Ask the Oracle (5 page)
Authors: JJ Black
Tags: #Erotic Romance eBooks Totally Bound eBooks Books Romance
ASK THE ORACLE
26
through the cracked earth, erupting in fountains of molten flame. It would have been a
beautiful sight if Gray didn’t know the true purpose of the Pits. Even as the thought crossed
his mind, he could swear he could hear the echo of screams in the distance.
Raised voices sounded off to his left, tearing his focus away from the landscape.
Turning his attention to the disruption, Gray’s eye caught on two Demon males locked
together in some kind of altercation. Shouts and curses fell from their mouths as a feeling of
unease swashed over Gray. He was about to say something to Dreo when one of the men
roared and sent a ball of blue flame hurtling towards the other man. In a move almost faster
than Gray’s eyes could track, the other Demon threw himself to the side, just managing to
miss being barbequed alive, as the fireball crashed into a vacant storefront. As it was, the
smell of scorched hair filled the air. The downed man pulled himself to his feet, his
expression a mask of rage. The man’s hands erupted into yellow flames as he bore down on
his attacker. Casting a worried glance up at Dreo, Gray was surprised to see nothing more
than irritation colouring his face.
“Don’t you think you should stop them?” The sound of another fireball making contact
with a building had Gray cringing.
“There is little point,” Dreo said dismissively. “This is only the beginning of the chaos
that will ensue if we cannot find the guilty party soon. The Demon Council has been forced
to put up wards to keep the Underworld on lockdown since Lucifer was found dead. It is
impossible for anyone to come or go without approval from the Council. While some
Demons are happy living so close to others of our kind, there are others who prefer seclusion.
Forcing so many Demons to be in such close proximity for any period of time is like lighting
a stick of dynamite and waiting for it to explode. It is inevitable. Our only hope is that we can
resolve the situation before too much damage is done.” Turning away from the fight, Dreo
motioned for him to follow.
Gray swallowed nervously, trailing Dreo. Nothing like working under pressure. They
quickly made their way through the bustling streets until they found themselves standing
before the large iron gates of Lord Lucifer’s palace. Dreo shared a few quietly whispered
words with the demons guarding the entrance before they were ushered in with no further
delay.
JJ Black
27
Gray couldn’t help but marvel at the dark splendour of their surroundings. The black
marble that covered the floors was shot through with veins of silver, turquoise and violet.
That, combined with deep royal-blue walls, gave the appearance that the entire palace was
cast in a constant state of twilight. The beauty and peace emanating from their surroundings
was in complete opposition to what Gray had been expecting to find in Hell. Sculptures and
tapestries lined the walls as they passed, depicting everything from fallen rulers to events
from times long past. Gray was tempted to stop for a closer look but decided against it.
Instead, he tried to keep pace with Dreo, who was moving at a steady clip towards what he
had described as the main receiving hall. It was there that they were supposed to meet up
with Dreo’s team of demons who would be acting as Gray’s protection during his
investigation. Guards were dispersed along the way, cleverly hidden in the shadows of the
majestic sculptures. They remained motionless as he and Dreo passed, but Gray wasn’t
fooled. He could see the tension in their bodies and the sharpness of their stares. They were
ready to move into action at the slightest sign of trouble. Gray could admit he was
adequately impressed.
Passing through a massive stone archway, Gray found himself entering a beautifully
decorated throne room. The cavernous space was well over the length of a football field and
decorated in the same style as the rest of the castle he’d seen. Crystal chandeliers hung from
the ceiling, dripping with pale purple and silver gems that cast an enchanting glow over the
room. Black doors lined the walls of the hall, leading the way deeper into the castle. What
Gray wouldn’t give to have free reign to explore the gigantic structure. Who knew what lay
beyond those doors? The endless possibilities teased at his inherent tendency towards
curiosity. He gave them one last wistful glance before following after Dreo’s retreating form.
Continuing on, Gray finally noticed the Demons milling around the room. Dressed to
the nines, they were clearly from the higher echelon of Demon society. Dreo paid them no
mind as he continued through the throng, clearing a path with nothing more than his
presence. Gray tried to emulate Dreo’s dismissive attitude as he walked at his side. It became
more and more difficult as he found himself on the receiving end of some interested glances.
Some were merely curious, while others were downright hostile. Shrugging it off, Gray
reminded himself that he wasn’t here to make friends. He had a job to do and when it was
complete, he would never see these people again.
ASK THE ORACLE
28
They were nearly halfway across the hall when they were intercepted by a small
contingent of soldiers. Half a dozen men seemed to appear out of nowhere. Battle ready, they
quickly moved to surround Dreo and Gray. Gray had no idea what was happening and
answers didn’t appear to be forthcoming. The expression on Dreo’s face left Gray reluctant to
ask any questions about their, less than, warm welcome.
“What is the meaning of this?” Dreo’s eyes were blazing with barely leashed hellfire.
Whatever the reason, Andreo Demos was pissed. The soldiers, seemingly oblivious to his
mounting fury, held their positions. A large, barrel-chested man stepped forward, a sneer
plastered on his ruddy face.
“Povell.” Dreo gave the man a nod of acknowledgement before pinning him with an
expectant glare.
“My apologies, Andreo. We—”
“Lord Demos.” Dreo’s interruption was firm and immediate—his authority
unquestionable.
“Excuse me?”
Povell’s face was a mask of confusion. Gray had to admit, he wasn’t sure why the
interruption had been necessary. Maybe Dreo suffered from some form of Tourette’s?
Dreo’s dark brow furrowed. “You take liberties that are not yours for the taking. You
will address me by my title, Povell, as my station demands.” His tone brooked no argument.
Povell took a shuddering breath as his eyes widened at Dreo’s harsh tone. He looked as
if someone had struck him. The expression he directed at Dreo was filled with such shock
and longing, it was easy to see that there was history between them. If he’d had any doubt,
the vision that followed moments later, of Dreo and Povell playing mattress mambo, served
as confirmation of what he had already suspected. While the vision acknowledged the reality
that they had once been bed mates, it also reinforced the fact that theirs was not a true love
connection. At least not for Dreo, in any case. Any claims of love or deeper affection had
been absolutely one sided.
Gray felt a moment of pity for the other man. As someone who had found himself in a
similar situation in the past, he understood the devastation that came with such complete
rejection by an ex-lover. Feeling the need to comfort the other man, Gray took a step forward
but was stopped in his tracks by the hard, venomous glare Povell aimed in his direction.
JJ Black
29
“Who the fuck are you?” The sharpness of his voice and the steely glint in his eyes had
Gray feeling like a bug under a microscope. Apparently, the man had reasoned that Gray
was competition for Dreo’s affections. From the demon’s pinched, angry expression, it was
clear that he and Povell were not destined to be friends. The scowl he levelled on Gray
further cemented the fact that the man wished Gray a very slow and extremely painful death.
Not one to get caught up in other people’s drama, Gray yawned in the face of Povell’s
jealousy. He’d forgotten how exhausting people and their trivial issues could be. As someone
who saw the worst the world had to offer on a daily basis, he didn’t have the time or energy
to deal with things like petty jealousy. He preferred to direct his focus to areas where he
could make a difference. Dealing with the drama queen ex, of some guy who wasn’t even his
boyfriend, didn’t even make it on his list.
Stepping forward, Gray held out his hand in greeting. “I’m Grayson Muir. Lord Demos
has hired me as a consultant. He’s asked me to look into the death of your king.”
“Oh, that—right.” Povell laughed derisively. “The fortune teller.”
“Oracle, actually.” Gray smirked at the attempted jibe. “I understand your confusion. It
can sometimes be difficult for paras with a lower power base to tell the difference between
the two. Don’t worry,” Gray said sweetly. “No harm, no foul.”
“Excuse me?” Povell snarled, his eyes flashing with anger.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Gray continued sympathetically. “Some paras just
don’t possess enough magic to distinguish the difference between humans, paras and
mystics. Don’t let it get you down.”
“You little shit!” Povell roared, taking a menacing step towards Gray. Before he could
complete his move, Dreo had a strong grip on his shoulder and shoved him back, not
allowing him to gain even an inch.
“Because of our past friendship, I will let you walk away with a warning just his one
time—do not touch Grayson Muir. He is an honoured guest and is here at my request. Any
harm that befalls him, I will take as a personal attack on myself and will treat it as such. Trust
me when I tell you that you do not want to know how I handle those who seek to strike out
at me.”
Povell turned his attention back to Dreo, his full mouth twisted into a sneering mockery
of a smile. “My apologies—Lord Demos. If you would come with us, I have orders from the
ASK THE ORACLE
30
Council to detain you, and anyone in your company. You are wanted for questioning in
regards to the death of Lord Lucifer.” Despite the man’s contrite words, it easy to see that he
was barely able to contain his enjoyment with their current situation.
“You are making a mistake, Povell.” Dreo’s tone was stern, dripping with disapproval.
“No,
Lord Demos
. You are the one who made a mistake. I am doing my duty and
following orders. You’d know all about that,” he sneered. “If I’m remembering correctly,
duty to your position and duty to your race have always been first and foremost in your
heart. Or, perhaps your new choice in company has left you confused about where your
loyalties lie?” Povell’s expression was neutral, but his eyes were filled with an unspoken
challenge that immediately put Gray on edge.
“Now is not the time to bring up old grievances,” Dreo chastised. “It hardly matters
now, almost a century after the fact.”
“It hardly mattered then,” Povell countered, his words tinged with anger and old pain.
“Trust me, you made that more than clear.”
Dreo’s expression softened, taking a step towards his ex-lover. “I’m sorry, old friend. I
admit, my thoughts and actions back then were careless. I never intended to hurt you.”
Povell jerked, the words connecting like a physical blow. Brows pulled down, his eyes
narrowed as he focused dark look on Dreo. “Intended or not, the past cannot be undone. We
all have to live with our own choices and their consequences, both the good and the bad.”
Povell was pushing Dreo’s buttons, looking for a fight. If he wasn’t careful, he was
going to get more than he bargained for. Gray could sense the rage and regret warring
behind Dreo’s calm exterior. There was no telling what could happen if he allowed that
anger free reign.
Watching Povell warily, Gray felt a slight change in the air, followed by a prickle
behind his eyes. His vision began to dim, becoming hazy around the edges.
Damn it! Not
now
!
For the most part, Gray had control of his gift, choosing when or if he would
See
. In
some cases, however, the Oracle blood within him was able to sense a wrongness or need,
and would drag him into a vision, whether he wanted to
See
or not. Gray hated the loss of
control, but he hated what he was usually forced to witness, more. A spontaneous vision was
never filled with sunshine and roses. Whenever he was forced to
See
, it was usually to bring