Chapter 12

Josie's groan was audible as I crossed the lounge of the Devil's Playground. "Why did the bouncer let you in? Tell Larry he's fired."

I planted myself on a stool at the bar. "Is that how you treat the clientele?"

"You don't count. You're not a paying customer."

I opened my purse and tossed a twenty-dollar bill on the counter. "There. Now I am."

She flicked the bill back toward me. "Your money's no good here. Kane's stupid orders."

"Speaking of—where is he?"

"On a call. He'll be done in a minute."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know who's on the other line, and how long it will take for Kane's patience to run out."

"Someone from hell?"

"Worse. Local bureaucrat."

I surveyed the bar area. "Where's the bartender, or have you been demoted?"

She glared at me. "We've got a new one coming in about an hour. Try not to be here when he arrives."

I folded my hands on the counter. "Why not? He can practice on me."

Her mouth twitched. "I don't think Kane would like that."

"Why not?"

"Because Alessandro is hot, if you like muscles and a butt like a plush mattress topper."

"Werewolf?"

"Incubus."

Ah. "Who hired him?"

Her smile revealed her deadly fangs. "I did. He's talented, easy on the eyes, and a team player."

"I'm not sure I'd want a whole team involved."

She pulled a face. "A team player in the club, although I have no doubt he's entertained a few groups in his day. He's high energy, which is why the Devil's Playground is perfect for him."

"He'll get a contact high from the clientele." I turned to glance at the hot tub on the balcony. "That view might be more than he can handle."

"I get the distinct impression Alessandro can handle anything."

Her description brought to mind my visit to the underground speakeasy. "What can you tell me about Madame Thea?"

Josie's head jerked up. "You went down there?"

"I was following a lead."

"On what? How to lose all your money in a single afternoon?" She paused. "Well, you could probably manage that at the grocery store."

"Hey."

She leaned her elbows on the counter. "Seriously, how did you end up there? One Oak doesn't strike me as your type of establishment." She smirked. "Then again, you're here far more often than I'd expect. Maybe I've misjudged you."

I cut to the chase. "Madame Thea mentioned Kane, that he's a frequent flyer down there."

Josie snorted. "I wouldn't go that far. He goes down there for the same reason he oversees the Assassins Guild. He likes to keep a close watch on anything that could endanger the locals."

I focused on the nooks and crannies of the counter. "And does he indulge in all the offerings when he visits?"

"You'd have to ask him, which you can in…" Josie glanced at her phone on the counter. "Three, two…"

The door to the private office swung open, and Kane stepped into the lounge, causing my stomach to dip. As usual, he was dressed impeccably in a pinstripe suit that had probably been woven by cherubs. His face registered pleasant surprise at the sight of me.

"Suddenly, the last half hour doesn't seem so bad." He walked straight to my stool and planted a kiss on my lips.

Josie groaned again. "Clay wants to know if you kiss anyone on the lips like that at One Oak."

Kane blinked rapidly. "Madame Thea's?"

"For a secret place with contractual silence, everybody sure knows about it," I remarked. "I met a lovely lady called Cynthia while I was there. Very eager to please."

His expression darkened. "You shouldn't have gone down there."

"Why not? There was plenty to do."

"Madame Thea isn't to be trusted."

I arched an eyebrow. "So I shouldn't have warned her about the Wild Hunt?"

He blew out a breath. "No, that was the right call. It didn't occur to me to warn her. She and her employees rarely make an appearance above ground."

"But her clientele travels through the woods to get there. They're at risk."

He nodded. "Who told you about its existence?"

"Does it matter? Why is it such a closely guarded secret?"

"Because the fewer people who know about it, the fewer people she can lure inside to sample her vices."

Josie wiped down the counter. "He's worried that all those customers will end up in one of the circles of hell."

"Then why let her continue operations?" I asked.

He dragged a hand through his dark blond hair. "I can't control the behavior of others. If they want to indulge their vices, it isn't my job to stop them."

"Don't your customers indulge?"

"We don't cater to them in quite the same way. And for what it's worth, I've only sampled the whisky selection and the poker table. That's it."

"Why not Cynthia?"

His gaze warmed my cheeks. "I prefer a more authentic experience." He turned away abruptly, and a rush of cold air hit my face. "Josephine, what time are we expecting our new hire?"

"In about forty-five minutes."

"I can't wait to meet him," I enthused.

Kane looked at me, frowning. "Why don't we talk downstairs?"

"What if I'm here for a drink?"

"I know for a fact that you have a perfectly good bottle of Puck's Pleasure at home."

He only knew because he'd procured the bottle for me. "I'm saving that for special occasions."

"Josephine, pour Lorelei any cocktail she desires, then she and I will abscond to my chambers."

"Until Alessandro arrives," I added.

Josie stifled a laugh.

"No need for you to get involved in tedious employment issues," Kane said. "You have more important matters to attend to."

I fluttered my eyelashes at him. "As much as you help me, it's only right that I return the favor. Let me serve as a test subject for your new hire."

The color drained from his face. "Absolutely not."

I couldn't hold back my laughter anymore.

Kane's gaze slid to the vampire. "You told her Alessandro is an incubus, didn't you?"

Josie shrugged. "It may have been mentioned."

"She also said he's hot."

"It's basically baked into their species."

"They'd die out pretty quickly if they were unattractive," I agreed.

Kane's whisky-colored eyes met mine. "Still want that drink?"

"No, but I do need to talk to you in private."

Josie folded her arms. "I'm not leaving. I have too much to do here."

"Yes, you seem incredibly busy," Kane drolled. He offered me his arm. "We can speak in my office or downstairs."

"Let's go to your lair. Less chance of getting interrupted."

"It isn't a lair," he objected.

I hopped off the stool. "If my house is the Castle, yours can be a lair."

"The Ruins," Josie said, smothering the word in a cough.

I glared at her. "Fine. Let's go to your bachelor pad. Better?"

I followed him to the door at the far end of the lounge, along a short corridor, and then down a set of spiral steps to a second door until we reached his private chambers. His palm print allowed us entry. The door dissolved, and we stepped across the threshold.

Kane's home spanned the length and width of the club. The decor was a combination of elegance and rugged masculinity. Tasteful abstract artwork. Worn leather furniture. An antique liquor cabinet.

He grinned. "This is nice."

"You say that like you don't live here."

"Not this room." He wrapped his arms around my waist. "The two of us in blissful solitude."

"I can't stay too long. Addison might burn down the house."

"I'm sure your ghostly companions won't allow that to happen. Any more visits from The Corporation's messenger?"

"As a matter of fact, I met Mathis at Five Beans."

Kane's arms stiffened. "And?"

"And he dangled a carrot."

His arms fell to his sides. "And you're here to discuss whether or not to bite it?"

"Basically, but first I need to ask you to shut down operations for the remainder of the week."

He blanched. "Pardon?"

"We need to clear the forest for the Wild Hunt, and that includes your clientele. Would you really want some poor vampire to risk his neck for the sake of a pint?"

"How would I prevent anyone from coming?"

"Chief Garcia is going to close off access to Wild Acres due to unsafe conditions. I had West call to make the request."

Kane gave me a searching look. "Does this mean you and Davies have made peace?"

"As much as we're capable of. He knows I have the town's best interest at heart, and I know he's a massive prick when he's grumpy."

Kane didn't bother to hide a smile.

"Anyway, you can piggyback off the news of the closure. The more we can get the word out, the better."

"I'll lose business."

"In the short term, but you'll lose business long-term if your regulars are killed by Vortigern and his merry hunters."

Kane exhaled. "I'll send out a newsletter."

I leaned back to look at him. "You have a newsletter?"

"Of course. How else do you expect me to communicate with my clientele?"

"Why am I not on the list?"

"Presumably because you haven't subscribed. Visit the website and click the button to join the VIP lounge. Then provide your email address. Simple."

"I'll do it right now, so I don't forget." I whipped out my phone and quickly navigated to his website. "Is Josie in charge of the newsletter?"

"No. Why?"

"Because she'd probably delete my name if she sees it."

He suppressed a smile. "Josephine can be prickly, but she respects boundaries. As far as The Corporation's carrot goes, you should do whatever is best for you. To hell with Addison, Aite, or whatever she's called."

"To hell? Really? You know firsthand what it's like there."

"Aite is Greek. She'll go to the underworld."

"Okay, but what about Addison?"

His shoulders relaxed. "Point taken. What's the carrot?"

"To connect me with my parents."

Kane's expression was solemn. "How?"

"One of their deities who possesses that ability."

"And in exchange, you return their runaway?"

"Mathis claims it's a show of good faith, to prove they're not the bad guys."

Kane frowned. "He's offering to connect you with your parents without any strings attached?"

"That's what he claims." I hesitated. "Is it terrible to admit I'm considering the offer?"

"Do you believe him? That The Corporation won't demand Addison once it's done?"

"I don't know."

"Even if they don't require her afterward, are you certain it's a good idea?"

"No, but the upsides seem to heavily outweigh the downsides."

"It sounds like a trap."

I smiled. "That's the former prince of hell talking."

"That may be, but it's only because I've seen more honeyed traps in my lifetime than I can count."

"Even two minutes with my parents would be worth it."

He gave my arm a gentle squeeze. "I understand."

"It got me thinking, though. If there are deities out there who can put me in touch with my deceased parents, why can't I do it?" My claim over the dead was as strong as almost anyone's.

"Did you ever try?"

"Of course. Many times over the years. When I was thirteen, I even tried summoning them at the accident site where they died. No response." Although now I wondered about the accuracy of the location. If the Moirai were right about their murder, it was possible there hadn't been a car accident at all.

Kane peered at me. "You're curious to see what other methods exist."

"Can you blame me?"

He cupped my face in his hand and grazed my cheek with his thumb. "No. I understand your desire, but I worry."

I took his hand and kissed it. "No need to worry about me."

"What if it doesn't meet your expectations?"

"You mean my parents are a no-show?"

"I suppose that would be one possibility, but what if they're not who you hope they are?"

I looked up at him. "You think they won't accept me because I'm different?"

"They died believing they had a normal human daughter. They likely knew nothing about the hidden world."

"I wouldn't waste precious moments talking to them about Melinoe. I only want to see them as Lorelei, their child."

"It sounds like you've made up your mind."

"I think I have."

"And if it is a trap?"

"That's why escape plans were invented."

He tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. "Count me in."

"I don't want to involve anyone else. This is my sticky situation."

He kissed my forehead with a tenderness that seemed out of character for a demon prince of hell. "And there isn't anyone I'd rather be stuck with."

"I appreciate your support, Kane. It means a lot to me."

His fingers grazed my cheek. "I will always support you, Lorelei. That's what you do for those you love."

Love.

I dared to look into his eyes and saw the evidence reflected there, plain as day.

Kane Sullivan loved me. The reformed prince of hell saw me, knew me, and found me worthy.

My mouth ran dry. If there'd been words on my tongue, they evaporated, along with the saliva.

His hand slid through my hair to cradle the back of my head. "You look terrified."

I curled my fingers around his raised arm. "I'm not. The word took me by surprise, that's all. I haven't heard it in a very long time."

Pops never said it, not because he didn't feel it; the expression of emotions just wasn't his way. The last time someone used the word ‘love' in relation to me would've been my grandmother.

Like I said, a very long time.

"If it makes you feel any better, neither have I. I wasn't even certain I was capable of it until I met you." His thumb stroked the nape of my neck. "I love you, Lorelei. I'll say it as many times as you'd like, in a variety of languages."

Tears pricked my eyes as my emotions swelled. I love you too, I tried to respond, but I couldn't manage to form the words. There was a wall inside me that refused to budge no matter how desperately I wanted to break it down. I pictured myself swinging a sledgehammer in an effort to bring the desire to fruition. I managed to damage pieces here and there, but not enough to topple the wall and reach the other side.

As though sensing my distress, he released his hold on me. "There's no rush," he whispered. "I'll wait."

My mind swirled with competing thoughts as I left the Devil's Playground. Kane's declaration. My decision to accept The Corporation's offer to see my parents, to learn about my past. About their past.

I glanced in the direction of Bone Lake. I was already this far; it wasn't too far out of my way to follow up with Goran. Maybe the Givers would be able to share information that would prepare me for my family reunion.

I was glad I'd ridden my motorcycle. The truck was too big to get me all the way to the lake, whereas Betsy managed to thread through the trees with ease.

I parked the motorcycle within sight of the lake and walked to the water's edge. No sign of Goran. I called his name and was greeted by birdsong.

I was ready to give up when water splashed my boots. The vodyanoy's lumpy head bobbed to the surface.

"What took you so long?" I asked.

"I wasn't expecting company. I thought the whole point of coming here was the isolation factor."

"We had a deal, remember?"

"Ohhh, right. You want me to face my nemesis for no good reason."

"For two very good reasons. Yours and mine."

"I suppose I've got nothing better to do. Where's your bloodless sacrifice?"

I splayed my hands. "I came empty handed. I wasn't planning to swing by until the last second."

"Not to worry. I've got it covered." He swam across the lake to a water lily that sat atop a lily pad. "A flower for a flower. How's that for a bloodless sacrifice?"

"Where's the sacrifice? It's just an offering."

His bulging eyes rolled. "What do you think a bloodless sacrifice is? A vampire's victim after a feeding frenzy?" He clasped the flower between his webbed hands. "Looking at this water lily every day brings me joy, yet I'm offering to give it to them."

"I see your point." I gave him Ray's instructions for the rest of the ritual.

"Simple enough. Wait here, and I'll see if I can work my magic." He ducked beneath the surface.

I sat on the shore of the lake and, with shaking fingers, typed my response to Mathis. As promised, instructions popped up in response. An address in New York City. Midnight.

Midnight.

In mere hours, I would be reunited with my parents. Nausea rolled over me. I clicked on Kane's name and sent a quick text.

Changed my mind. Will you come with me?

His response was a swift and immediate yes. I asked him to arrive at my house at 11:15 p.m.

When Goran's head resurfaced, it took me a few seconds to register his return. His deep frown told me what I needed to know.

"They didn't like the water lily?"

"Oh, they loved the flower, but they won't see you."

"Because they have something to hide?"

"No clue. If it helps, they didn't seem to know who you are." He lowered his gaze. "Didn't seem to remember me either. Can you imagine? Ruining a prince's life and acting like you barely remember? It's the ultimate gaslighting."

"Did you tell them about the invisible mark on my forehead?"

"I did, but they said they're not the only ones who do that. Could be any number of competitors."

I laughed. "They used the word ‘competitors?'"

"That's how they see it."

"Did you ask to be turned back into your original form?"

"I tried, but they kept talking over each other. They're a very gabby bunch."

"So not a successful effort for either one of us."

"I wouldn't go that far. If they didn't know you, I bet you can rule them out as the makers of your mark."

"They didn't know you either, and Sudenitsy is the one who punished you."

"Why do you have to be so argumentative all the time? Who hurt you?"

A hawk zipped over my head, forcing me to duck. Goran disappeared under the water in a panic. The bird landed on a nearby branch and ruffled its wings. Its beady eyes regarded me with suspicion.

"Why do I get the impression you're no ordinary hawk?"

The bird flew to a higher branch, as though to escape the conversation. I suddenly saw the appeal of wings.

Goran's head bobbed above the surface. "Is it gone?"

"I don't think it's after you. It seems to be reconnaissance."

Goran watched the bird, still wary. "Are we done here? If I'm going to be stuck in this form, I'd like to put distance between me and the predator, if it's all the same to you."

"We're done here. I'm sorry it didn't work out."

"Meh. I told you I was cool with this frog bod. Would've been nice to see my face again, though, no matter how plain it was."