your rooms or we will escort you.” Abdiel didn’t raise his voice, but it carried enough weight. The other Allu left their positions to stand nearer to him.

  While the other demons greatly outnumbered the Allu, swords were lowered and claws withdrawn. Both parties mumbled and returned to their viewing suites. Ri caught my gaze and mouthed whoa before disappearing inside the room.

  One of the Allu grunted. “Fucking Azebans. Why the hell would Putzkammer let them in here?”

  Abdiel turned and took a step toward him, leaning into his face. “Putzkammer provides a place of peace for all demons. He lets us in here, after all.”