how to run from things out to kill you. Before something gets a lucky shot in, I think we should take things a little slower. Learn to crawl, and then I’ll teach you to fly. Literally.
Nick’s eyes widened at that last bit. I’ll be able to fly? Really?
Kid, you have no idea what powers lie within you. What powers I’m going to teach you. But be warned, you are going to have many enemies come at you. Parthenopaeus being one of them.
Nick frowned again. Ash?
Yeah. He’s not what he seems, and if you have any brains in your head—and I know you do—you’ll cut him a wide berth …
Before it’s too late.
But he really liked Acheron. Surely someone who was so cool to be with and respectful to his mother couldn’t be so bad. Everyone had problems. Because he and his mother had been rudely misjudged by so many, Nick hated doing that to others. He believed in liking, not necessarily trusting, everyone until they personally gave him a reason not to.
Like shooting me when I decide that I don’t want to live a life of crime.
He heard the sound of exasperation from his uncle. Go to sleep, kid. Tomorrow will begin a new life that you can’t imagine.
With people trying to kill me?
Yes. And that includes your mother.
CHAPTER 2
Nick came awake to the sensation of his mother strangling him. Dressed in the black T-shirt she’d slept in and jeans, she was on her knees beside him, wringing his neck. “Ma! What are you doing?”
She tightened her grip. “I’m killing you. Do you understand? Dead. Dead. Dead.”
He coughed, trying to twist away from her. “What did I do?”
Growling, she released him and moved back, then popped him on the butt. “Because of the stunt you and those moron friends of yours pulled last night, I’m fired. I hope you’re happy. I can barely afford to feed and shelter us now. What am I supposed to do without a job at all? I didn’t graduate high school, and I have no experience except as a dancer.”
She looked like she was about to cry. “You have no idea how awful some of the other clubs treat their people. I know you hated my job, but it was the only thing I could find that paid above minimum wage for someone with no skills or real job experience. I can’t even work a cash register, never mind run a computer or do anything else. Peter won’t listen to an apology. He said that he doesn’t care what happened or how it happened. I’m fired and not to even come back for my check—he’ll mail it to me ’cause he never wants to see me again. Oh, God—what am I going to do?”
“Mrs. Gautier, I hear there are places online where you can sell children for a good price. Nick is still young enough, he should fetch enough to tide you over for a bit.”
Nick gaped at Rosa’s voice from the other side of the door as she walked past their room. Normally, he loved the sound of her thick accent, but right now … “Thanks, Rosa. ’Preciate it.”
“De nada, m’ijo.”
Nick scooted across the bed, trying to get away from his mom before she started choking him again. “Kyrian said he knew some people who could hire you.”
She stared at him as if she really could kill him. “That doesn’t get you off the hook, mister. Are you and Bubba going to waltz in and tranq me again and cause me to lose another job? You know most employers tend to frown on their sons bringing in a brute to carry them out over their shoulders when they’re supposed to be working.”
“But it was for your own good.”
“So’s the spanking I’m about to give you.”
Nick leapt back onto the bed, rolled across it, then ran for the door and into the hallway, where he hoped it would be safer. “I’m too big to spank.”
“Fine, you’re grounded until your grandkids are old.”
“Kind of hard to do. How am I supposed to have grandkids if I’m grounded?”
“Precisely my point, you demon spawn. You’re never going to get off restriction. Ever!”
The door at the end of the hall opened
Nick’s eyes widened at that last bit. I’ll be able to fly? Really?
Kid, you have no idea what powers lie within you. What powers I’m going to teach you. But be warned, you are going to have many enemies come at you. Parthenopaeus being one of them.
Nick frowned again. Ash?
Yeah. He’s not what he seems, and if you have any brains in your head—and I know you do—you’ll cut him a wide berth …
Before it’s too late.
But he really liked Acheron. Surely someone who was so cool to be with and respectful to his mother couldn’t be so bad. Everyone had problems. Because he and his mother had been rudely misjudged by so many, Nick hated doing that to others. He believed in liking, not necessarily trusting, everyone until they personally gave him a reason not to.
Like shooting me when I decide that I don’t want to live a life of crime.
He heard the sound of exasperation from his uncle. Go to sleep, kid. Tomorrow will begin a new life that you can’t imagine.
With people trying to kill me?
Yes. And that includes your mother.
CHAPTER 2
Nick came awake to the sensation of his mother strangling him. Dressed in the black T-shirt she’d slept in and jeans, she was on her knees beside him, wringing his neck. “Ma! What are you doing?”
She tightened her grip. “I’m killing you. Do you understand? Dead. Dead. Dead.”
He coughed, trying to twist away from her. “What did I do?”
Growling, she released him and moved back, then popped him on the butt. “Because of the stunt you and those moron friends of yours pulled last night, I’m fired. I hope you’re happy. I can barely afford to feed and shelter us now. What am I supposed to do without a job at all? I didn’t graduate high school, and I have no experience except as a dancer.”
She looked like she was about to cry. “You have no idea how awful some of the other clubs treat their people. I know you hated my job, but it was the only thing I could find that paid above minimum wage for someone with no skills or real job experience. I can’t even work a cash register, never mind run a computer or do anything else. Peter won’t listen to an apology. He said that he doesn’t care what happened or how it happened. I’m fired and not to even come back for my check—he’ll mail it to me ’cause he never wants to see me again. Oh, God—what am I going to do?”
“Mrs. Gautier, I hear there are places online where you can sell children for a good price. Nick is still young enough, he should fetch enough to tide you over for a bit.”
Nick gaped at Rosa’s voice from the other side of the door as she walked past their room. Normally, he loved the sound of her thick accent, but right now … “Thanks, Rosa. ’Preciate it.”
“De nada, m’ijo.”
Nick scooted across the bed, trying to get away from his mom before she started choking him again. “Kyrian said he knew some people who could hire you.”
She stared at him as if she really could kill him. “That doesn’t get you off the hook, mister. Are you and Bubba going to waltz in and tranq me again and cause me to lose another job? You know most employers tend to frown on their sons bringing in a brute to carry them out over their shoulders when they’re supposed to be working.”
“But it was for your own good.”
“So’s the spanking I’m about to give you.”
Nick leapt back onto the bed, rolled across it, then ran for the door and into the hallway, where he hoped it would be safer. “I’m too big to spank.”
“Fine, you’re grounded until your grandkids are old.”
“Kind of hard to do. How am I supposed to have grandkids if I’m grounded?”
“Precisely my point, you demon spawn. You’re never going to get off restriction. Ever!”
The door at the end of the hall opened
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