Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“I half-expected people to resent that we’re all stuck in the middle of the immortals’ bullshit, but they don’t,” said Delilah. “They’re wholly pissed at the Aeons for invading their town. Twice. Our side won, sure, but people still died. Everyone’s pretty much hoping that Adam will retaliate so they can get rid of the threats once and for all.”
It would indeed be beyond wonderful if Adam met his doom like the other three ruling Aeons had recently done—it was a long time coming, in Wynter’s fine opinion. “I think he’ll come. He’s got to be pissed that not only is Abel dead but he was returned to Aeon in pieces.” Ha.
Cain had almost killed Abel once before long ago, but it wasn’t so easy to end the life of an immortal, and a healer had gotten to Abel in time to save him. It hadn’t worked that way the second time round.
“If he doesn’t come, do you think the Ancients will storm Aeon?” asked Anabel.
They likely wished they could, but the truth was that they were stuck here. The four ruling Aeons had formed an invisible cage surrounding the previously barren land that was now known as Devil’s Cradle.
The Aeons were actually Cherubim, but most people weren’t aware of that. Similarly, they weren’t aware that the Ancients were Leviathans. Both breeds were—along with the now-extinct Behemoths—the first creations of God. He’d assigned the four lesser deities Kali, Nyx, Nemesis, and Apep to watch over them. But . . . the deities had taken their eye off the ball, and many deaths had followed when the three breeds of immortal turned on each other. Twice.
The result? God turned his back on all of them, including the deities. And so he’d done nothing to free the Ancients from their jail. And why had the Aeons imprisoned them in such a way?
Short answer: They were assholes.
Long answer: They didn’t like it when people were more powerful than they were, and so they’d find all sorts of reasons to justify why they might then erase their existence.
Their main motivation was that they believed Cain had no right to exist. His parentage was . . . a dark matter, to say the least. He wasn’t merely a Leviathan, he was the son of Satan. Yup. She was the consort of the honest-to-God’s Antichrist.
Words he’d once spoken to her flitted through her mind . . .
“I am in fact one of the biggest monsters that will ever live. That, baby, is the Curse of Cain. And you, pretty witch . . . you now share in that curse, because I’ve claimed you as mine. And I’ll never fucking let you go.”
That was fine with her, though, because she didn’t want him to.
“I’m not sure what they’ll do,” Wynter prevaricated, unable to share much of the information that Cain had trusted her with.
Once, she’d believed that the Aeons and Ancients were the same breed of immortal because they were not only all part of the first civilization but were similar in many ways. They lived underground, were weaker if out in the sun, possessed impressive abilities, could sleep for long periods of time, and had long ago lost the ability to procreate.
But she’d recently learned from Cain that although the two camps of immortal were similar, they were actually two very different breeds. Hence why the Aeons didn’t share the Ancients’ ability to purchase souls. Though most people tended to believe the false rumor that the Ancients only possessed the ability because they’d sold their own souls to the devil.
Hattie sniffed and swept her gaze over the room. “On a more important note, I don’t see any butlers in the buff.”
“Why would you?” asked Delilah. “It’s a run-up-to-Halloween party. People tend to wear scary outfits.”
“Butlers can be scary.”
“Not with their asses hanging out.”
“I’d happily be the judge of that.”
Delilah nudged her playfully. “You need to stop being such a perve. It’s not like you don’t get sex on the regular.”
A wicked grin curved Hattie’s mouth. “My George should be here soon. We agreed to try some roleplay again later. I’m going to be the poor helpless woman who’s hypnotized by a vampire who then drinks her blood and ravishes her. Should be interesting.”
“Well, I’m hoping to score tonight. It shouldn’t be too hard while I’m wearing this getup.” Delilah gestured at her Catwoman outfit. A private joke, really, since she could turn into a black cat of any size—including a monstrous beast with iron claws. “It does wonders for my figure.”
It did indeed. It had snatched the attention of many males. But then—with her curvy figure, flawless dark skin, and long legs—Delilah did that no matter what she was wearing.
“The dude at the bar has been eye-fucking you for about twenty minutes,” Xavier told the Latina.
Delilah glared at him. “And you’re only telling me this now? Why?”