Lethal Blow: (Succubus Hitwoman Book 2) by Eliza Hendrix (best motivational books to read TXT) 📗

He’s as pissed as I am, but I think his anger is coming from a place of hopelessness. “This is bigger than us. I don’t see what you, me, or anyone can do about it. You have to let the Council of Elders deal with it.”

I scoff. “The Council of Elders?” I don’t mean to talk about them like they’re less useful than gum stuck to concrete on a hot summer day, but everyone knows that the council got outnumbered centuries ago. Sure, they might still try to uphold the laws of the Underworld, but when all is said and done, the vampires are the ones truly in charge.

Personally, this has never made sense to me. Why let the undead rule the world when you have people who have magical abilities? I guess that’s politics for you.

“So, what?” I say. “We’re supposed to sit in here and wait for some big hero to save the day? The Book of Origin was stolen, Drax. I doubt the Elders give a shit about anything other than retrieving it.”

“Is that why Zerachu took it?” Rachel asks. “Is she a part of the council?”

Biting my lip, I stare at her. “No, she isn’t. And I’m telling you, something’s up. Zerachu wouldn’t steal it. If anything, she’d want to protect it.”

“Maybe that’s why she took it,” Drax says.

“Yeah,” I say, losing my patience. “And what happened after she took it? Things got bad. You think that would have happened if she were only trying to protect it? Why was everyone asked to evacuate?”

Rachel glances at Drax but remains silent, so I pop my eyebrows. “Well?”

“She started shouting a bunch of stuff,” Rachel says. “There were lights everywhere and machines exploding.”

“Exactly,” I say as if Rachel’s explanation should be enough to shut everyone up. “Now, you can all sit here like a bunch of wusses, or you can help me get control of the situation outside.”

After a moment of silence, Riskus punches his chest and raises his chin like a trained soldier. Rachel, obviously unable to let her minion go out there alone, rolls her eyes and picks up her wand. At my ankles, Mr. Mushroom barks and Drax says, “Fine… Sheesh. I’ll come too.”

“Good,” I say, swinging the door wide open.

I’m about to step out and show these punks what I’m made of when a deafening growl fills the sky above our heads. We all look up, Mr. Mushroom included, his thick tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

“Holy shit,” Rachel breathes.

Overhead, a huge purple-scaled dragon comes soaring through the clouds, its massive leather wings sending a powerful gust of wind into the parking lot. The group of warlocks run away as car alarms go off, bumpers detach, and garbage cans roll across the asphalt. The dragon flies in circles as if searching for something, and every few seconds, lets out a deep roar that makes the hairs on my neck stand up.

It’s jaw, which is easily the size of an entire pickup truck, snaps open as hot red flames come blasting down toward a chained bicycle and an old wooden bench, both of which crumble into a pile of ash.

“Fuck that,” I say, pushing everyone back inside. “Let’s wait for the Council of Elders.”

Chapter 17

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Drax peeks through the window, his neck craned as he searches the clouds. “I don’t see it anymore.”

“Yeah, well, doesn’t mean it’s gone,” I say. “Unless you’re in the mood to be incinerated, I suggest you get away from that window and sit down.”

Drax takes a step back, sighs, and reaches across the bed to grab the nearest bag of chips. “We should have gotten more food.”

I’m about to grab myself a bag when my ring’s reflection catches my eye.

Devania made it clear that she wouldn’t appear unless the situation were critical. The thought of calling for her leaves my mind as quickly as it entered. Although this feels critical, I know it isn’t. At least not in the grand scheme of things. But it isn’t the idea of reaching out to her that has me thinking—it’s the ring itself.

“Hey,” I say, still staring at my ring. When I realize no one knows who I’m talking to, I point my nose at Rachel. “How good are you at your portals?”

She shrugs. “I mean, I’ve gotten better. Why do you ask?”

“If I gave you something,” I say, “could you create a portal that leads me to its source?”

With her jaw hanging loose and her eyelids flat, she projects pure teenage attitude. Obviously, I’m not making any sense, so I slip off my ring and hold it in front of her face.

“Someone gave this to me. She told me it’s made from the same metal as the Heart of Danu.”

With a sly smirk, she tilts her head back. “I get it. You want me to try to get you to wherever the stolen talisman is.”

“Exactly,” I say. “Whoever has it is causing a lot of shit to go down. All I want is to be taken to wherever it is so I can steal it back.”

“I imagine that means you want me to leave the portal open,” she says.

I give her a sarcastic twitch of the lip meant to signify, No shit, smart-ass.

“You do realize that puts us in danger,” Rachel says. “And you also realize there’s no guarantee this will work. For all I know, I might end up sending you to some faraway mountain where the previous stone came from.”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I close my eyes. “What option do we have, Rachel?” I throw an arm upward, pointing at the dragon through the roof. “Getting burned alive by a dragon or trying to take action? The sooner we get this problem resolved, the sooner that dragon will disappear.”

“Maybe