Page 3 of The Chosen Son

“Would you be open to changing it?”

“Sorry?”

“Your name. Can we change it?”

I scratched at the back of my head. “Um, to what?”

“I dunno, like Boy Lightning or Wonder Thunder or something.” I couldn’t stop the look of disgust that briefly took over my face, and he shrugged. “Okay, I admit, it needs work. Let’s just stick a pin in it for now. I’ll think of something.”

He stood from the chaise and held his hand out to shake. “Welcome to the team.”

If I’d been paying attention to my senses, the ones I’d just tried to brag about, then I might’ve noticed the warning prickle down my spine. But I didn’t pay it any mind, because I was excited; thisjob meant a paycheck and being able to pay my rent and phone bill, maybe cutting down on my ramen intake to only three times a week. So, I reached out and let him engulf my hand in his overlarge grip.

When our skin came into contact, I felt the ground lurch beneath me, like I was standing on the deck of a ship in the middle of the Atlantic during a violent storm. I smelled smoke and iron, felt a blast of scorching air across my face, tiny sparks of hellfire singeing my flesh, before a veritable tsunami of pure energy flooded through my veins, burning me from the inside out. Past, present, future, everything that ever was, nothing but blinding pain.

An image imprinted itself on my brain, of Phobos, bloody and broken in a heap on the ground, his face a mask of horror as a void of never-ending blackness opened beneath me. I felt a scream building inside me, but when I tipped my head back, no sound came out. A chasm split straight down the middle of the earth, the ground swallowing me whole, and I fell… fell…

I gasped, my eyes flying open. When had I closed them? The air was crisp and clean, not smoky at all, and the dappled sun shone through the tall windows. How much time had passed? It felt like hours.

Phobos was still talking, completely unaware of whatever just happened. “…And then once you’re back with your stuff, we’ll sit down and get all your banking information sorted out.”

“I’m sorry, what?” I sputtered, looking around for any sign of what I’d seen, but everything was exactly as it had been before he shook my hand, aside from the light sheen of sweat I felt dotting my forehead. “What stuff?”

He arched a perfectly sculpted brow at me. “I assume you do have some possessions, yes? So, as I was saying, you’ll have your choices of rooms in the west wing. I’m still trying to fill all the staff positions,but once we have a chef, we can talk about meal planning, likes and dislikes.” Was he… asking me to move in?

I couldn’t admit that I’d just blacked out and missed the entire conversation to what felt like a premonition—an ominous one at that—so I just smiled and nodded, playing along. I bullshitted my way through the next few minutes of chitchat then said, “Well, I’d better go get my stuff,” and waited to see if he would dispute it. When he didn’t, I headed for the door.

“See you soon,roomie.” Phobos followed me to the front foyer, but when he went to pat me on the back, I dodged out of the way like I hadn’t seen him. I didn’t know what that burst of energy I got off him was, but I was in no mood for a repeat.

I kept it together all the way down the wide bricked steps, until I climbed into my car. I slid the key into the ignition with shaking fingers, then just sat there, gripping the wheel until I could find gravity again.

“Please, gods, not again,” I whispered, closing my eyes.

It had been ten years since I saved the world from Nefarious. Ten years since I’d faced certain death and against all odds, survived. I could still remember how it felt to have the life drained from my body until I was nothing more than an empty shell.

It had been ages since I last experienced a premonition of any kind, and this one was…bad. Like, a thousand times worse than anything I’d felt before, and I’d beenawake. That had never happened before. My skills had always been limited to dream walking.

Premonitions were impossible to interpret clearly. They were like wading through a sludgy pond and trying to guess what you felt with your toes beneath the surface. So, there was a chance that Phobos could be bad news and should be avoided. Or—and this was just aslikely—maybe he would need my help to stop the end of the world. Maybe this was exactly where I was meant to be.

I took a steadying breath and told myself I couldn’t base my decision on whether or not to take the job based solely on my need for cash, but… My stomach growled, reminding me that I’d only had a packet of saltines and half a can of flat cola for breakfast, and that was six hours ago. It was no wonder I’d felt like shit lately.

I needed this job, desperately, so I would tell myself whatever lie needed to pretend I was making the right decision. My hands were steadier when I turned the key and drove back to my shitty little apartment to pack my things. Tonight, I would be eating a real, hot meal and sleeping in a mansion. The end of the world could wait another day.

Chapter 2

Deimos

My footsteps echoed throughthe concrete tunnel, repeating a parade ofclick-clacksback at me, making it sound like I had an army with me.As if I need an army, I thought with a smug sneer. No one could compete with me, not since I siphoned the power from that last batch of “borrowed” shifters. My blood sang in my veins, brimming with energy.

My plan was finally coming together, after centuries of patience, and at last, it was almost time…

My sneer turned to a scowl when I noticed the gray dust collecting on my expensive leather shoes. “For fuck’s sake,” I grumbled, tugging my handkerchief from my pocket and wiping them clean, even though I knew full well that it was a futile task. I still had to walk another three blocks down here, until the tunnel joined up with the public section of the underground, the part upgraded for tourists. From there I would make my way up to street level.

This whole secret lair thing sucked big time. All the money in the world didn’t matter, so long as I was in hiding. For now, discretion was key. I missed my mansion on the lake, missed my black CCXR Trevita, but the car was hardly subtle. I told myself that my current living situation was temporary. I needed just a tiny bit more power. I was almost strong enough. Just one more big score…

Gods, I sounded like an addict, and to be honest, it was probably a fair comparison. I did get a little high off the stolen energy, but this was different than a mere addiction. I had a purpose, a valid reason for taking it. And once that reason was gone, I wouldn’t need it anymore. Unless, of course, I had to defend myself from retaliation.

I stopped in front of the closed door and listened to make sure the coast was clear. Once I was sure it was safe, I pushed on the heavy panel. Pale purple light filtered into the dank tunnel, and I slid through the gap into a small shop.Myshop, to be specific. I owned a lot of businesses in Valleywood, and the Sugar Shack had been my first. Its location in the underground had been in a prime location; I couldn’t pass it up.

---