Sin & Surrender (Demigods of San Francisco, #6)

by K.F. Breene

“This is last season.” Aubri’s mouth dropped open and her cheeks flamed. “It was released between seasons. It was a special release!” “It’s old and it was made for the masses.” Daisy waved it away and kept walking down the line. “Kieran is a Demigod. Custom should be all I see. If you don’t have the top designers’ info, I can forward it to you. I’m friendly with most of them. If she shows well at the Summit, I’ll have them all.” It sounded like she was collecting trading cards. She gave Aubri a frosty stare. “I shouldn’t need to be telling you this.” Daisy was only newly fifteen, but lately she sounded thirty. If surviving were an art, my younger ward would be van Gogh, except the lost ear would belong to her enemy.

“Finally! The truth.” Daisy threw up her hands. “How long have I been asking questions to get you to admit all that, and you’ve been all ‘Oh, I’m Demigod Kieran the Magnificent, everything will be fine, I’ve got everything covered, want to shake hands with my colossal ego?’” “Everything will be fine,” he said, a smile wrestling with his lips, “everything is covered, thanks for the new nickname, and don’t bother getting up—my ego can reach you from here.”

“Yup, I figured.” Daisy lowered her phone as she peered out the window. “She’s been in a limo chase. She said there are different rules for limo chases than regular car chases. It is essential to be drinking champagne through the danger, apparently. Maybe a little cheese and crackers or caviar, depending on who has stocked the refreshment area.”

Watch out, magical world. Here comes the pajama-wearing Soul Stealer with her overgrown white cats.

He entwined his fingers with Lexi’s. Her eyes widened a little as she looked up at him. “I thought only married leaders were supposed to hold hands with their partners?” “Fuck ’em.” He grinned, feeling light as a feather. They were likely going to break a great many rules this week, so why not blatantly start now?

“What I’m saying is, when you’re with Alexis and her kids, I see a side of you that I feel I can trust. A side of you completely unlike the composed man who approached me on this path. Which man are you?

“My father always said that a crowd of stupid or ignorant people looking to be led is great for getting your desires achieved. If you are clever enough to manipulate them, you turn their vote into your own.”

Daisy laughed without humor, acting far beyond her years. “I put myself in incredible danger just by showing up…and by being your ward. Wait a minute, let’s go back further, shall we? Let’s not forget I put myself in danger by trying to sell fake drugs for a little money before we met Kieran. By stealing medicine for Mordecai. By running away from a foster dad who beat me. By not running away from all those other homes. My life is danger, Lexi. For as long as I can remember, I’ve lived in constant danger. At least now I’m useful. At least now I have a group of people at my back that will help me through it. Kieran succeeding is the best thing for this family, and so I will do whatever it takes—I’ll face whatever it takes—to help make that happen.” “Until he goes crazy and we have to kill him in his sleep and then take off,” Mordecai said. “Yes, obviously.” Daisy rolled her eyes.

I ripped out of his hold and made a direct line toward that miserable excuse for a man. “Because of you, my wards almost died,” I said, low and rough, as soon as he was within hearing. I didn’t care about politics. This was personal. His eyes narrowed and stayed rooted to mine. “Demigod Kieran, what is the meaning of this?” “Demigod Kieran is my boyfriend and the holder of my mark, not my keeper, and you, sir, are a cowardly little bitch who needs his balls cut off.” “I will not be spoken to that way—” I stopped in front of him. “Nice spirit shape, by the way. You know, the one you hid behind when you showed up in the dead of night with your army, trying to kill Kieran and kidnap me? Hilarious, that shape. Does everyone know you assume the shape of a huge being with a slim waist, broad shoulders, and huge muscles? There has never been a clearer example of a man compensating for his shortcomings, if you ask me. Love that fuchsia top, by the way—your tailor clearly loves you as much as I do.” Someone seated to the side of the path snickered. “Demigod Kieran—” I leaned into his face and cut him off. “Kieran will not save you from me. No one will save you from me. You’re a desperate little man clutching at straws. Just because Demigods don’t get punished by their peers for breaking the rules doesn’t mean they won’t get what’s coming to them. Maybe not today, maybe not ten years from now, but one day you will stand in judgment for what you have done to me and my family. Do you ...

“You might want to control your woman,” Aaron said to Kieran in a lofty tone as I walked back to my place. His wife stood beside him with a bland expression and a blank stare, clearly just enduring what had to be the latest distasteful conversation in her life. “She’ll get you in trouble one day.” Kieran spread his hands. “I can’t really blame her. Like she said, you attacked our family in the middle of the night and almost got her kids killed. She has a right to her anger. She hasn’t harmed you, though. She has not broken the rules of this promenade, which is more than I can say for you. If your person in the trees attacks us one more time, I’ll let Alexis tear them down, gain control of their body, and send them right back to you in a way you won’t love. Consider yourself warned.”

“You’ll personally see to it, will you? Wonderful. I won’t worry, then, given you haven’t been able to follow through on anything else. Wave to Amber as you pass. Your ridiculous attempts to kidnap her were laughed about at our dinner table.”

“That guy is super suave. Lexi, how come you didn’t get any of that in your genetic makeup?” Daisy asked.

“You’re a fool,” I spat out. “She’s not the only one who lost the practice fight. All of you did, you dumb shit. If we take care of our team today, they will take care of us tomorrow.” I shook my head. “I’d offer to find you in the halls to teach you a lesson—make you drag your stupid ass around— but none of you are up to it, clearly. If you ever want someone to ring your bell, though”—I spread my hands wide—“I volunteer.”

“What are we doing with these kids? Can we drop them off? I don’t like the idea of the princess being with us without superior healing. She shouldn’t have been in that battle just now.” “You’re big, giant. If you keep using that nickname, soon we’ll find out how hard you fall,” Daisy ground out.

“I have an awesome idea.” The ledge of Bria’s cart scraped against the corner when we turned. “Let’s put rocks in a cadaver or two, and Jerry can throw bodies at people.” Jerry afforded her a look of death as we walked. “Think about it. That would really confuse everyone,” Bria prodded. “Limbs whipping around, heads wobbling, flying by the middle…” “Something is terribly wrong with you,” Jerry told her in a gruff voice. I had a feeling he was trying to control his stomach. “Terribly wrong.”

Where are some cool places to have scars? Because your shit doesn’t heal. Sorry, Lexi, I get to swear in battle. That’s a given.” “The back is good for scars. Those’ll get a sympathy lay, right, Zorn?” Donovan grinned.

“This is what happens when the will to live leaves a person. The soul goes…soggy, for lack of a better term. The body is intact, but the soul has no interest in residing. The good news is you can heal his soul. That is a powerful thing. Do you see how amazing our magic is? You can actually will a person to keep living. You are life and death, all in one.”

“And you have two against one, you feeble-minded, goat-milk-drinking whore of a dingleberry.”

“Anyway, when it comes to spirit, she is a killer and a healer. She can take a life, or save a life. Her magic, when used with a sound mind and good heart, can do a lot of good. That is why I must keep her safe from those who would use her for mindless killing. She’s more than a blunt instrument, but she could be an extremely potent blunt instrument.”

Try again, Rufus. We do so love when you speak out of turn about things you have no knowledge of.”

Red looked down on the dead thing. “Is it fresh? We have a barbecue out back. Might as well cook it.”

“Stupid bitch,” Big Ears wheezed. Big ears… Maybe she’d cut one of those off, just for shits and giggles.

Daisy is every bit the gremlin we’ve always called her. She’s like a flying squirrel but with razor-sharp teeth and claws. It’s kind of fun to watch.”

“Yes, I get you. Ew! It’s not like Mordecai would let me slip away, anyway. He’s been on me like a turd on a toilet.” I had to pause, my face crinkling at the wrongness of the image. I waved it away. “Whatever. Just stay safe. I should only be indisposed for a couple hours.” “Why aren’t you giving this lecture to Mordecai?” she asked. “Because Mordecai is sane. You are not.”

“When did you get so grabby?” Daisy asked as Zorn glanced back and nodded, agreeing with Dylan. “You saw me cry for an hour. We’re friends now,” Dylan murmured, stopping well back from the action.

“Anyone who is blessed enough to know love will never be poor.” She tilted her head to the side. “The happiest years of my life were with you. None of it mattered. I never looked back. We had a fine life, you and I. It fulfilled me in every way. Now, it is time for you to save the day. Go with the flow, just like I taught you, and seize your opportunity to shine. I have faith in you, my heart, and I love you.”

we didn’t get to choose what we survived, just how we survived.

“Don’t worry about them; they’re undead. I can teach you how to rouse them when they suffer a mortal wound. They’re hellcats. Cool, right? I know I usually do hellhounds, but…well, it’s our little inside joke. It suits you and your pajamas.”

How many guys could say their mother was a favorite of the gods? He looked at beautiful Lexi. If they had a son, there would be one more.

“We weren’t the only ones starstruck,” Jerry told Daisy. “We may have been frozen in place, but I saw your expression. I’ve never seen you so befuddled.” “Don’t pick on the cherished gremlin, Jerry,” Donovan said. “Yeah, Jerry, or the gremlin might kill you in your sleep,” Thane added.

Daisy sincerely hoped Kieran could keep it together so they really could live out eternity together. Lexi deserved to be this happy forever.