1
Blood Edict
Disease.
Death.
Deceit.
Devastation.
Filth, humanity, and greed littered the nightclub as obnoxious beats repeated overhead. The humans would call it music. Caro called it hell.
Why would anyone enjoy this?
At least from her perch at the back of the room, it didn’t rattle her teeth, unlike her experience on the dance floor. How those beings tolerated it, she had no idea. She preferred peace and quiet. Tranquility.
Not even ten minutes and she missed home already.
She would find Osiris, deliver the edict, and leave.
The poisoned one, as her kind called him, had lived among the humans too long and adopted his own level of greed. First, he created a bloodline of life-sucking abominations who referred to themselves as Ichorians, and then they went on to procreate with humans to create Hydraians.
Blasphemy.
She would slaughter them all if given the chance, but her superiors felt it was Osiris’s responsibility to clean up his own mess.
Fine.
Caro crossed her jean-clad legs and tapped her foot impatiently.
Her notes stated Osiris owned this pitiful establishment, and the abundance of Ichorians slithering about confirmed it. They couldn’t see or sense her as she sat in a cloud of invisibility—a trait that suited this mission. Except her quarry remained hidden, which defeated the entire purpose of being here.
The cushion beneath her shifted as someone sat far too close for her liking. She considered appearing just to tell him to fuzz off, but then he looked directly at her with bright green eyes.
“Not every day a Seraphim graces us with her regal presence,” he murmured, his gaze assessing.
Something akin to shock swept over her. Or she suspected that was it. Emotions belonged to humans.
He stretched an arm along the back of the couch, grazing her shoulder in the process. “To what do we owe the honor, Your Highness?”
“How are you doing that?” she demanded after his fingers brushed her again.
“What are you doing here?” he countered.
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business.”
“Oh, on that we disagree.” He leaned into her personal space. “This is my territory, and you certainly don’t belong here.”
Well, that last bit was a reasonably intelligent deduction. As for the former… “How does one own a territory? Or are you referring to this dreadful place?”
His laugh vibrated their shared seat, and she found the sound oddly pleasant. Her kind did not revel in amusement often, if ever, but humans did. Except this being beside her did not possess a mortal soul, yet he didn’t appear to be Ichorian or Hydraian either. Because he saw her and touched her.
She stopped misting since it only wasted energy in his presence. “What are you?” she asked while cataloging his features. Thick brown hair, olive skin, and over six feet tall with a muscular stature that indicated he led a healthy lifestyle. His symmetrical face and square jaw would be considered handsome by those who appreciated appearance. And he had dimples when he smiled, which he was not doing now.
“Tell me why you’re here,” he said, his voice underlined with power.
The rune on her lower back flared as she responded. “I have a message for Osiris.” Her eyes widened. “How—”
