Karma sauntered through. Her hips swayed with every step. Angandriel followed a step behind her. He was shirtless and all his muscles were on display. He was perfect eye candy to match her. People parted as she walked through. She stopped ten feet in front of me and looked around."Why are these people staring at me?" She snapped her fingers from side to side. People's eyes moved with her hands. "Can they see me? Why can they see me?" Her eyes landed on me.I shrugged.She pointed to the nearest man. "You? Can you hear me?"He nodded quickly.She narrowed her eyes and leaned close to him, inspecting his face. "Why is that?" She pinched his cheek. The man grimaced but was smart enough not to pull away."What have you done, Lanie?" She let the man go and turned back to me."My name's not Lanie."She waved her hand. "Oh, whatever, Lanie, Kira. Just pick one.""I'm neither."She heaved a heavy sigh. "Then, just pick something. I'm getting tired of this game.""I don't think you
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
I plopped down in the armchair. I ran my hands through my hair. I had become a queen like the ones little girls dreamed about, except little girls didn't think about all the war and politics real queens had to endure. We were talking about things like people and territories, not sparkly ponies and dragons.I pinched the bridge of my nose as I thought. How was I going to find Kezia? How was I going to stop Mila? I guess I needed to get Kezia back, and then that would stop Mila, so I should make that my first priority. If Liam hadn't found her in town, then she probably wasn't anywhere around here. My stomach started to swirl with all this indecision. I could feel the magic inside me fizzle and snap.I pulled the book with the resurrection spell on my lap. I looked through it again. It needed one thousand souls and a major node. The only major node near here was in Utah, so... it looked like that would be where she would eventually end up, maybe after she got one thousand souls. I had
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
I sat behind Liam on his motorcycle. I didn't know much about motorcycles brands, but this one was black and thick. It must have weighed a thousand pounds. I held on to his leather jacket as an army of ten men escorted me back to the Ardor Bar.We pulled into the parking lot. The bikes settled in around us, each cutting their engines until it was silent. The men dismounted their bikes but waited for me. I swung off and waited for Liam.He turned to my waiting gaze. "I feel like you want to ask me something.""Can I go to Utah?" I asked.His face drew down into a deep frown."I think Mila took Kezia there. She's going to sacrifice her.""Beloved, you can't leave us. If you do, we'll be defenseless.""But Kezia..." I stared up at the imposing orc. He gave me the most pleading look an orc possibly could. I hung my head. "I understand."He held a hand out for me to lead the way. I walked down the stairs to the double doors into the bar. My group of ten bodyguards followed me only a
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
I slumped into a pile on the floor. I felt useless. I felt pathetic. I wiped at the tears on my face, but they just kept coming. I had no idea what I was doing, who I was, or what I should do. Juno had wasted her energy on me. I had made a mess of the faction. They were the only people that had been nice to me. I had fucked it all up and had no way to fix it. And Kezia, she was going to die because I couldn't do anything. And all because I couldn't pick a damn name. I lay there in the dreamscape staring into the nothingness. I was no one. I was nothing. I was worse than the darkness because at least the darkness was something. It was terror; it was fear. I was nothing. I stretched my hands out in front of me, reaching into the nothingness. I stared at them for a long time. They were my hands. They were not Kira's or Lanie's. They were not scars or tattoos. They were fresh. They already had blood on them, but they were new. They were mine.I was nothing now, but that didn't mean I
While I was brushing my teeth, the clothes I wore faded into nothing. I was left standing in my pajamas. Before the converse disappeared, I tried pushing a little bit of magic into them. They solidified again. That was interesting. So things I created couldn't stay in the real world for long unless I fed them energy. I let them fade and got dressed for the day.I walked down the stairs. Anton was waiting in the kitchen for me. He must have heard me in the shower."Good morning," he said with cheer in his voice."Morning.""Can I make you something?"I nodded."Perfect."He set out bowls and started making what looked to be waffles. I sat in the chair at the counter while I watched him work. I could feel that same energy that was in me in him. It wasn't the god power, but the succubus power. It was there but hidden deep beneath his soul. I stretched a hand towards him.His eyes looked to it then up to me with raised eyebrows."I just wanted you to know how grateful I am that yo