The Darkest Torment
Page 95
Katarina swiped out her arm, intending to claw through the pink-haired beauty’s throat.
Keeley smiled at her. “Sleep,” she said, and a second before contact, it was lights out for Katarina and both of the dogs.
* * *
Music filled the nightclub as a live band played on stage. Crowds of people—scratch that, crowds of immortals—packed every inch of the place. Katarina sat at a corner table, pre-hungover but post-buzz. The dogs lounged at her feet, licking her ankles every few minutes to let her know they were on guard.
She’d awoken from her impromptu snooze about an hour ago and found herself and the dogs in an unfamiliar but lavish office, sprawled across a plush leather couch. She’d remembered what had transpired in the bar and had gone in search of Keeley, grateful for the preemptive measures the girl had taken, a lot miffed, but desperate to apologize. For one brief moment, she’d wanted to kill the girl. Kill her. As in, end her for all eternity.
If she’d done so, Katarina never would have forgiven herself.
Was that the same kind of struggle Baden endured on a daily...hourly...basis?
She’d discovered she was still inside Downfall and though Keeley had taken off, Kaia, her sister Taliyah and Bjorn and Xerxes—Sent Ones, the winged warriors were called, a species in charge of angels—had still been present, preparing for the club to open.
“Don’t worry about the Red Queen,” Bjorn had said. “She’s already forgotten you.”
“Sit, relax,” Xerxes had said, escorting her to the table she now occupied. “Enjoy the show.”
“Aren’t you worried she and her canine entourage will eat your guests?” Kaia had asked. “I mean, they’re hellhounds! Do you know how many of my clan died because of those things?”
Was Katarina to be hated, even ostracized? “I can go.”
Taliyah had patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t be dumb. I’m thinking about becoming gay for you. You’re worth knowing now. And as long as we keep your secret, no one will come after you and your dogs.”
Now Katarina watched the happenings inside the club with wide eyes. These people—immortals—partied like rock stars high on a cocktail of crank, adrenaline and top-of-the-line steroids. They danced with abandon, hands wandering, bodies gyrating. Some of the creatures had wings, but every set was different and specific to each immortal. Some wings were feathered while some were made of membrane and bone. And the colors! Everything from snow-white to jet-black. Rainbows everywhere probably wept with envy.
Some of the immortals had horns. And not just on their heads. Some had snakes rather than hair. Living snakes. An instinct she hadn’t possessed before the pups changed her told her not to look those snakes in the eye. Some of the immortals had fur rather than skin. It was as if every fairy tale she’d ever read was represented here. Mythical creatures she would have sworn were the product of an overactive imagination—or nightmares, yeah, mostly nightmares—walked by her.
The most startling thing? She now belonged among them. She might not fully shift into a hellhound, and she might still be susceptible to age and death, but she was too dangerous to be around humans, her temper a little too hot to handle. If ever she lost control and used her razor-sharp teeth and claws...
She was strong enough for Baden, physically and every other way. Not that he would ever know it. The bastard! But...
The truth was, she already missed him, and tristo hrmenych, she still ached for him. Was he thinking of her? Regretting his commands?
The burn returned to the backs of her eyes, though once again, no tears formed. Deep breath in...out.
She studied her new world more intently, grateful for the distraction. Whatever the origins of the immortals, none of the beings were afraid to throw down. In fact, three fights had already broken out. The worst one had begun when someone shouted “son of a troll whore.” The biggest guy Katarina had ever seen had broken things up with only a look.
Baden could take him, she thought with a stab of pride.
Ugh. Have to stop thinking about him.
A vampire approached her table and licked his lips. His fangs were bright white—had he used strips?
“Hallo, pretty. Fancy a rub and tug?”
Her defenses kicked into high gear. “Not interested.”
Bjorn and Xerxes swooped out of nowhere and “escorted” the vampire away. Such sweethearts, she thought, smiling when they returned to her side.
Bjorn tugged on a lock of her hair. “You are a new participant in the war, and you’re on our side. We will allow nothing to happen to you while you’re here.”
“But I’m not a participant in anything. I’m just—”
“Say cheese.” Taliyah snapped a few dozen pictures of their group on her cell phone. She winked at Katarina, saying, “Thanks. I think that’ll do the trick.” Then, as quickly as she’d appeared, she was gone.
Xerxes sighed. “The girl hopes to cause trouble.”
“Don’t they all,” Bjorn remarked.
On the dance floor, Katarina caught a glimpse of—Baden?
Her first thought: He’s come to apologize!
Heart drumming erratically, she jumped to her feet. “Excuse me, gentlemen. Stay,” she told the dogs, not wanting them to become lost in the crowd or to be overlooked and stampeded. She stalked across the room, pushing her way through the crowd...but Baden wasn’t where she’d seen him.
Frowning, trying not to wilt with disappointment, she spun, searching for him. There! In the back, by a closed door. She raced forward—but Baden wasn’t at the door, either. Inside the room? She tested the knob. No lock. Tentative, she entered...an office. Different than the one she’d woken in.
“Hello?”
No response.
There was a desk, two plush chairs and a wall of monitors showing different areas of the club. As she stepped deeper inside, a gust of wind slammed the door shut, and she gasped.
A tall, leanly muscled man with dark hair—no, light hair...no, dark...no, red...no, light again—stepped into view. He wore an expensive suit tailored to his body, and to be honest, he was probably the most beautiful male she’d ever seen. He exuded sex and sophistication and yet, something about him made her shudder with distaste.
“Greetings, Katarina.” His voice was as seductive as the rest of him and drew another shudder from her. “So nice to meet you in person at last.”
Keeley smiled at her. “Sleep,” she said, and a second before contact, it was lights out for Katarina and both of the dogs.
* * *
Music filled the nightclub as a live band played on stage. Crowds of people—scratch that, crowds of immortals—packed every inch of the place. Katarina sat at a corner table, pre-hungover but post-buzz. The dogs lounged at her feet, licking her ankles every few minutes to let her know they were on guard.
She’d awoken from her impromptu snooze about an hour ago and found herself and the dogs in an unfamiliar but lavish office, sprawled across a plush leather couch. She’d remembered what had transpired in the bar and had gone in search of Keeley, grateful for the preemptive measures the girl had taken, a lot miffed, but desperate to apologize. For one brief moment, she’d wanted to kill the girl. Kill her. As in, end her for all eternity.
If she’d done so, Katarina never would have forgiven herself.
Was that the same kind of struggle Baden endured on a daily...hourly...basis?
She’d discovered she was still inside Downfall and though Keeley had taken off, Kaia, her sister Taliyah and Bjorn and Xerxes—Sent Ones, the winged warriors were called, a species in charge of angels—had still been present, preparing for the club to open.
“Don’t worry about the Red Queen,” Bjorn had said. “She’s already forgotten you.”
“Sit, relax,” Xerxes had said, escorting her to the table she now occupied. “Enjoy the show.”
“Aren’t you worried she and her canine entourage will eat your guests?” Kaia had asked. “I mean, they’re hellhounds! Do you know how many of my clan died because of those things?”
Was Katarina to be hated, even ostracized? “I can go.”
Taliyah had patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t be dumb. I’m thinking about becoming gay for you. You’re worth knowing now. And as long as we keep your secret, no one will come after you and your dogs.”
Now Katarina watched the happenings inside the club with wide eyes. These people—immortals—partied like rock stars high on a cocktail of crank, adrenaline and top-of-the-line steroids. They danced with abandon, hands wandering, bodies gyrating. Some of the creatures had wings, but every set was different and specific to each immortal. Some wings were feathered while some were made of membrane and bone. And the colors! Everything from snow-white to jet-black. Rainbows everywhere probably wept with envy.
Some of the immortals had horns. And not just on their heads. Some had snakes rather than hair. Living snakes. An instinct she hadn’t possessed before the pups changed her told her not to look those snakes in the eye. Some of the immortals had fur rather than skin. It was as if every fairy tale she’d ever read was represented here. Mythical creatures she would have sworn were the product of an overactive imagination—or nightmares, yeah, mostly nightmares—walked by her.
The most startling thing? She now belonged among them. She might not fully shift into a hellhound, and she might still be susceptible to age and death, but she was too dangerous to be around humans, her temper a little too hot to handle. If ever she lost control and used her razor-sharp teeth and claws...
She was strong enough for Baden, physically and every other way. Not that he would ever know it. The bastard! But...
The truth was, she already missed him, and tristo hrmenych, she still ached for him. Was he thinking of her? Regretting his commands?
The burn returned to the backs of her eyes, though once again, no tears formed. Deep breath in...out.
She studied her new world more intently, grateful for the distraction. Whatever the origins of the immortals, none of the beings were afraid to throw down. In fact, three fights had already broken out. The worst one had begun when someone shouted “son of a troll whore.” The biggest guy Katarina had ever seen had broken things up with only a look.
Baden could take him, she thought with a stab of pride.
Ugh. Have to stop thinking about him.
A vampire approached her table and licked his lips. His fangs were bright white—had he used strips?
“Hallo, pretty. Fancy a rub and tug?”
Her defenses kicked into high gear. “Not interested.”
Bjorn and Xerxes swooped out of nowhere and “escorted” the vampire away. Such sweethearts, she thought, smiling when they returned to her side.
Bjorn tugged on a lock of her hair. “You are a new participant in the war, and you’re on our side. We will allow nothing to happen to you while you’re here.”
“But I’m not a participant in anything. I’m just—”
“Say cheese.” Taliyah snapped a few dozen pictures of their group on her cell phone. She winked at Katarina, saying, “Thanks. I think that’ll do the trick.” Then, as quickly as she’d appeared, she was gone.
Xerxes sighed. “The girl hopes to cause trouble.”
“Don’t they all,” Bjorn remarked.
On the dance floor, Katarina caught a glimpse of—Baden?
Her first thought: He’s come to apologize!
Heart drumming erratically, she jumped to her feet. “Excuse me, gentlemen. Stay,” she told the dogs, not wanting them to become lost in the crowd or to be overlooked and stampeded. She stalked across the room, pushing her way through the crowd...but Baden wasn’t where she’d seen him.
Frowning, trying not to wilt with disappointment, she spun, searching for him. There! In the back, by a closed door. She raced forward—but Baden wasn’t at the door, either. Inside the room? She tested the knob. No lock. Tentative, she entered...an office. Different than the one she’d woken in.
“Hello?”
No response.
There was a desk, two plush chairs and a wall of monitors showing different areas of the club. As she stepped deeper inside, a gust of wind slammed the door shut, and she gasped.
A tall, leanly muscled man with dark hair—no, light hair...no, dark...no, red...no, light again—stepped into view. He wore an expensive suit tailored to his body, and to be honest, he was probably the most beautiful male she’d ever seen. He exuded sex and sophistication and yet, something about him made her shudder with distaste.
“Greetings, Katarina.” His voice was as seductive as the rest of him and drew another shudder from her. “So nice to meet you in person at last.”
