The Marduk doesn’t react except to smile. It’s a creepy fucking smile. “You’d be surprised at just what terrors I can bring with this ‘dirtyold shoelace.’” His irises buzz with energy that swells between us, an invisible wave threatening to unseat me.
I clench my teeth and cling to the edge of the table as the wave rolls over me, leaving the hairs on the backs of my arms standing on end and my lungs feeling slightly breathless. Annoyed, I snap, “Enjoy yourself, then. It still does you little good, shaped like that.”
“Likewise.” He kicks the bag under the table again, and I reach down and grab it. It’s lightweight, yet metal clanks when I shake it.
“The fuck is this?” I ask him.
He stands up and starts to show me his back. “You figure it out.”
“Fucker.”
“If you want to know what your weapon does, meet me here same time next week, and we’ll make another trade,” he tosses over his shoulder.
“For what?”
“Another weapon. I’m sure it’ll be no trouble for you at all to steal from the COE again.”
It won’t, but I have no intention of helping him arm his guard. “We’ll see,” I evade.
He shrugs. “Or don’t. There’s always information you can trade.”
I have traded him information about the COE’s activities before, but it is still risky. If I continue to help him cut off the COE’s investigations into his activities, eventually the COE might start to suspect a leak. I don’t need their eyes turning to me. Not yet. Not until I have the strength needed to stage my coup and wipe out their leader.
“We’ll see,” I repeat.
“Suit yourself. You know how to get in touch with me.”
I feel the burner phone in my inner jacket pocket, that slight weight, and nod.
I grab my clanking duffel bag while the coffee shop girl scuttles into the back kitchen, the wafting aroma of freshly roasting coffee beans filling the space behind her, and follow the Marduk toward the door.
Out on the sidewalk, I shout to him while he stalks away from me toward the sunrise, pulling up his black hood. “Next time, I’m not meeting you here at four a.m. Pick a different time.”
“No. We meet before the café opens to the public.”
“Then we’ll meet somewhere else at a human time.”
“No,” he seethes. Wind whips past me that causes chills to crawl up the back of my neck and sear my lungs. “Never forget: We aren’t human.”
Chapter Six
Taranis
The weight of the duffel bag in my hand both excites and upsets me as I descend onto my balcony, having opted not to go through the front door of my penthouse. I don’t need to be caught on camera with this, even though it doesn’t look like much at the moment, and I don’t want questions from my morose doorperson.
I am excited by the prospect of what the bag contains, yet disappointed by the size. Shouldn’t my weapon be a big, intimidating hunk of a thing? A massive blade as broad as I am tall?
I snort as I open my balcony door and head to my office. Though Simon and Simone aren’t in yet, I’m still cautious. I lock the door just in case and place the bag down on my desk with care, curious when I hear the inner rattle again.
Standing over my desk, I unzip the dirty gym bag. The sound of the zipper catching makes me jump. I grin at myself. I’m the god of fucking lightning. What do I have to be scared of?
I separate the zipper and push the sides of the bag down to reveal the only contents within. My head cocks. My face screws up.
What the fuck?
Chapter Seven
Monika
