Invision - Sherrilyn Kenyon Page 0,55
With bright green eyes and wavy blond hair, there was something strangely familiar about him. Yet Nick couldn’t quite place him.
He stalked toward them with a tic in his jaw that said he wanted to mop the alley with Nick’s blood and use his eyes for a game of marbles.
“That’s not your father, Charity. You know that. It’s another trick of the Malachai to weaken and divide us. Our fathers died together in battle. We were there and saw the Malachai drive his sword through him. I don’t know who or what this prick is, but he’s not Ambrose.”
Biting her lip, she shook her head. “Somehow it’s him. I can feel it, Lus. His blood speaks to me.”
The tic picked up rhythm as he eyed Xev with venom. “Declare yourself.”
“A god suckled by Inari.”
“That explains the stench.”
“And yours?” Xev asked in a tone that was either really brave, or incredibly stupid.
The demon snorted. “Charonte.”
“You’re not just Charonte. There’s something a lot more powerful in you. And it’s not Kalosum blood.”
“Yours either.… Which is why you don’t need to know anything about us.” He glanced at Nick’s daughter. “Cherry, we’ve got to go while we have an opening. Otherwise, we’ll be trapped in the city without reinforcements.”
“Take Amara and the others and go. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Cher—”
She cut his words off by gently brushing her fingers against his lips. “Lucien, please. I have to pick up Annabelle, anyway. I’m not about to leave her behind. She’ll need help to carry supplies.”
Nick saw the love and pain in Lucien’s gaze as he debated what to do. “You don’t delay. Understood?”
“Understood.”
A long-legged beauty armed with a silver-tipped whip came forward to clap Lucien on his shoulder. There was something about her that reminded Nick of a blond version of Tabitha Devereaux—the lunatic vampire slayer who “helped” them out from time to time at home. Only thing missing was Tabby’s zoo crew and her androgynous Ziggy Stardust boyfriend.
“I’ll stay with her, Lucy. You know I won’t let anything happen to your girl.”
“Thanks, Marissa.”
Two men stepped forward. “Me and Drystan’ll stay behind and pull point for them.”
Lucien handed his grenade holster to the dark-haired man who’d volunteered. “Pax, Val, and thanks.”
Securing the holster to his hips, Val inclined his head. “Pax tecum.”
Lucien gave a light, lingering kiss to Charity. “Don’t break my heart. I’ve lost too much in this fight already to lose you, too.” Then he and the others took flight.
Nick passed a baffled stare to Xev. “I’m so lost.”
“Yeah … And for what it’s worth, Marissa is Kyrian’s daughter.”
Eyes wide, Nick’s jaw went slack. “Whaaat?!”
She arched a teasing brow at him. “Don’t you remember bouncing me on your knee, Uncle Nick? Teaching me how to burp my alphabet with chocolate milk while my mom and Rosa had fits? How to eat beignets without inhaling powdered sugar up my nose? Or the jitterbug and two-step, and sing ‘Iko Iko,’ and play the spoons and accordion? Any of that ring a bell?”
Charity gaped. “Wait, wait, wait.… Are you kidding me? After the way he used to get on to me for belching at the table? Telling me it wasn’t ladylike? And he taught you how to do it? That’s so wrong!”
Another shadow materialized beside Nick and sniffed at him. Cocking his head, he manifested from werewolf to a blond human. “He doesn’t know any of us. He didn’t even recognize your brothers, Rissa.”
Drystan grimaced. “That’s just hurtful. And here I thought I was hard to forget. Not like you meet an addanc every day.”
“Ca c’est fou, mon nonc!”
Nick gaped as Val said, “That’s crazy, my uncle” in Cajun. It was obvious that before Ambrose had lost his mind, he’d been a major part of their lives.
They weren’t lying.
This was his daughter.
And these were the grown children of his friends.
“Xev?” Nick turned to him as he struggled with it all. “What’s happening?”
“Jaden sent us too far into the future. And yet,” he paused to let out a bitter laugh, “I think we were meant to be here. To meet them.”
“I don’t understand…”
Xev rubbed at his arm where his curse was hidden by his sleeve. “Yeah, I know. I’m having a hard time with this one myself.”
Nick pressed his hand to his forehead as he tried to comprehend why they were here. “I’m not the one who destroys the world?”
Charity scowled at him. “No.… How can you not remember any of us?”
“He’s still in high school,” Xev said quietly. “None of you have been born yet.”
Marissa