Invincible Chronicles of Nick - By Sherrilyn Kenyon Page 0,25
her coffin-shaped purse. Nick exchanged a frown with Kody as Simi pulled out a lobster bib and tied it around her neck. Next came a small bottle of hot sauce.
Their waitress came up with a big smile on her face. “Hi, Simi. Your usual?”
“Absolutely, Tracy. Keep ’em coming till the Simi pops.”
The waitress laughed. “Girl, I don’t know where you put it. I swear you have hollow legs.”
“Ooo, the Simi wishes. Then she could eat even more. Yum!”
Laughing, the waitress headed back to kitchen.
“How often you eat here?” Nick asked.
Simi pulled out several napkins from the silver dispenser and put them in her lap. “Whenever we’re in town and Akri lets me.”
Akri. She kept mentioning that name last night, too, but Nick had no idea who it was, even though Simi acted like he should. “Who’s Akri?”
She huffed in irritation. “The Simi’s daddy. Silly partial human, don’t you know nothing?”
Nick opened his mouth to respond, but the moment he did, he saw …
He wasn’t sure. It was rapid-fire images. Him and Simi. Only it wasn’t him. It was … Another time and place.
No, it was here. No … he saw her as a demon with wings and horns. His head spun as he tried to sort through the kaleidoscope that left him feeling sick to his stomach.
“Nick?” Kody asked in a concerned tone. “Are you all right?”
Simi answered for him. “He’s fine. Just freaking out ’cause the Simi’s a demon and he didn’t know until now. He’ll be all right in a few.” She held his glass of milk out to him. “This’ll help.”
Nick blinked as he tried to calm down. “Am I dreaming?”
Kody hadn’t reacted to Simi’s news at all. In fact, she acted as if she hadn’t heard it. Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe Simi was like Grim, and he and Tracy were the only ones who could see and hear her.
Still, the images tore through his head, making it hard to focus on anything. He could barely catch his breath.
I have to get away from here.
His head pounding, he looked at Kody. “I need to … I got to leave. I’ll catch you later, okay?”
“You sure you don’t need me to help you?” Kody asked.
“No. I mean yeah, I’m sure.” He got up and stumbled away from them. He didn’t know where to go, so he headed toward the only safe place he could think of.
His mom.
* * *
Kody arched a brow as she watched Nick hurry away from them. “Was that you or me who spooked him?”
“Pretty sure it was me.” Simi grinned. “The Simi has that effect or is it affect on people? Affect. Effect. What is this difference between those two words and really, does it matter? Some people get so testy when you misuse a word. But I likes doing it. Language should be fun and so long as people know what you mean, what difference does it make? Really. Really. Really.”
Kody shook her head at the Charonte. Simi belonged to an ancient race of demons who’d been created to protect the Atlantean gods. Now, she was assigned watch duty to only one of them.
Acheron Parthenopaeus.
While she knew of the ancient god, she’d never met him. For many reasons. One being the fact that Acheron didn’t want anyone to know about his godhood. It was a well-kept secret, and she could respect that. The only reason she knew of his identity was that they had a mutual friend. One who, like Nick, could see the truth no matter how hard someone or something tried to hide it. The waitress returned with ten plates of beignets and a large milk for Simi.
“Ooo, the Simi’s favorite person is always the one who brings her food. Thank you, Tracy.”
“You’re welcome, Simi.”
Simi pulled out a handful of cash and handed it over. “You keep the change and have fun with it.”
By Tracy’s expression, it was obvious Simi had seriously overtipped her. “You sure about that?”
“Absolutely.” Simi drenched the beignets with her hot sauce.
“Thank you.” Tracy went to wait on another table.
Nekoda cringed as Simi took a bite. And on that note … “It was nice seeing you again, Simi. But I think I need to be going.”
Simi wiped at the powder on her face. “Okay, but Nekoda-Akra needs to know something important.”
“That is?”
“They something evil done come to town and set up shot … no, shop. That’s the word the Simi needs.”
“What kind of evil?”
Simi licked her lips before she answered. “Akri not sure. Can you not feel