The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1)

“ANOTHER STOP?” Liam groaned and shifted in the passenger seat.

Granted, I saw his point. We’d had to get gas several times, and I was hungry again. Since I was trying my best not to eat people, snacks it was.

‘Yes, another stop. Don’t you want to get out and stretch your legs? We have been trapped in this car for hours now.’

‘No, what I would like is for us not to drive everywhere when faster forms of transportation are available.’

‘And I have told you at least seventeen times why we can’t.’

He waved his hand toward me, clearly agitated. ‘Yes, yes, you and this obsessive radar.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Besides, I have to pee, and I am hungry.’

He gave me an exasperated look. ‘But you just ate a few hours ago.’

‘You know, normal people eat more than once a day.’

‘You are not a normal person, or a person, for that matter.’

I bit my lip as I threw the car into park. ‘Gods, it is a surprise you have any friends at all.’

‘Says the one whose friends repeatedly try to kill her.’

My gaze narrowed. ‘Someone is cranky. When was the last time you actually ate?’

He avoided eye contact and stared toward the small convenience store. ‘Just hurry up,’ he snapped.

I turned fully in my seat, placing my arm on the steering wheel. ‘Liam. When was the last time you ate?’

I knew he hadn’t eaten yesterday or the day before since I had gotten food and ended up eating it all. It just now occurred to me that I hadn’t seen him eat or sleep. Although, what I had been doing could barely be considered sleep. Images of Rashearim and Liam’s past still plagued my dreams. Luckily, they consisted more of battles and less of the orgies.

The air in the vehicle felt condensed, as if his agitation had physical weight. The locks on the door popped up, and my door opened. I jumped slightly and looked behind me. Had he done that? Of course, he had. My mind flashed to the attack on Arariel when I’d tried to escape. I’d felt an invisible force like a large hand had wrapped around my tail and yanked me back.

‘Five minutes,’ he said gruffly as he leaned against the passenger door, arms folded. He was such an arrogant ass.

‘I cannot pee in five minutes. I would have to run through the store,’ I said, throwing my hands up.

He didn’t say anything, only raised a brow as if challenging me.

I sighed heavily, tilting my head back briefly before looking at him again. ‘Ugh. Give me ten minutes.’

‘Eight.’

‘Liam.’

He looked at me as if I had asked him the most idiotic question when all I’d done was say his name.

‘Did you assume I was… What’s the word?’ He paused, looking away for a second as he searched for the word he wanted. ‘Joking? When I said I did not want you out of my sight?’

‘Fine.’ I groaned, throwing up my arms again.

‘You have seven minutes now since you want to argue.’

I narrowed my eyes at him. If I could have choked the life out of him, I would have.

I didn’t bother arguing. There was no point. Liam would only count down more, and I didn’t want to risk him following me inside. I shook my head and glared at him a moment longer before jumping out of the car. I closed the door a little too hard, but he was a complete ass, and his high and mighty routine was wearing on my nerves. It was a power trip, and I was so sick of dealing with men and their egos.

A bell dinged overhead as I pushed the glass door open. The attendants glanced my way, the one at the register smiling as she handed cash back to the person she was helping. Several shelves filled with snacks and supplies of every variety formed aisles in the small space. A child picked out a bag of candy, and her brother opted for chips while their parents smiled indulgently.

I swept my gaze across the store, making sure I knew where everyone was and noting my exits. The frozen drink machine called to me, and I went straight to it, gleefully mixing three different colors until it formed a purple concoction. There was enough sugar in that sweet brew to keep me awake for at least a few more days.

I took a sip and kept an eye on the cashiers as I wandered through the small store. The bell above the door rang several times as people came and went. I grabbed a few bags of chips and some sandwiches before heading to the register. One of the cashiers started sweeping, watching me from the corner of his eye as I placed my purchases on the counter. The bell dinged again as the only other customer in the store left.

‘Why are you here?’

A beep sounded as she scanned my chips.

‘That’s rude, Reissa. No hello, or how have you been?’

She narrowed her eyes at me and said, ‘Everyone from the Otherworld knows how you have been. Kaden put a large sum on that pretty head of yours.’

Another boy came from the back, glancing at me sideways as he passed to the other register. He looked to be in his late teens, but it was hard to tell.

‘That’s what I hear. So, are you planning to chop it off, then?’ I said, leaning forward to take a long sip from my drink.

She scanned the last sandwich and bagged it before placing both of her hands on the counter.

Reissa met my eyes, holding my gaze. ‘I just want to live in peace with my children, Dianna,’ she said, nodding toward the two boys. ‘Besides, any violence would only alert that large man in your car. Although he is not a man at all, is he?’

I glanced behind me, taking another sip of my drink and making sure the car and Liam were right where I had left them. I had parked so that he did not have a line of sight into the store. ‘Anatomically, yes, everything else I would go with no.’

She shook her head and slowly pushed off the counter, tying the bags closed. ‘Why would I help you, Dianna? Kaden finds out, and he will not only have my head, but he will go after my children as well. The risk is too great.’

‘That’s fair.’ I reached forward with my free hand and grabbed the back of her head. My fingers coiled in her hair, and I slammed her face onto the counter, holding it there.

‘You know, I tried to be nice the first time I asked for help. It got me shot in the chest and poisoned, so I don’t think I want to be nice anymore.’

I picked up her head and slammed it down hard against the counter again.

I heard the broom drop as her sons rushed forward to protect their mother. I glanced at them, my lips curved in a wicked grin.

‘Oh, yes, please do. I haven’t burned anyone alive in at least a month.’

‘Stop.’ She grunted beneath my hand. ‘It’s okay.’

The boys skidded to a stop and glanced at her before glaring at me.

‘Let’s play a game. You tell me what I want, and I don’t barbecue you and this place.’

‘You wouldn’t.’

Reissa yelped as I slammed her head against the counter once more. ‘I hope my reputation hasn’t taken that much of a hit.’

She made a noise under her breath but didn’t comment further.

‘Come on. Don’t be like this.’ I leaned closer, my hand pressing harder against her skull. She grunted from the pressure. ‘Would you like to see your sons on their knees, begging for death while I liquify their organs from the inside out?’

I couldn’t really do that. I had tried once, but they’d ended up combusting long before the actual pleading started. It was still a good threat, and I knew it had worked when I smelled her fear.

‘Okay, okay, okay,’ she pleaded, and I eased up, lifting my hand. She pushed off the counter and smoothed her hair with a couple of small movements before straightening the front of her slightly wrinkled shirt.

‘Besides,’ I said, turning my straw in my drink to break up the ice that had clumped up at the bottom, ‘the less noise we make, the better. We don’t want tall, dark, and annoying getting out of the car.’

‘So it is true. You have the World Ender in your palm. Well, if anyone could corrupt a god, it would be you.’

My lip curled up in disgust at her innuendo. ‘What? Is that what everyone thinks? That I fucked my way out?’

‘You are everything he hates. Why else would he have not incinerated you at first sight?’

Smoke curled from my nostrils, and I knew my eyes had flashed red. The Styrofoam cup in my hand sizzled and then melted, the blue and purple liquid falling to the floor with a splat. ‘I may not be under Kaden’s rule any longer, but that does not make me any less of a threat. Disrespect me again, and you will be the last of your eight-legged race.’

She stared at the sticky mess on the floor and then reluctantly met my eyes. Her throat bobbed once as she swallowed hard. ‘Sorry, it’s just—’

‘The Otherworld talks, I know, I know.’ I shook my hand, slinging off the remains of my drink.

Her sons hadn’t moved, but their bodies were tense, and their hands fisted. I saw their shirts ripple around their shoulders, the legs that they kept hidden beneath their skin moving in an intimidation tactic. Cute. It wasn’t until I took a breath, calming the current of anger roiling through me, that I heard movement from behind the metal door. She had more than just the two boys with her.

She waved toward one of the boys, silently ordering him to clean up the mess. She watched him leave to grab the mop before turning back to me. ‘What do you need?’

‘A safe way to get past El Donuma. Camila will have my head if I step foot in that area.’ I had about four minutes of my allotted time left. I needed to hurry this up.

‘Ah, yes, the Witch Queen. Maybe if you had given her what she wanted, she wouldn’t hate you and Kaden so.’

‘Kaden made Santiago his main witch bestie, not me. I know her power rivals his, but Santiago has a dick, which automatically gets him a leg up.’ I turned toward her sons. ‘No offense.’

‘If I help you, what do I get in return?’

I shrugged. ‘I don’t know. What do spiders want?’

Reissa’s fist slammed down on the counter, causing the machine to glitch. Several eyes popped open along her forehead, her mortal disguise slipping as needle-like spines poked through her bad wig. ‘We are not spiders! You know I hate that comparison.’

I smirked, amused that I’d pissed her off. ‘Are you sure about that? Between the legs and eyes, and oh, let’s not forget the weblike creations I know you have in the back, it all seems to add up to spider. What’s on the meal plan today?’ I leaned closer, sniffing the air. ‘I smell deer and… oh, hitchhikers.’

Her lip curled back in anticipation of her fangs descending. ‘Is your diet any better?’

‘I gave up mortal a long time ago. I’m practically an Ig’Morruthen vegetarian now.’

She shook her head and took a deep breath, her many appendages and eyes disappearing as she resumed her mortal shape. She ran a hand over her wig and said, ‘I have a way you can sneak past El Donuma, but you’ll have to ask him yourself. Lines have been drawn, Dianna. Kaden has lost two generals, and his faction is shaken. No one trusts anyone anymore.’

I looked at my hands, imagining the blood that marked them even now. All I saw was red. After what I had done, Kaden would never stop hunting me, and his entire infrastructure had to be on the verge of a civil war. If they thought he couldn’t keep even his closest in line, he would have to do something drastic to regain control. I clamped down on those thoughts and met her gaze, my fingers tapping on the counter.

‘Where is he? This man who can help me?’

She reached under the counter, taking out a small gray lockbox. She dug a key out of her apron and unlocked it. After rummaging through a few phones, she chose a small black one. She opened it with a flip and turned it on.

I glanced at the large clock on the wall. Fuck, I was running out of time. I glanced out the glass doors, hoping Liam wasn’t on his way in. She typed a number into the phone before handing it to me.

‘A festival has popped up in Tadheil. He will be there. I’ll tell him to expect a call from this number. Be there when he tells you to be because he will not wait.’

I sighed and shook my head, knowing Liam would throw another fit once he found out. ‘I don’t have time for a festival.’

‘Make time because whether or not you like it, there is no one who will want to help you now.’

I didn’t say anything else as I took the phone from her and put it in my back pocket. I grabbed my bags and headed toward the door. The bell chimed once more as I exited and slammed into what felt like a brick wall.

‘Son of a—’ I looked up, rubbing my head. ‘Liam.’

‘You lied.’ Liam’s gaze narrowed on me, his arms folded.

My pulse quickened. Had he heard me talking to Reissa? Had he seen everything? If he knew what they were and what was kept in the back, he would destroy them and the store. I may have threatened them, but I had no intention of following through. They were a small family, and I would not be responsible for them losing each other.

‘You said you had to use the bathroom, but what is that?’ He pointed at the bags in my hand. I released my breath, the tension in my shoulders subsiding.

‘Oh, this? Yes, I got us snacks.’ I smiled and walked around him, hoping he would follow. I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt that harrowing power behind me a moment later. Thank the gods. I headed to the car, opening the driver’s side as he walked around the front. He didn’t give the store a second glance.

‘You took too long,’ Liam scolded as he slid into his seat and closed the door.

I shrugged. ‘I told you, I got snacks. You need to eat something.’

Liam massaged his temples as if the very thought was too much for him. ‘Can you please drop that subject?’

‘What’s with the headaches? Growing restless? You know what will help? Food and sleep.’

‘No.’ His tone told me to drop it.

‘Seriously, you can nap in the car. I promise not to drive us off a cliff.’

‘Just go.’

‘You know, keeping everything repressed isn’t a solution either.’

Liam dropped his hands. ‘If I want your counsel, I’ll ask. Now, may we please continue? You’ve already wasted enough of my time.’

I slammed the bag of snacks against his chest. ‘That’s the last time I say or do anything nice for you. You have one more ego trip before I lose my shit, Liam. You know you’re not a king or savior to me, right? The outside of you may look great, but on the inside, you’re just a bitter, mean, ugly asshole.’

I couldn’t help it. I was tired of him talking to me as if I were his servant, and I was more than ready to fight if he didn’t change his tone. His expression was incredulous, as if he had never been spoken to like that before. Which, from what I had seen of his past in my dreams, I knew he hadn’t. Everyone worshiped him, hanging off his every word.

Liam didn’t respond or make one of those grunts he did when he was displeased with something. He just took the bag I’d practically assaulted him with and turned away from me. Without another word, I put the car in reverse and drove away from the gas station.

We were on the other side of Charoum before Liam finally passed out, and I thanked the dead gods above. I had stopped a few more times to actually use the bathroom, and each time I had to listen to him complain about how much time we were wasting. He hadn’t touched the snacks and had yelled at me when I reached back to grab a bag of chips while driving. I told him it wasn’t like we would actually die if we got into a car accident, but he didn’t find that as funny as I did. But as the sun set once more, he finally nodded off. His arms were folded, and his head rested against the window as his eyes danced behind his eyelids. He even slept angry.

While he was asleep, I dug out the small phone Reissa had given me. I maneuvered it so that my hands were on the wheel as I dialed Gabby’s number. Another bump had the car jumping, and I looked over to make sure Liam was still asleep.

‘Hello?’ a sleepy voice answered after a few rings.

‘Gabby, shame on you for answering numbers you don’t know.’

‘Dianna!’ she practically yelled.

‘Did I wake you?’

She yawned, and I heard her groan as she stretched. ‘No. I am usually awake at one in the morning.’

I giggled. ‘Ass.’

‘What are you doing? Are you okay? How’s the trip?’

I put the car on auto drive and pulled one leg up to rest my arm on my knee. The road was empty, the stars the only light on the back road I had taken.

‘I’m driving, and yes, I guess, and let’s just say it’s complicated.’

‘Is Liam still a pain in the butt?’ I heard a small slap as she covered her mouth. ‘Oh, wait, am I on speaker? Can he hear me? You do know they have super hearing?’

I laughed quietly. ‘Yes, and don’t worry, he is actually asleep.’

‘He sleeps?‘

‘That’s what I said.’ I looked over, watching as his chest rose and fell steadily. It was strange to see him asleep since it had been days of him just glaring at me. I had to admit, I liked the peace and quiet his sleep brought.

‘Apparently, he is a deep sleeper because I’ve hit like three small holes in the road and nothing.’

‘You are also a terrible driver.’

‘Hey, you’re the one who taught me.’

It was her turn to laugh, and the sound was a balm. I’d been betrayed, gotten shot, been poisoned, and had to deal with Liam’s constant attitude. This trip had worn on my nerves more than I let on. I wished I could just go back and eat terrible junk food as Gabby cried over another sappy movie. My chest tightened because I knew that would never happen again.

I cleared my throat and sat up a little straighter. ‘How is it there? Are they nice to you?’

‘They are. Neverra and Logan actually spend a lot of time with me. I know most of it is to monitor me, but it’s still nice. They have a medical wing, and given my background, they’ve put me to work.’

‘Oh, so Logan is all healed and friendly. Good. And let’s be honest, you would still want to work even when you didn’t need to.’

‘I like helping people. Even people that heal at an alarming rate.’ She snickered, and I heard her shuffling around. ‘But yes, they are nice. Neverra likes all the sappy movies you make fun of me for, and I made her and Logan do a face mask with me.’

‘Replacing me already! I am offended.’

I joined in her laughter this time. It was nice to forget, even for a few moments, that I was in the middle of some gods versus monsters war.

‘No, no, you know I could never replace you. Who would steal my shoes and clothes? And no one can complain and nag like you. Or annoy me. Or—’

‘Okay, okay, I got it.’

She was quiet for a moment. ‘So, do you really think you will find the book before Kaden?’

I shifted slightly in my seat, sitting up a bit more. I placed my leg back down, gripping the steering wheel and turning off the autopilot. ‘Honestly, I don’t know. Liam thinks it’s not real, and I feel he would know. But at the same time, the Otherworld is terrified. Kaden is up to something, and the people I can trust are slim to none.’

‘Well,’ she sighed, ‘I am relieved that Liam is with you. At least nothing will hurt you while he’s around.’

I went quiet, not wanting to mention that I’d been poisoned. It was done, and it would just cause her to worry, but she must have read into my silence. Damn sister bond.

‘D? What is it? Please tell me you’re not hurt?’

‘What? No, I’m fine. I just wish I was on a trip with anyone but him. He’s such a dick at times, Gabby. I know he is a protector of realms or whatever, but how do people actually like him?’

I heard her sigh and suspected I was about to get a lecture. ‘Well, from what I gathered from Logan and Neverra, he wasn’t always like he is now. I mean, think about it. He is an ancient warrior king from another world. I am sure he is suffering from their version of PTSD, depression, or worse.’

I glanced at the ancient warrior in question. He leaned heavily against the window, his breathing steady and his ridiculously long lashes shadows against his cheeks.

‘Depression, huh? Look at my sister psychoanalyzing gods.’

‘I’m serious. It would explain the erratic behavior, mood swings, and uneven temper. Trauma affects the brain dramatically, and given he has lived a long, long time, who knows what the side effects are? I am just saying be careful.’

‘Yes, Mom.’

She snorted. ‘Okay, I’ll let that slide. And who knows? Maybe he’s just lonely. Logan and Neverra said he had been isolated for centuries. They haven’t seen him since Rashearim fell.’

‘Oh, please. That man has not been alone since he reached puberty. You should see the blooddreams I’ve had. Gods, I’ve seen goddesses, celestials, you name it, bend over for him. If it’s not some battle or party, he’s busy getting his cock wet.’

‘Wait, what?’ Her voice was loud and shrill before she quieted to ask, ‘Dianna, what?’

‘I know, right? I mean, I thought I was experienced.’

‘Wait, he fed you, and you’ve seen him naked?’ she practically screamed in my ear.

‘Yeah, it would be fantastic if it was attached to anyone else.’

‘Dianna, stop deflecting. I don’t care about that. He fed you, which means you were hurt enough for him to be worried. What happened?’

Well, shit. I could fake a bad connection and hang up, but I hadn’t spoken to her in a while, and I didn’t want to end the call just because I got caught.

‘Okay, well, it’s a long story. The short version is Sophie and Nym may have poisoned me, and Liam fed me because he thought I was dying.’

The phone went silent for a moment before she asked. ‘But you’re okay now?’ Guilt churned in me, and my hands tightened on the wheel as I heard the fear in her voice.

‘Yeah, I’m fine. Pinkie swear.’

She sighed, and it sounded like she’d flopped back on the bed. I could picture her jumping up to pace once she had heard about the blooddreams. My sister was always worried. ‘Well, I, for one, can’t wait until this is over and we can go back to a semi-normal life. There will be no Kaden, so you’ll actually have a life this time.’ She paused for a second. ‘What do you think about going back to Sandsun Isles? They have a secluded, unmarked part of the beach I found while I was in hiding. They have cliffs we can dive off of, and it’s so beautiful. We haven’t been to a beach together like that in at least thirty years. I won’t even invite Rick. It will just be a nice, relaxing, fun sister trip. Let’s make it our first vacation. Please, please, please.’

‘Okay, okay, okay, sounds like a plan. Stop begging.’ My lips curved in a small, sad smile as my vision grew blurry. I hadn’t told her the terms of my deal with Liam, and I wasn’t sure if I would be going to prison or if he had something worse planned. Liam never told me what he was going to do with me, and I’d rather not know.

She was quiet for a moment longer, the silence hanging between us. I’m sure she was sensing my emotions, even from this far away.

Gabby took a breath. ‘Listen, I know it’s hard right now. I know whether or not you want to admit it, that you’re frustrated and probably mad. But I believe in you. You’ve been through so much, D. So much. You’re the strongest person I know. If this stupid book exists, you will find it. You’re stubborn but resilient. You can survive anything.’

I wiped at my face, covering my sniffle with a small laugh. ‘Thanks for the pep talk.’

‘You’re welcome. Now pull over somewhere and get some sleep. You shouldn’t be driving this late. I don’t care what Liam says.’

I looked over at the sleeping god and yawned. ‘That actually sounds like a plan. I think I see one of those shady motels up ahead.’

‘Perfect for you, I guess,’ she said with a laugh. ‘Call me tomorrow if you can.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

She snorted into the phone. ‘Remember that I love you.’ I smiled and echoed the words back to her before hanging up. A large, half-lit sign pierced the darkness ahead. Gabby was right. I was exhausted and tired of being trapped in the car.

The sign flickered on and off, and I could almost hear the buzz of the lights. I turned in, noticing only one truck parked toward the back of the building. I pulled up to the office and saw a small woman sitting at a counter watching TV. She had a cigarette between her fingers, and smoke floated in the air behind the glass.

I put the car in park but left it running. Not wanting to wake Liam, I carefully opened the door. I would love not to have to listen to him complain. When he didn’t so much as shift, I hopped out and gently closed the door.

A small bell dinged as I entered, and the woman, who looked to be in her late fifties, turned toward me. She put out the cigarette and lowered the volume on the TV.

‘Hello, dear. Looking for a room tonight?’

‘Yes, please,’ I said before leaning back and making sure Liam hadn’t woken up.

‘He’s cute,’ she said as she plucked a key from the large brown board behind her. ‘You picked the perfect hotel if you and your boyfriend want to get loud. We don’t get much in the way of customers this far out.’

I held up my hand, the look of disgust on my face making her pause. ‘He is not my boyfriend.’

‘Really? That’s a shame.’ She smiled as she came to the counter and handed me the key. ‘It will be forty dollars, miss.’

‘Forty bucks for a single night?’

She shrugged. ‘As I said, we don’t get a lot of people this far out. Mostly truckers or…’ her voice trailed off as she looked me up and down, then flicked her gaze toward Liam, ‘you know, working women.’

The way she said the last part had me glaring at her. ‘I am not a prostitute.’

‘Like I said, not judging.’ She held up her hands in defense.

I didn’t say anything as I dug out the cash I had stolen. People really should learn to lock their cars, especially at rest stops. We couldn’t use any of the cards Nym had given us because I knew they were being traced. I unfolded the bills and slammed the forty dollars down before snatching the key from the counter and turning to leave. Her laugh followed behind me as the volume on the TV increased, and she went back to her show.