The titillating memories of the morning, the previous night, the middle of night and the shower wouldn’t stop running through my head so that when I finally wandered out of my room, I couldn’t help the silly grin plastered on my face.
“I see someone had a good night,” Jezzie said with a smirk.
I just smiled at her beatifically as I poured my coffee. “Drake slept over.” Jezzie choked on her java. “Is he still here?” she wheezed.
“No, he had to leave to get ready for the competition today.” Jezzie suddenly looked nervous and I watched her suspiciously as she chattered brightly about inane topics while making breakfast and then tidying up. Given Jezzie never did either, it wasn’t hard to figure out something was up.
“What are you hiding?”
“Me?” She opened her eyes wide in feigned innocence.
“Spill it before I tell about the alp incident on national television.” I knew more than one secret she wanted to keep under wraps.
Sweating and fidgeting, she tried to avoid my eyes, but I have a pretty good glare when riled. It was only a matter of time before she caved and divulged. “It wasn’t my idea, honest to Satan. But the network, they said it would make an awesome segment and I didn’t realize when we’d signed the contract, they’d included the clause to–.” Impatient, I interrupted. “What’s going to happen today?”
“Each of the three remaining contestants has to discover and divulge a juicy secret about you or which directly relates to you. It might be something you know or don’t.” My mind worked furiously. What secrets did I hide? A few like any semi-demon of my age, mostly schoolgirl pranks I’d gotten away with. As for something involving me without my knowledge, well, I’ll admit that was information I’d like to know actually.
“It’s okay.” I said the words absently, suddenly wondering what secret Drake would reveal. The way I liked it when he bit down on my nipple as he fucked me? No, not secret enough just ask any of my previous lovers. I both dreaded and anticipated what I’d learn, and in front of an audience.
Things kept hidden should remain so for the simple reason revelations usually meant someone would get hurt—then killed. Demons, even half ones, weren’t known to turn the other cheek. Vengeance was our middle name. Seriously, according to the public registers of Hades, Vengeance ranked number one for middle names followed by Misery.
I now wondered more than ever what Drake would do to win this round. What secret about me had he discovered? And would whatever he revealed, force me to never see him again?
It wasn’t just my mind which screamed “No!” to that scenario—my head and heart did, too.
The moment of truth, literally, arrived. I barely heard the emcee as he detailed the task for the remaining minion contenders. Okay, I lied. I listened to every word and alternated between simmering and nervousness. I’d take battling a creature with claws and spitting acid over dread any day.
This time when the curtain went up, I didn’t smile. My eyes veered right over to Drake and held his gaze. His face didn’t betray any emotion, something I didn’t find reassuring.
First up stepped the dwarf looking nervous for once. He fidgeted before the microphone and I impatiently squirmed, too, not really giving a shit about what he had to say.
“The secret I discovered—um…” Raxnor trailed off and peered down at his feet encased in dirty work boots. He swallowed audibly. “Sally’s middle name is Dawn and her mother was a country singer.”
I lost some of my tension and giggled. Okay, I’ll admit the fact the woman who birthed me liked to croon corny western songs embarrassed me and was a fact I assiduously hid, but really, it wasn’t that big of a deal. And as for the stupid middle name, again, blame my momentarily insane father. Talk about boring revelations.
Apparently, the crowd agreed with me. They booed and jeered as the dwarf’s already ruddy face turned an even brighter shade of red. At least he didn’t cry out with fear when the trap door beneath his feet opened and he tumbled down. Rumor said the hidden chasm led to the home of the lamia—half-snake, half-woman; those nasty bitches knew how to make a man scream, just not in actual pleasure.
The spectators cheered wildly. I went back to watching Drake though, tapping my nails on the armrest. His eyes held mine and I imagined he tried to convey something, but mind reading was my half-sister’s ability, not mine. Whatever secret he planned to reveal, I’d have to wait a moment longer for the demon Dretnor approached the microphone next.
I didn’t like the nasty gleam in his eye, nor the bared teeth as he smirked. Why did I suddenly get the impression he wasn’t truly on my side? Ridiculous, if he didn’t want the job as my minion, why compete?
“My secret is one Sally the half demon is unaware of and involves another contestant.”
My stomach tightened into a knot and fear made me sound harsh. “How am I supposed to know you’re telling the truth and not spouting some load of garbage to try and discredit your opponent?”
“I submit myself and the secret I have to tell to the Fire of Truth.” The crowd ooh-ed and even I sucked in a surprised breath. To the ignorant, the Fire of Truth was a spell cast upon a being who wished to prove the veracity of their words. It surrounded the truthsayer in a nimbus of flames. If they told the truth, the flames didn’t touch them. Lie, and they burned alive for the next millennium. Not exactly the most pleasant fate. As denizens of Hell, truth wasn’t something often seen or heard of, hence the spell was rarely seen. The fact Dretnor offered to submit to it meant he believed the information he’d found was sound. I hoped so for his sake, for the spell didn’t care how much a being believed in what they said, or if they’d been misled, if the information imparted was false they’d burn anyways.
Dretnor must have warned the show producers of his intention for barely a moment passed before a cloaked figure stepped onto the dais with the demon below.
Raising his arms and chanting in a guttural tongue which made me shiver, the mage enchanted Dretnor. With small whoosh, blue flames ignited on Dretnor’s body. Again the crowed ooh-ed and my stomach drew tighter.
The mage stepped away and Dretnor moved to the microphone with a triumphant smile. Slowly, the crowd quieted and leaned forward in expectation, as did I.
“Drake is half-demon, half-shifter: dragonshifter.” The crowed aah-ed and I sat back stunned. I’d known Drake had shifter blood, but dragon, the rarest of all types, that surprised me. But it wasn’t a big deal. Actually, it made him hotter. I wondered if he could fly? I also wondered why he hadn’t told me. Surely he didn’t think I’d kill him and skin him for his prized skin, tempting as the idea would be to some.
Drake’s face tightened and I suddenly knew this wasn’t the only secret.
Dretnor smiled, his pointed teeth glistening. “He’s also misrepresented himself to our prospective employer. The first night he met her, he was tasked with discrediting her, or even better, allowing her to be killed. He also, after the demon attack outside the club, made inquiries into the bounty placed on her head and offered himself up as an assassin should the patron of the first attempt wish to pay for a second.” I shook my head no, but the flames around Dretnor burned merrily without a sizzle or a pop. Sickening to say, I really wanted him to start screaming. I knew my heart was.
And by Satan’s horns, did it hurt.
My tear filled eyes—damned dust—met Drake’s and I read the truth in his eyes.
“You bastard,” I whispered, a word the invisible microphones picked up and echoed around the stunned coliseum.