The Dark-Hunters (432 page)

It was a dangerous combination to her sanity.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Sin stepped out and walked in front of them—something amazing given the fact that he didn’t like people at his back.
I guess he trusts Kish to warn him if I move to the attack.

What a pleasant thought.…

The casino was dark, with lights glowing from the slot machines and tables. Bells and electronic tones fought each other for supremacy while winners laughed and others shouted over low-playing music. The casino looked like total anarchy, and at the same time it was inviting and fun. She didn’t know what it was about places like this, but they were hypnotic.

Oblivious to it all, Sin walked through the area with purpose, heading toward the gaming tables as if he knew instinctively where to find his enemy.

Kat looked left and right, trying to locate anyone who might be against them or anyone who might be one of those things that had attacked her in New York. She saw numerous humans who were incognizant of the fact that they were in the center of a war zone. Several tall, blond waitresses in short black dresses paused to look at her with malice. They were Apollites, but the one circulating with change was a Daimon female. That one actually curled her lip at Kat, baring a hint of fang.

She ignored the Daimon as she continued to search for the gallu demon.

All of a sudden, something went through her. It was like ice gliding down her spine. A sixth sense that warned her of evil. She paused as movement to her left caught her attention.

There were five men there—all in black suits and all devastatingly handsome. Their skin was dark and tanned, which given their Persian ancestry made sense. Three had black, curly hair cut in a shaggy style. One had straight black hair pulled back into a short ponytail. Their eyes were every bit as black as their hair. Like glimmering obsidian.

But the one leading them …

He stood out even more than they did. His hair was a dark caramel-colored blond with lighter blond streaks. His features were sharp and fine. Aristocratic. And even though it was dark inside the casino, he wore a pair of dark brown sunglasses that hid his eyes. It wasn’t until he moved closer that she realized why.

His eye color was blood-red.

A sinister half smile curved his lips as Sin stopped in front of him.

There was something insidiously evil about Kessar even though he was beautiful. No doubt he’d been the kind of kid who had pulled wings off … well, most likely Charontes and then laughed while they cried.

“Well, well. Nana,” he said in a voice that was almost jovial. “How long has it been?”

Sin ignored his question and quipped with his own. “Who the hell let you out?”

Kessar laughed low and evil, and like Sin, he chose not to answer the question. “The Dimme are stirring. I know you know it.” He closed his eyes as if savoring something delectable. “I can hear their wings unfurling even as we speak. Feel the blood beginning to pump through their veins. My sisters will be hungry when they wake up. We shall have to make sure they have a smorgasbord.”

Sin scanned the demons behind Kessar before he gave the demon a pointed stare. “And I know just what to feed them.”

Kessar tsked at him. “We’re not a cannibalistic species, so you’re out of luck there. Just consider this a friendly call to let you know you won’t find what you’re looking for.… So don’t waste your time. We found the Moon first and now it lives where you can’t touch it. And when my sisters awaken, you shall join it in utter misery.”

Sin’s face went white as his features hardened. Kat could feel the concerned panic inside him swell. “What have you done with Zakar?”

Kessar ignored him as he focused that cold, lethal gaze on Kat. A slight frown darkened his brow before he moved to stand in front of her.

“What have we here?” he asked in a singsongy tone. “An Atlantean. I thought you were all dead.”

“Surprise,” Kat taunted.

He seemed to savor her rancor. He lifted his hand to trace the angle of her jaw with the back of one knuckle.

Sneering, Kat jerked her head away from his cold touch. She wanted to spit at him, but she was too dignified for such a thing.

Sin separated them with the cane, using it to force Kessar away from her.

Kessar looked down at the cane and his face paled a degree. “You can’t use that in front of the humans. What will they say?”

Sin shrugged. “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. It is, after all,
Sin
City.”

“Hmmm.” Kessar raised his hand and snapped his fingers over his shoulder. The demon with the ponytail moved forward. Kessar opened his hand and the demon laid a small box in his palm. Kessar then handed it to Sin. “In that case, here’s a small token to remember me by.”

Sin opened it. Kat turned away as she saw a severed finger with a ring attached to it. It was disgusting.

Hissing, Sin moved toward Kessar, but Damien pulled him back. “Not here, Sin. Not now.”

“You bastard,” Sin snarled from between clenched teeth. “You better watch your ass. I’m coming for it.”

“Funny, that’s what Zakar said, too. But he hasn’t spoken in quite some time. All he does now is whimper and cry.” He smiled coldly. “Just like you will.”

Damien kept his grip on Sin. But Kat had had enough. She might be too dignified to spit, but at the end of the day, she was her father’s daughter. Without warning, she walked up to Kessar and kneed him as hard as she could in the groin.

He doubled over instantly, groaning. Nice to know the demons were as susceptible to that tactic as a human. When the ponytail came forward she punched him so hard, he spun around. The others didn’t so much as blink.

Kat pulled Kessar up by the hair so that she could whisper in his ear. “Never underestimate an Atlantean. We’re not your average pantheon.”

His face changed at that. Large veins protruded from his forehead before his eyes glowed. His mouth grew larger as the double row of fangs appeared. He went to bite her, but Sin caught him by the throat.

Sin shoved him into Damien’s arms. “Take out the trash, Damien. I don’t want it stinking up my casino.”

Kessar’s face returned to normal so fast that it stunned Kat. He shoved Damien away from him. “Don’t touch me, Daimon. You’re not worthy.”

Damien curled his lip. “Up yours, asshole. I don’t want the Sumerian slime pit stench on me anyway. Take your girlfriends and get the hell out of our casino.”

Kessar straightened his sleeves. “Oh, we’re so going to come back here. In force.”

Sin’s features were hard and cold. “Looking forward to it.”

“So am I.” And with that, they turned and left, literally in a V formation.

“Wow,” Kat said under her breath. “They remind me of geese with that action.”

“Yeah, and much like geese, they usually shit all over your lawn.” Damien pulled a small container of breath freshener from his pocket and started spraying it. “Too bad we don’t have demon-be-gone.”

“Or do we?” Kat looked at the two of them. “What’s the one thing the gallu hate most?”

“You would be looking at him,” Sin said dryly.

“Yeah, but the next would be a Charonte. Right?”

Sin gave her a droll stare. “And in case you haven’t noticed, they’re not exactly in supply in this realm any longer. I believe your grandmother has cornered the market on them.”

Kat laughed. “Not entirely. I know one in particular who likes to visit here and who would love to have a chance to go on a feeding frenzy, especially here in Vegas where there are lots of pretty sparklies for her to see.”

Damien and Sin exchanged a frown.

“Who is this demon?” Damien asked. “And more important, is she attractive?”

“Oh, she’s attractive all right. But I would advise against making a move on her. The last man who did, sadly, ended up dead.” Kat pulled the cell phone off Damien’s belt and dialed the one and only number that would ring a dainty pink Razr cell phone that was covered with white and pink sparkles.

“Hello?”

Kat smiled at the light singsongy voice she knew and loved so well. “Simi? You got some free time?”

Simi made a disgusted sound on the other end. “Of course I do. You know
akri
on Olympus with that heifer-goddess I want to eat, but he won’t let the Simi have no dinner. So why you calling me, little
akra
-kitty?”

“I’m in Vegas and I find myself in desperate need of a quality demon. Bring your barbecue sauce, hon.” Kat smiled in triumph at Sin. “Lots of it.”

“Ooo … buffet?”

“Yes, ma’am. As much as you want.”

Simi let out an excited squeal. “The Simi is on her way. Lemme pack a few things and I’ll be right there.”

Kat hung up and handed the phone back to Damien. “One really hungry Charonte coming our way.”

Sin nodded, but his face was still dark as he looked down at the box in his palm.

Kat put her hand on him to comfort him. “We’ll find your brother, Sin.”

His expression made her heart ache. “Yeah, but what exactly are we going to find?”

Her stomach shrank at the thought and she could feel the fury inside him growing. If not for her and her mother, Sin would have been able to protect his brother and keep him safe. He must be plotting new ways to torture Artemis even as they stood there, and Kat couldn’t blame him for it one little bit.

Damien cleared his throat. “It’s daylight right now, boss. But tonight we can help you search for him.”

Sin shook his head. “You stay out of this. They’ll cut through you like butter.”

The look on Damien’s face said he wasn’t a bit afraid.

“What about Savitar?” Kat asked, thinking of someone they might be able to sway to their cause. “Or any of the Chthonians, for that matter? Won’t they help?”

“They haven’t yet. Since their civil war, all they want to do is guard their own territories and ignore the rest.” Sin set the cane down on the floor.

Kat cocked her head, remembering the way Kessar had reacted to it. It alone had given the demon pause. “What is that you’re holding? Demon kryptonite?”

“Sort of.” He lifted the handle to show her a thin blade, which was exactly what she’d expected it to conceal. “It was created by Anu much like the Atlantean daggers that kill the Charonte. It’s how we kept the gallu in line.”

Ooo, she liked the sound of that. “You got any more of them?”

“No,” he said with a sigh. “After all these centuries, they’ve become brittle. This is the last one I have, and since Anu isn’t around to make any more…”

They were screwed. He didn’t have to say the words; her mind said them for him. “Would an Atlantean dagger work on them?”

“I don’t know. You got one?”

“Not really. I was just thinking out loud. You weren’t supposed to call my bluff.”

“Sorry to spoil your thinking.” Sin turned to Kish, who’d been unbelievably quiet through everything. “Uncover the mirrors throughout the casino. Make sure that we have mirror coating on all the entrances.”

Kat frowned. “To keep out the Dark-Hunters?”

“To keep out the gallu. Mirrors show them for what they are. They won’t go near one.”

Damien snorted. “I like the idea of keeping the Dark-Hunters out better.”

Kat gave him an arch look. “I’ll bet you do. I’m surprised none of them have been in here cleaning house, so to speak.”

“I’m not real friendly to them,” Sin said. “The ones here know I own this place and they give it space. After all, unlike true Dark-Hunters, I’m not banned from hitting or killing them, and they know it.”

She gave him a sarcastic doe-eyed, worshipful stare. She even folded her hands under her chin and spoke with a fake southern drawl. “You’re just such a sweetie pie. I can’t imagine why the other Dark-Hunters won’t let you play their reindeer games. Shame on them all.”

He ignored her except for a little eye rolling. “Damien, keep a watch out for any more gallu until Kish can get the mirrors in place.”

“You got it.”

Kish headed off toward the nearest wall.

Picking the cane up, Sin turned and headed back for the elevators so quickly that Kat had to practically run to catch up to him.

He didn’t speak as he held the door for her. She was rather stunned at his uncharacteristic chivalry.

“Thanks.”

He inclined his head before he stepped back and let out a long breath. She could sense that he wanted to say something, but at the same time he didn’t want to say it. He wouldn’t even look her in the eye. There was something so incredibly boyish about his actions. It wasn’t like him to be uncertain about anything, and she found it oddly endearing.

While the take-charge Sin was sex on a stick, this one was lovable. Adorable and sweet. A strange dichotomy for the man, she was learning.

After a few seconds, he gave her a sheepish glance. “Do you have the powers to locate my brother?”

So that was what had bothered him. Sin had asked for her help. It was something she was sure he didn’t do often. Heck, from what she’d seen, this could very well be the first time in his life he’d done it. “I wish. Sorry.”

He cursed.

“But…” she said, hoping to cheer him, “my grandmother has the
sfora.
It might be able to locate him.”

Sin frowned.
“Sfora?”

“It’s like a crystal ball. You ask it to show you things and it does. Usually.”

There was no missing the relief in those gold eyes. “Would you try for me … please.”

The way he added that word said that “please” might be a first for him, too. She had to admit, she liked this side of him. She could actually be friends with this man. “Yes.”

Sin offered her a smile he didn’t feel. All he could think of was Zakar out there alone. Of him suffering the gods only knew what at the hands of his enemies.

Who knew how long they’d had him? The very thought made Sin’s stomach queasy.

How had his brother been captured?

Was Zakar even alive? But as soon as that thought went through Sin, he knew the answer. Of course Zakar was alive. The gallu lived for torture and bloodshed. To have an ancient god under their thumbs would be the bonus round of all time.

Damn them. Sin could barely breathe from the anger that thought ignited.