Page 49 of Monsters of Mayhem

This time she let me take her by the hand and lead her gently inside the house.

Chapter 30

We landed in New York in a large marble and gilded entry hall. It looked like some throwback to ancient Greece mixed with the modern corporate world of America. I didn’t know quite how to place it, but the beautiful vases in the alcove almost took my breath away.

These people definitely had the money to set about paying for a cancer research facility.

“So, who are we talking to?” I looked at Magnus.

“You want to speak to Vina, but she’s hard to get through to. She’s the President of the DGC. I’ve made an appointment with the VP of Magical Objects.”

Laney looked at him, her brows knit in confusion. “What does starting a cancer research lab have to do with magical objects?”

“A lot of the magical objects we have might be able to be used to cure cancer. We just don’t know because no one‘s explored that avenue yet,” Magnus said.

Laney nodded in understanding.

If I could convince the DGC to back me, I would have a legitimate reason to be in the magic world. I’d be doing what I love in an environment I belonged in.

“I wonder if that’s why I like cancer research,” I murmured thoughtfully to myself. “Always able to see when people are going to die. Maybe it’s because I’m a banshee that I’m drawn to cancer research.”

Magnus motioned to a small door to a right. “Come this way. He’s ready for us.”

We walked into the room where a man sat behind a desk. Everything was very modern and stylized, but what caught my attention in this room was the view out of the floor to ceiling glass windows. So beautiful. Right over Central Park.

Magnus greeted him like an old friend, clasping hands with him. The man was tall and thin with red hair and a smile that went from ear to ear. I immediately liked him. He seemed warm and friendly and approachable. He also definitely had the demigod sheen about him.

I stepped forward, because I knew this wasn’t the time to be timid.

Magnus, with one arm around the shoulders of the demigod, introduced us. “This is my girlfriend Laney, Mikal. This,” he motioned toward me, “is the person I brought here specifically to meet with you. Caroline is my brother’s wife. My sister-in-law. “

I almost corrected him to say ex-wife, but after the night I’d just spent with Ryder, I was pretty convinced we wouldn’t be exes for much longer. Though he hadn’t mentioned anything before he left, I decided not to make the correction here, especially not in front of the Demigod Corporation.

“So, you’re the one all the fuss has been made about?” Mikal asked me.

“I don’t understand what you mean?” I said.

“Your husband was here looking for protection for you from the Demigod Corporation.”

“He was?” I asked.

“He seemed quite certain Vina would protect you but she ignored his request. We don’t protect humans or even the fae. It’s against our protocol.”

“That must’ve been what he was doing when he left.” I murmured the words to myself, but they ended out loud.

“I told you he wasn’t doing anything wrong,” Laney said with a smug smile.

“I know you said that, but there’s a little difference between you saying it and us seeing it.” I pointed out.

“What are you the demigod of?” Laney asked bluntly.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to just ask people stuff upfront,” I said.

“Oh, how else are you going to find out?” Laney asked. “It’s not like I can read minds. As a matter of fact, I don’t even have any supernatural powers I know of.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Mikal said. “There’s some kind of a sheen about you.”

“So, you’re the VP of Magical Objects?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation more toward the direction I wanted to head it in.

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