Sin & Surrender (Demigod of San Francisco #6)(85)

Donovan stepped forward, disbelief and longing written across his face. The rest of the guys exclaimed their shock, and Bria’s face lit up.

“What’s happening?” Jack asked. “What’s happening?”

“It’s beyond rare for a spirit who’s been released from a blood oath to stick around to help his Demigod,” Hades said. “You had nothing tying you to this world but your love and your loyalty. I’ve felt your struggles, and I’ve seen your sacrifice. You earned your place in this world. Welcome back. I trust this time your mistress won’t allow someone to take over your body with their spirit.”

I made sure to hide my shock and confusion. Apparently I could give my people some sort of spirit protection. That would’ve been nice to know before Jack had been possessed…

“Alexis, I give you leave to…well, leave,” Hades said, his hand still on my arm, the crown still on my head. “You have no more dealings at the summit this year. Demigod Kieran, Demigod Alexis, you have shown your true characters, and those characters are shining examples of what Demigods should aspire to rather than all this petty infighting and one-upmanship. Go home and plan that wedding. Don’t invite me—unless a certain Necromancer plans to get drunk and let down her guard. In which case, definitely invite me. Oh, and Zander—where’s Zander?”

“Here, my lord.” Zander stepped forward with a pale face. He bowed so low that I wondered how he didn’t fall over.

“Zeus types are so obnoxious with the bowing,” Hades muttered. “I’m sure you realize that Dylan will be staying where he is, and that Zeus himself will take it as a personal insult if you continue to dabble in his business?”

“Of course, my lord, yes. I’d come to that conclusion, yes.” Zander bowed again.

Hades slid his hand across my back, pulling me in for a sideways hug. Before he left, he leaned in and said, “You never tried to control me, not once. You never stepped over the boundaries I’d set, even when I knew you wanted more training. You’re a helluva woman, Alexis Price, and I will personally make sure your mother is invited into my kingdom’s elite. You, however, have been given immortality. I hope you will stay topside and change this ridiculous Demigod culture, one century at a time. If you offer your blood magic to your Demigod, he will also be blessed with immorality. See what I did? I one-upped Poseidon, that cheap bastard. He’ll give an inch, but he won’t give a pound, or whatever that saying is.” Damion flew to his side like a rag doll. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll take him down with me. Maybe he can have a better life as a spirit than he had as a man.”

He summoned the Line, and it became clear to me that he was the one who’d given it a life of its own earlier, and probably also in Lydia’s mansion.

“Wait,” I said before he stepped into it. He turned back with raised eyebrows. “Why did you set Thane off? Was it so he could help if I needed it?”

He laughed, holding his belly. “You should ask Lydia about what set Thane off.” He covered his mouth for a moment. “Oops. You can’t. She’s dead.” He laughed again. “There are certain magical creatures with flair, I’ll say that. Be thankful for them; they helped you in the end. This worked out exactly as it should have. She was of my line, but she strayed a bit too far. I’ll need a little heart-to-heart with that one.”

With that, he and Damion were gone.

I let the breath gush out of me, deflated, exhausted, confused. Red’s body lay at my feet, her soul in the hands of Hades now. I knew he’d treat her well. Jack was at my side, and the Six would be reunited again. I couldn’t ask for more than that.

“Alexis—”

It was my father who’d spoken, but Kieran strode toward me, his eyes on fire as he held his hand out to cut off Magnus. “Demigod Alexis, you mean, Demigod Magnus. Hades himself has boosted her magic to Demigod status. She is one of us now.” He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. “My heavens, did that all really just happen?” he murmured.

“Well, I’ll tell you what, sir.” Jack clapped his hands, not worried about his lack of clothing. “I’m standing here, in my own flesh, back from the dead. Yeah, that just fucking happened.”





25





Kieran





Kieran walked through the gardens with Alexis’s hand in his and all of his people at his back. He hadn’t wanted to take the golf carts directly back to the lodge. He needed time to process the revelations of the day. They all needed it.

He hadn’t been born a Demigod?

He hadn’t been born a Demigod?

He might need a few months to process that, actually. A walk through the garden wasn’t going to do it.

He’d thought one thing all his life, only to find out…he was god-touched. His mother had been a favorite, and her people had loved her so much that their righteous indignation on her behalf had drawn the attention of a god.

Kieran was god-touched.

On second thought, maybe it would take longer than a few months for him to accept the truth. All he knew was that his gifts felt more special to him now. They felt precious.

He wandered along the path, ignoring everyone he saw. He didn’t care about status right now. He didn’t care about politics. He cared only about the woman sharing this lovely walk with him, and the misfit family behind them.