Nick let out a nervous laugh. “Personally, I vote Girlfriend stays here with Simi to watch over my mother in the event whatever nabbed her before comes back for Round Two.”

Xev shook his head. “Either Girlfriend or Charonte will be needed to lead us both in to retrieve it, since I know nothing of Hades.” He arched a brow at Menyara. “What is this Hades, anyway?”

“The Olympians were children of the Titans, who became Greek gods after you were cursed and banished.”

Kody passed an irritated smirk to Nick. “Why can’t Simi and I both go?”

Nick gestured at the non-working lights. “Hello? Unnatural storm? We have Yrre on the loose. Memitims at the windows. Zeitjägers in the corners. Now Tiamat. A spewing Caleb. Unconscious Mom. Zavid’s AWOL, and I don’t know what to think about Livia. Anyone else want to add anything to my growing super-sized ulcer?”

A sudden knock on the door made Nick jump with an undignifying sound he really wished Kody hadn’t heard. For that matter, he hated that anyone had witnessed it. Disgusted with himself, he glared up at the ceiling. “Hello, up there? That was not meant as a personal challenge.”

Cringing, he went to open the door, forgetting about the peephole. A mistake he realized too late when he opened the door and learned that yeah, evil did, in fact, knock politely.

And a whole lot of it stood in his hallway, engulfed by flames, glaring straight at him.

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

“Holy mother of God!” Nick staggered back and furiously crossed himself as he faced who knew what that thing was in his hallway.

It wasn’t so much that the male entity had a couple of inches on him in height—which was impressive, as few beings topped his six-foot-four stance—as it was the muscled girth of him. And the aura of absolute malevolent blood-thirst that said he was here to make Nick-McNuggets.

Long, jet-black hair was pulled back into a ponytail from sharp, perfectly chiseled features that belonged to some ancient Asian warlord who should be leading a conquering army of some kind. Bloodred eyes glared at Nick from beneath an irate glower that would make Kyrian proud.

Nick screamed and tried to shut the door.

Quicker than Nick could blink, he reached over his shoulder and unsheathed a curved, flaming sword. He swung it so fast, he would have taken Nick’s head had Xev not caught the blade with his own sword and forced the demon back.

The demon’s eyes widened with recognition. “I don’t want to hurt you, Dar. Either get out of my way or I’m going through you.” That was one serious accent on him. Unlike anything Nick had ever heard before. It was fluid and musical, and filled with murderous intent.

“Why are you here?”