Menyara let out a low whistle. “Child, he’s going to hate you when he has to learn to spell that in school.”
“True, but at confirmation, he already has his saint’s name. So it serves more than one purpose. I think he’ll like it.” She smiled down at him. “You are going to like it, Mr. Baby. I insist.”
Nekoda closed the window and brought Nick back to the present. “It’s amazing the things we never know about the people we share our lives with, isn’t it?”
Yeah, it was. “I had no idea she’d planned to give me up.” He wouldn’t have blamed her if she had.
Kody swallowed. “Life is about making decisions, Nick. Large and small. Every day and with every breath we take.”
And it was about family. Those you were born to, those born to you, and those you let into your heart. That was how Simi defined it. Ironic really when you thought about it. The best definition of family he’d ever heard, and the only one he agreed with had come out of the mouth of an orphaned demon.
And while Kody’s powers had shown him things about his mother he’d never suspected and confirmed his worst fear about himself, he had a newfound respect for his mother. Through everything she’d gone through, she had never lost her courage or her fire. Neither her dignity nor her ability to find the one bright spot on the dirtiest mirror in the room.
Menyara was right, his mother was a beautiful soul. And if she, a mere human mortal, a child no less, could stand and fight for him, then he stood a chance to become something more than his father.
As Kody said, life was about choices. And his choice was not to be a tool for evil.
He would not become Ambrose.
I am Nicholas Ambrosius Gautier. And I was conceived in violence to fight violence.
Ambrose had fought against it, but he, Nick, would fight harder.
And he would save his mother, even if he had to kill himself to do it.
In raven form, Caleb landed on the sill of Adarian’s cell. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, Adarian wasn’t in there. Not that he was surprised. This time of day …
The beast could be anywhere.
Caleb launched himself up toward the sky and circled around the yard, searching for him. It wasn’t until his second pass that he finally spotted his target, sitting on a table all by his fierce lonesome.
It was actually frightening how much Nick looked like his father. Give the boy a couple of years, and they’d be indistinguishable from each other.
Except for their personalities. Nick was most often amusing and, as much as Caleb hated admitting it, endearing, even fun at times. No matter how bad a situation was, Nick could find something amusing about it. On the other hand, Caleb had never once seen Adarian crack a single smile unless it was a cruel one. And the only thing the senior Malachai found humorous was torturing others.
Yeah, they were nothing alike.
Caleb swooped toward Adarian’s white picnic table. Because of Adarian’s murderous nature and cruel tendencies, he was kept isolated from the other inmates. Four guards, shotguns cradled at the ready, stood around Adarian’s area that was separated from the general prison population by a fence topped with razor wire.
Luckily, he could fly right over it and not get cut.
Caleb landed on the table behind Adarian and cawed to let him know he’d arrived.
Adarian released a breath of supreme annoyance. “What are you doing here, Malphas?” he asked in a low tone after he’d covered his mouth with his hand so that the guards wouldn’t hear or see him talking to a bird.
You’ve been found.
“By?”
No idea. Whoever they are, they tried to access Nick’s room. They didn’t get in. But if they found him …
Adarian cursed.
I think it would be best if you left here.
“I’m not going anywhere. They won’t find Nick. Even if they do, they won’t mistake that guttersnipe for me.”
Caleb scoffed. You willing to risk your son’s life on that?
“No, but I’m willing to risk yours.”
Of course he was. Why not? If Caleb died, Adarian could always find another. I will keep him safe.
“Oh, I have no doubt you will. You’ve seen what happens to creatures who disappoint me.”
He’d also seen what happened to people who helped him. Either way, Adarian screwed you.
“Now go and protect him.”
Yes, my lord and tormentor.
Adarian turned to watch Malphas leave. So something had located him. It wasn’t the first time. Five years ago, he’d come close to being captured by one of his enemies. Death had never been an option.
Not until Nick had hit puberty.
Now that brat could take his place as Malachai.
Kirast kiroza kirent. Conceived in violence to do violence and to die violently. That was the promise written in the first language, on the Malachai symbol.
No sooner had that thought gone through his head than he felt his Malachai mark heat up. It was a warning that something from Azmodea was here.
A spark of electricity danced up his spine. Who or whatever it was, was watching him. Not that he cared.
But his end was coming soon. No matter how hard he fought against it, he knew the truth. He could feel it deep inside his bones.
If he didn’t kill Nick soon and absorb his powers, he would have to die. And that he wasn’t about to do. Not now.
He could always breed another son. One more malleable than Nick. One he could control and then kill.
Bitterness rose in his throat as he considered the son he’d only seen a few times. Who would have ever dreamed his wilting waif of a mother would possess a core of strength that was so staggering? Cherise had always been full of surprises.
But then so had he.
One of his guards snapped his head toward Adarian in a manner that was as recognizable as it was ludicrous. Some spirit had possessed the man. Which told him all he needed to know about the pathetic creature watching him.
“Lower forms don’t scare me,” Adarian said to the demon. “Higher forms either. Go home and leave me before I pull your wings off and shove you in a specimen jar.”
The possessed guard glared at him. “You’re the one who’s going to be shoved into a jar. And then we’re going to tear your son apart. Right in front of you.”
Adarian laughed at the fool. “Bring it.”
The demon attacked.
Adarian caught him up against his chest and held him tight. He choked the demon as he spoke to him in their native tongue. “How do you know about my son?”
“Everyone knows. We’ve known about him for centuries.”
Adarian frowned. Centuries? Nick was barely a decade old. What was the imbecile talking about?
“Malachai! Let him go or we’ll shoot!”
Adarian glanced askance at the moron who was interrupting them. “How did you find out about him?” he asked the demon in his arms.
“It wasn’t easy. Zeus took away his emotions. His lack of hatred shielded him from us for a long time. But that ban is weakening and we now know he exists and where to find him. That was sneaky of you, Malachai. Impregnate a goddess. But it won’t work. You will die. If not by me, then by one of my brethren.”
The guards opened fire. Adarian shielded himself with the demon he held. The human part of the guard’s body screamed as bullets pummeled him and sank in deep. Once the guard was dead, the demon pulled out and vanished.