Invision - Sherrilyn Kenyon Page 0,50

you.” She gave Nick a fierce hug before she rose up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “Please stay out of trouble.”

“Cher, you know how hard I try. But when the devil be wanting a fais do-do, what’s a po’ boy to do?”

“Stay out of trouble,” she repeated. “I mean it.”

“I will do my best.”

Her eyes sad, she nodded and let go of him. Then she went to Xev to give him a hug. “Be careful, especially since you’re hauling the trouble magnet.”

Nick clapped his hands together. “All right. What—”

A bright light cut his words off.

One second they were in the remains of Menyara’s store and in the next, he was standing outside of St. Louis Cathedral.

At least that was what it looked like it used to be.

His heart pounding in terror, Nick turned around slowly to see that he was definitely in what remained of Jackson Square. But it was currently on fire. The Pontalba Buildings and Cabildo … even the Café Du Monde were all ablaze. This was a hellacious inferno. Bodies were strewn like contorted dolls in the street. Cars were twisted, burned-out chassis, interspersed with military equipment that included the remains of tanks and even downed helicopters.

Bile rose in his throat to choke him. He felt the color drain from his face as he realized that Jaden had dropped him straight into ground zero of his worst nightmare.

This wasn’t before Ambrose had lost his mind.

This was at the height of him and his army destroying the world.

Xev appeared as stunned as Nick was while they both turned in slow circles to stare agape at the unholy destruction around them. “How is this possible?”

Nick swallowed hard at the devastation. “This is what I’ve been seeing in my visions. It’s what Ambrose has been warning me about.”

Suddenly, a loud pterodactylesque scream sounded. They turned in synch to find a huge red-fleshed demon bearing down on them from the sky. Closing the distance between them, Xev grabbed Nick to shield him with his body.

Just as the beast would have reached Nick with its claws, it burst apart with an ear-splintering cry. Blood and entrails rained down everywhere, along with hot fire that luckily Xev used his powers to deflect.

Straightening, Xev loosened his hold. Disgusted by the mess, Nick lifted his head as the smoke around them swirled and dissipated a bit.

Out of the darkness stepped the last person he’d expected to see.

It was his lunatic demon friend, Simi. Only she appeared older than the teenaged shopping, diamond-eating Goth he knew and adored. Dressed in gleaming armor and with her black hair braided, she was the best sight he could imagine in this madness.

Until her eyes turned bloodred and she nocked an arrow for his throat. Then, he realized that things between them weren’t quite the same.

“Simi … it’s not what you think.”

“I’m not Simi. I’m her daughter. And you’re the worthless bastard who killed her. Now I’m going to kill you!”

CHAPTER 9

That was not what Nick had expected the girl in front of him to say.

Ever.

Too shocked to move, he was an easy target for her.

Thankfully, Xev wasn’t the idiot he was. He grabbed him as she let loose another arrow for his head and jerked him out of the way of it, just in time.

When she went to release another, Xev used his powers to disarm her. He sent her bow flying, skittering across the burning pavement. “He’s not the Malachai who did this!”

“Yeah, right.” She manifested a sword to come after them.

Xev did the same. But he hesitated at using it on the demon. Instead, he protected himself from her attacks, but didn’t go on the offensive. “I don’t want to hurt you, especially if you’re a daughter of Simi’s. But I can’t allow you to harm him, either. He has to live.”

Her breathing ragged, she stepped back to angle her sword and circle them while debating whether or not to reengage Xev. Or maybe she was looking for a better way to attack him.

Wow, she looked just like her mother. Virtually identical. Nick couldn’t get over it. Same height. Same build. All she needed was a bottle of barbecue sauce, Goth clothes, Doc Martens, and a coffin purse, and she’d be the spitting image of the demon who’d kept him amused until his sides ached from laughter over her insightful truths and antics. Not to mention her never-ending quest to find an all-you-can-eat buffet that didn’t throw her out after half an hour of