Page 14 of Tortured Soul
I wasn’t against that idea, but I guessed not.
I shook my head slowly. “If people attack you outside,” he continued, “guards should come to your help. This camp is a safe place for all, no matter how bad a first impression Carter made.”
I gave him a slow nod and reluctantly accepted the stone.Why does it have to be a fucking opal?It looked like a regular one, but on closer inspection, the inside seemed to ripple like water. Like the whole River of Tears was running through it.
His chair groaned as he leaned back to focus on his computer again.
“Alright, let’s get you sorted in the least risky house I can find. Then I’ll escort you and install a few locks, just in case…”
Chapter 5
Lola
Kai stopped in front of a wooden door.
The building was built in cream stone and just a couple of blocks away from the temple. Like all the other constructions on that street, the first floor seemed to be a shop, and the upper levels were made of a mix of wood and stones. I wondered if when they arrived, the first levels were already there and they built up to accommodate more people.
There was a bar open two doors down, and I'd already marked the couple of restaurants and the coffee shop down the street next to what seemed to be the main square surrounding the park.
“This apartment has two floors and six rooms,” Kai said, taking a set of keys from his back pocket. “It’s currently occupied by one demon, one angel, and two vamps.”
I nodded distractedly. Six rooms and four current occupants. It left two free rooms.
“They’re really nice,” Kai continued, like he thought I needed to feel reassured. “I’ll let them introduce themselves, but I’ve texted Aymeric before we left and I’m sure he’s made you some kind of welcome dinner that Marcus will complain about because the smell might disturb his childish nose. I swear that man is like a toddler and can only eat nuggets and chips.”
“Marcus? As in the guard who escorted me from outside to the tower and then to your office Marcus?”
“Yes. He can be a grump, but he’ll have your back.”
Will he? He did take great pleasure in me nearly stumbling down the stairs and knocking my own face against a door earlier…
Although, Kai said in his office that he was the one who reported what happened with Carter to Arc, so maybe there was still hope for him.
“Francesca and Savi usually keep to themselves. They sleep all day and spend their night hunting and scouting outside the walls. I don’t think they’ll be here right now, but you might see them tomorrow. Oh, and they’re mute.”
Okay, so I was going to share a house with some Divine named Aymeric that appeared to be a kind host, a grump Hellriser guard, and two silent Vampires. I guess it could’ve been worse.
If they could also all be asexual, that’d be awesome.
Kai slid the key in, turned it, and the door creaked open, revealing two distinct mailboxes—people still got mail? In here?—and narrow stairs that led to another wooden door. He closed the first one after us and climbed before me, knocking on the next.
The door opened not even ten seconds after. The man was old. And I didn’t mean old like me as his aura smelled quite…new. No, it showed. His dark skin was wrinkled with age. He had laugh lines that showed he used to smile a lot. Lines that were rare among Immortals, for a lot of different reasons.
There were numerous subspecies for all three Immortal kinds. Some were born Immortals, but, at least for the Hellrisers, most of the ones roaming the earth weremade. Although, you had more chances to succeed in selling your soul if you were young and your soul was not too tarnished. Most demons didn’t care about some old sinner soul as it wouldn’t gain them anything. I, for example, found that a younger soul gave me more energy than an old one. An old sinner would be a waste of my time as I would probably need to hunt again the very next day. Most made demons were young. Usually beautiful to easily tempt humans—after all, the human heart and soul was attracted to pretty things and power.
But this man was a Divine. I’ve heard the stories that some humans who fought on the Immortal side during the war and died had been made angels. Maybe as a reward or just to increase the Divine numbers—I didn’t know what the Almighty Heaven Daddy plans were. But I’ve never seen an old looking angel before. I wasn’t sure why, but it made my heart ache.
“There you are!” He smiled warmly. “Come in, come in!” He stepped aside to let us in and closed the door softly behind us. “I’m Aymeric. It’s really nice to meet you.”
I shook the hand he was giving me and smiled back. After Carter being such an ass, I was glad that not all Divine were out to get me.
“Lola. Thank you for having me.”
“Oh, nonsense. We’re delighted to have you join our house.”
We took a few steps in and stopped next to a table in a beautifully furnished pastel green and gray kitchen opened on a cream and white living area. It was a bit small and cramped, but the furniture and decoration felt cozy and warm.
“Careful Aym, she’s a sneaky and clumsy one. She might end up breaking your stuff and blame it on me,” a familiar voice mumbled from the cream couch.
