Page 37 of Immortal Sun

We have another hour before she suddenly gets tired and stops in front of the final case.

The book.

One that I haven’t touched in a very long time. It’s not refusal, it’s that the calling makes me sad, and feeling emotion makes my job extremely difficult.

“I haven’t seen this before.” Her fingers tremble and reach for the glass then pull back like she’s been stung. “The Ancient Gods of Egypt and the Fall of Heaven?”

“You know their names, I’m sure. It’s about the history between the Greek and Roman gods and how it links to fallen angels.” I look away, then I turn back and glance at her expression.

It’s full of awe and wonder. “I never knew a book like this even existed. Does it talk about their heritage?”

It talks about everything I don’t want to talk about. “It’s forbidden.” I smile sadly. “Some say to touch the ancient book is to kiss death on the mouth. You’ll die swiftly in a lust-filled view of destruction and never want to come back. Then again, that’s a fairytale. I mean, it’s just an old work of fiction.” Or knowledge, but it’s not for humans to know. I sealed it myself with the power of the Sun. And it will stay that way for an eternity.

She frowns, her hand raises again, shaking. She drops it. “Right, right, sorry I’ve just never heard of it.”

“Ah, seems like someone likes stories as much as her twin.”

She smiles up at me. “No, you’re probably annoyed I keep asking so many questions. I’m sorry, I know you’re really busy, or at least have been. Owning two bars and having a massive amount of employees can’t be easy to deal with, plus you said something about your private collection of artifacts. That’s a lot. I promise I won’t annoy you too much. It’s already been a long two days.”

Or eternity if you ask me, but sure, two days.

I take a deep breath and check my watch. “Well, since we can’t crack open that case without getting arrested, and the bar doesn’t open for another two hours. Do you want to see where your brother worked?”

I set the bait perfectly. I’m safe. She already trusts me. Touches me without realizing it.

Is fucking drawn to me like a moth to the flame.

She nods enthusiastically, and I almost start to feel guilty. See, this is why you have to control your emotions, it’s why you hone them, it’s why you don’t get distracted by tight sweaters and innocent smiles.

“Wait!” She grabs my arm, then drops her hand. “The police, I almost forgot, can you just show me where the station is so I can stop by later and get updates on Jake?”

“You already know the chief.” I say lightly. “It’s Daggon.”

Her mouth drops open. “You could have told me sooner.”

“You never asked, and I thought they’d been in contact.” I ignore her pissed off expression. “I’ll take you by before I show you his obsessive workspace.”

“Wait,” She frowns. “I mean I know he was studying over here but he had an actual workspace and everything?”

“The artifacts from the latest dig can’t be brought here until they’ve been studied,” I say strategically. “So we have the warehouse on property. My property. It’s just next door to Styx.”

I leave it at that.

And sadly, just like everyone else, she just nods as if it’s normal.

And here I thought she would be different.

CHAPTER 10

CLEO

“That which has a bad beginning is likely to have a bad ending.” - Hen-Thorir’s Saga, ch.. 4

The precinct isn’t that big. I see maybe five officers present and Daggon sitting in his blue uniform, hair pulled back. He’s texting on his phone, typing furiously with a super smug grin on his handsome face.

He’s arrogant, then again they all seemed that way at dinner.

Has he been the one I’ve been talking to without even knowing it? There’s a front desk area, and behind that at least eight other metal desks with laptops. The hallway in front of me is long, and at the end of it is a single jail cell. They must not have a lot of crime because every single cop seems extremely bored and all of them are on their phones.

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