Sherrilyn Kenyon - Infamous

Adarian laughed. “You don’t know who or what you’re dealing with.”

“And neither do you.” Kyrian’s voice was as smooth and emotionless as if they were discussing the weather. It always amazed Nick that Kyrian could speak so easily without showing even the smallest hint of fang. “So if you want to dance with me, let’s take it outside where we have more room.”

Invading Kyrian’s personal space, Adarian was close enough to kiss him. Still, Kyrian didn’t blink or flinch—and that in and of itself was a call-out to his father.

Adarian raked Kyrian with a sneer. “You think you can take me?”

Kyrian cocked an amused grin. “You’re not the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. And you’re definitely not the most powerful.”

Adarian laughed. “There, you would be wrong.”

Just as Nick was sure Adarian would attack, Acheron moved to stand directly behind Kyrian.

His father’s eyes widened as he took in Acheron’s seven-foot height, four inches of which came from the thick-soled, flamed Goth biker boots he wore. More than that, Acheron not only exuded lethal authority, anyone with a drop of paranormal blood in them knew he wasn’t what he seemed. His powers surged in a way no one else’s did.

In the land of Bad Ass, Acheron reigned supreme.

Adarian took one step back as if rethinking his position. After a few seconds, he turned his head to speak over his shoulder. “You can’t keep me from my son, Cherise. He’s my blood.”

She shook her head. “No, he’s not. He’s my boy.” She put a long emphasis on the “my” part. “And I’m not sharing him with anybody. That includes you. I know you think I’m nothing. But I’m no longer the child I used to be and I’m not afraid of you anymore.” She pointed to Nick. “That right there is the only family I have. And I love him with every part of me. You touch him ever again and one of us will die. I promise you that. You can take it to the bank and spend it.”

A tic beat a fierce rhythm in Adarian’s cheek. And the promise in his eyes was loud and clear.

He would be back.

Sucking air between his teeth in a frightful hiss, Adarian brushed roughly past Kyrian and Acheron.

As soon as he was gone, his mother’s legs buckled and she headed to the floor. Moving with preternatural speed and power, Kyrian caught her against him.

It was only then that Nick could move again.

“Breathe easy, Cherise,” Kyrian said, scooping her up in his arms so that he could carry her to the recliner by the window. Gently, he set her in it and took two steps back.

She fanned her flushed face with a shaking hand. “I don’t know what got into me. He could have killed me. I’m surprised he didn’t.”

“You’re a mother who loves her child—who was protecting her son.” Acheron quirked a twisted grin. “That makes you the most dangerous creature on the planet. I’d face down a team of SEAL-trained mass murderers any day over one pissed-off mom, of any species, protecting her young. Believe me.” Tucking his hands into the pockets of his spiked motorcycle jacket, Acheron paused next to Nick. “What did he want?”

Nick let out a long breath. “I don’t know. I really don’t.”

His mom launched herself from the chair to his bed so that she could check on him. “Did he hurt you, baby? Why didn’t you call me?”

“I couldn’t. He had a Vulcan death grip of some kind on me. I couldn’t move or do anything.”

His mom brushed the hair back from his brow. “Well, he’s gone now and we’re done with him. I don’t ever want to see him again.”

Kyrian nodded. “We’ll make sure he stays away from both of you.”

She turned and offered him a grateful smile. “I can’t thank you enough, Mr. Hunter. I know it’s not your place. God love you for your decency. You’ve been so good to us.”

Her heartfelt praise made him bristle. Nick had noticed that Kyrian, in spite of having been a prince when he was a human in ancient Greece, didn’t like to be thanked. “I believe in helping people out whenever I can. I know you and Nick don’t really have anyone to watch over you, and while you’re both very capable, we all need a cavalry once in a while.”

His mom nodded. “I hate admitting it. But you’re right. It’s not in me to ask for help for nothing.” She glanced from Kyrian to Acheron. “And with the two of you and Menyara, I never have to.” Tears welled in her eyes.

“Mama?”

Blinking against her tears, she took Nick’s hand. “I’m okay, baby. It’s been a very emotional day. A lot has happened and the roller-coaster ride is making me a little sick to my stomach. But don’t you worry about me, Boo. I’m all right.”

Yeah, his mom had a core of steel unlike anyone he’d ever known.

Acheron dropped his backpack by the bed. “Why don’t you go on to work, Kyrian. I’ll take first shift of Nick watch duty.”

He inclined his head to Acheron, then turned to Nick’s mom. “If you need anything, call me.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“Anytime.” Kyrian knuckle-bumped Nick. “Take care, Cajun, and if you don’t stop getting hospitalized, I’m going to start docking your pay.”

“Yeah, and I’ll start scratching your car paint.”

Kyrian laughed. “You know I value my cars over your life, right?”

“I don’t believe it for a minute,” Nick called out as he left.

But Kyrian didn’t respond.

His mom patted his hand. “You know, this got me thinking, Boo. You do need to learn to drive. If you’d been in a car going to Liza’s, none of this would have happened…”

Joy rushed through him. “You’re going to teach me?”

She visibly cringed. “Yes,” she said in the most pathetic tone ever.

Acheron laughed. “Would you like me to teach him?”

She cringed even more.

“It’s okay, Mrs. Gautier. I don’t care if he bangs up my car, and I’m really, really patient when teaching people. Especially those with hot heads. I’ve been training folks for years.”

Man, that was an understatement. It was all Nick could do not to burst into laughter.

His mother scanned Ash with a doubting stare.

“You don’t look old enough to have been doing anything for years.”

If his mom only knew the truth.

“Please, Mom?” Nick begged. “No offense, but I think I’d rather have Ash do it, too. He won’t be screaming or grounding me if I make a mistake.”

She opened and closed her mouth as if she wanted to argue, but she knew the truth as well as he did. “Fine. But if I had a Porsche, there’s no way I’d ever let a fifteen-year-old in it, never mind drive it.”

Acheron scoffed. “He won’t be learning in my Porsche. It’s a standard. I think it’d be best to teach him in an automatic. Let him get used to the feel of the car and traffic rules before we complicate it with a gearshift. Last thing King ADD needs is one more distraction.”

“Hey!” Nick protested. “I’m not that—hey, did you see that?” He pointed to the wall as a joke.

“Ha, ha,” Ash said.

“So whose car will you use to train him in?” his mom asked.

“One of my others.”

His mom quirked a brow at that. “Others? How many cars do you own?”

“Ummmm…” Ash stroked the side of his face with his fingers. “A lot.”

“You don’t know?” she asked, aghast.

“Not really. Most are kept in storage and I have them delivered when I want to drive them.”

She pinned him with that suspicious look that meant she thought he was a drug dealer or a car thief. “What do you do again for a living?”

“Wrangle people.”

Her eyes widened. “You work in the sex trade?”

“No!” Ash practically roared that word.