AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll take Death any day.” Syn wanders toward the window and props her hand up on the glass, all her back muscles tensing. “His Court is cooler anyway.”
An eager shiver ripples up my spine at the thought of that Court. “So,Syn…” I free my eyes to travel across every last inch of her and admire the metal-balled whips coiled at her chastity spike belt.
“Quit staring at my ass, angel,” she snaps without turning her head. I get a little sample of how those spikes work when one springs up, twisting into a Medusa-like serpent to hiss its fangs. Halo vapors swoon from my skin, and all the hairs on my arms and neck prick to static life. Nita would absolutely love her. Ooh, so would Kitty! Now,thatI’d love to see.
“About this Court of Thanatos,” I hint.
“Forget it, Halo-Bearer.” Syn tenses and pushes herself off the glass to block me from the door. “You’d have to pass by the Chasm and cross the Gates of Death, and there is no way in hell he would ever let that happen. Why do you think he summoned me here? I’m only cranky because I’m not used to babysitting.”
“Oh, I’d love to be your baby, Syn.” Clasping my hands around my back, I approach her, swaying from side to side.
Syn sticks out her tongue. “You’re cute, Halo-bearer. But we just met. I may be asexual, but I am panromantic. Much to Verena’s less romantic sensibilities. I simply happen to be more graysexual. Not that I’ll make it easy for you to bond with me. Humans are messy and dramatic, and they bore me.”
I may have a bit of the devil in me. Or at least his two grandsons…okay only one grandson ever inside me. And if I ever want to enjoy that again, I’m going to reap those secrets right out of Thanatos. Besides, there is no way I’ll let him one-up me on that chart. I lick my lips, anxious to show Syn hownotboring this particular human is.
“I will love getting to know you more, Syn. But first, I have some unfinished business with Death.” I swish my daring hips back and forth, advancing toward her.
“What are you doing?” Syn bares her armored teeth, more of her spikes turning into serpents to hiss their warnings. “Don’t look at me that way, Princess.”
“She used to call me her lightning rod.” I lean toward her, throwing my curls back and batting my lashes. “We used to play hide and seek,” I hint, coaxing Syn with a mischievous grin.
Syn doesn’t back away, but countless spikes writhe from her chest, striking the air and spitting venom at me. “If you want your girlfriend, you have to go through me first.”
I tilt my head to one side. “Is that a threat, Syn?”
Syn shakes her head. “I don’t make threats. But I’ll offer a challenge.”
Upon closer examination, Syn’s serpents don’t just have cobra-like fangs. All their mouths hold the rows of shark-like teeth as Syn’s.
Clutching my hands in front of me, I deadpan with her. “Consider me rising to your challenge then. Poor Syn. Spending all that time with those rapists. I bet it would truly take anangelto set your honeypot on fire,” I tease her sweetly.
“My honeypot’s just fine, Princess,” Syn denies, baring her teeth. “And you are the one inmyline of fire.”
When I get a bit of a leaping start, Syn pushes me away—too weakly, acting on the defensive. But I know why. She doesn’t want to hurt me. And her serpents’ venom splatters me.
“Come out, come out wherever you are,” I coax Verena with heat spiraling from my chest to my thighs. Biting my lower lip, I grin, touch my heart, then arch my lower back and thrust out my chest to grow my own Halo serpents. Much larger than hers!
“Holy fuck!” Syn’s eyes nearly pop out of her head.
“Totally holy,” I tease her as I grip the ends of my two largest serpents and twirl my wrists so they become spinning, serpentine halos. They soak the heads of her serpents with gold venom showers. “Still think I’m boring?” I wink and blow her a kiss.
“Now that I have your undivided attention, there are three things you should know about me.” I step toward her, and Syn backs up against the bone and frost door, intimidated by the embers that singe her flesh. “One: I am on a Goddess mission, and I won’t let anything or anyone get in the way of that mission—badass bounty hunter or not.” I consider the Scourge…and how I must win Neo’s heart. “Two: I’m a feminist and confident in my womanhood. And three: even though I am married to a sexy Dragon vampire beast, I really have missed my V for Verena and her energy lighting up my life. So, are you going to take me to that Court of Death, or should this purple Princess show you what a thing she has for badass bounty hunters that dismember rapists until you’re begging my V for Verena to come out?”
I shudder, all my nerves mirthful at the idea of seeing Verena again. And challenging Syn because I fully intend to win her over. Even if it means we do battle first.
Syn’s dark eyes narrow while her serpents lunge for me. At the last second, I dodge and weave, sliding across the floor and praising the frost. Like gliding on an icy surface.
“I’m warning you, Princess!” Syn jabs a finger at me while I twirl my haloed serpent whips and do a little pirouette. Happiness swells in my throat. Verena did say I’d see her again. It’s been months.
The demoness sends more venomous serpents my way, but with one flick of my wrist, my scaled lovelies devour hers in one bite. It’s the first time she blinks.
“That’ll teach you to go all snakes on the Soul Plane with me!” I stick out my tongue with a crazed laugh. More spikes regenerate from her shoulders, and I know I’ll have to bring my full A-game because she’s been holding back.
Syn crouches. “I’m gonna bite that pretty little chemise right off your pretty shoulders and use it to tie you up!”
The demoness flies off in a rage and shoots dozens of serpents my way. At the last second, I expand my serpents and form a cage of them to tangle with hers until they’ve burned them to ash. Still, Syn’s spiky serpents grow and grow—an endless supply. As soon as I smother three, reducing them to embers with Spitfire leaping and snapping his jaws to gobble up the aftermath, Syn barrages me with double and soon triple the amount.
When my breath comes in tattered gasps, I realize I’m slowing down.
