"Beloved?" Liam asked. "Did you just kill him?"I bit my bottom lip. I did. I did just kill him. I growled. Damn it. I pushed the vibrating energy back into his body. Mr. Kline gasped in a breath."Bowling alley," he wheezed. "Under the bowling alley."I tilted my head at him. "Now, was that so hard?""Kira, you have to protect me from her. She's going to kill me.""You should have thought of that before you worked for her." I turned away from him. "He's all yours, Liam."The lights flickered and faded just a little. A dark cloud billowed down the stairs and across the room. I jumped to the side as Mila solidified in the middle of it. She strode right towards me. The darkness formed around her like a cape. The pink god power flared to my fingertips, but my lack of energy made it short out. She threw me to the side. I hit the bar counter and slid down it. She reached out and twisted Mr. Kline's neck. He died instantly. His soul left his body, twisting in agony as it drifted up

It took me three days to get out of bed. Liam visited me several times a day, but I didn't listen much. They still hadn't found Kezia or Amy. I had all the books with the family blood runes brought to my room. They laid out over the floor and bed, all just within reach. My head felt fuzzy, and my body ached like mad. I felt like I had been stretched like taffy, and everything was just trying to figure out where it fit again.On day four, I finally decided to get out of my room. I showered and dressed. I wore the black leather this time. I donned my freshly cleaned Ardor Brothers jacket. I slipped on a pair of tall leather boots. Everything fit like a glove, and this time, I felt like I could pull it off. It was that, or maybe I didn't care if I did.I looked down over the balcony. Anton was sitting watching the television. It was playing the news. The giant hole where the bowling alley used to be was plastered all over the large screen with a headline reading: "Sinkhole appears in mi

Cherry brought me a White Russian, and I took it upstairs to the lair of curtains. I sat in the armchair overlooking the dancefloor, which was full of tables with chairs. The atmosphere was relaxed and the lights were still on.I sat sipping the drink when my first clients came in. They kneeled in front of me with their heads bowed.I sighed. "Can you please sit in the chairs?"The first one lifted her head. I realized it was Priscilla and the other two were Taryn and Halley."Beloved, we've come to pledge our allegiance to you.""Okay. I appreciate that, but seriously, please sit in the chairs. It's easier for me to talk to you if I can make eye contact with you. Also, I think you'd be more comfortable."Priscilla hesitated then slowly climbed to her feet. "Alright, Beloved. If it makes you feel better.""It does."When all three moved into chairs, I put my elbow on the armrest then rested my chin on my hand. "So, how is the orc community?"Pricilla bowed her head a little as

The elf leader spoke first. "This was Grange territory. If it isn't anymore, then we have every right to it."The rat leader sauntered forward in front of his minions. "I have come to claim it. Fight to the death. Whoever's left standing, wins."Don Archer stayed back. His men stood quietly behind him while he watched this play out.I turned my attention to the other two. "I took out The Grange Faction, so this is my territory. Get out."The rat-man snickered, sending a wave of laughter through his group.The elf leader regarded me. His blue lightning crackled in the palm of his hands. "I highly doubt you did that. They were a strong contender in this town. You're brand new to this. We don't even know your name."Don Archer nodded in agreement.Liam stepped in at my side. I held my hand out to halt him. I didn't want to play games. This would not be won through talking. I was going to have to demonstrate my power."This is my territory now," I growled. I let the pink god power

The darkness pressed in around me. It was cold and tingled my skin. The darkness expanded outward. A figure stood at a distance. So far, it was only vaguely human-shaped. I squinted, but there was no light. I was standing in empty dreamspace, just like I had been when Isabell had called on me. Except this wasn't Isabell, it couldn't be. It didn't feel like her.The figure floated closer. Slowly the edges of her defined into the small shape of Mila. She stopped about ten feet away from me. She still looked like Mila, but her presence was huge. Even though my eyes saw her the same, she felt like she took up so much more space, the monster under the mask."Where's Kezia? Where's Amy?" I asked.Mila smiled that too big grin with too many teeth. My stomach flipped in fear."Why do you need them? Are you trying to bring Isabell back?"She chuckled. "Isabell? No, she did her job." The darkness made Mila's voice sound more on the gravelly side. It made her seem older and more haunted."T