King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

514

Sephie

“How so?” Stephen asked.

“So like with me and Andrei – we’re both sides of the same coin, if you will. He can see good; I can see evil. I think it’s the same with you and Boss, just to a higher level. You save the soul; he destroys it,” Ivan said.

It was suddenly starting to make sense in my head. “Lena told me that when the demon takes over a person, the soul basically dies. But I don’t think a soul can actually die. What I think she meant was that the demon takes over that soul and uses it in multiple lifetimes. That’s why it’s so difficult for someone to get rid of a demon once they have it. Just like us, they become connected to their demon. Bond with it, if you will. Except, unlike us, the demon is running things. And not in a good way. You’re what stops that cycle,” I said, looking at Stephen.

“The deal that Martin and Ricardo made must solidify that connection so completely that nothing can break it, which is why Boss is needed,” Ivan said.

Stephen was quiet for a few moments. It was clear that he was struggling, but both Ivan and I knew enough to let him think through his thoughts and not push him to share more than he was ready to. He finally looked up at both of us. “I know. I’ve thought about all this before. It’s not actually performance anxiety like I said it was. I’m struggling with believing I’m the good side of the coin.”

The sharp pain I felt through my chest was not enough to keep me from quickly moving to Stephen’s side. His arm circled my shoulders as he pulled me into his death grip while he worked to get himself under control. Ivan could feel his pain through me and it was enough that his anger made a brief appearance at what Stephen had been through in life.

“Tell me you’re okay or I’m coming out there,” I heard Adrik tell me and Ivan.

All good. Stephen needed this more than I thought he did. I love you for checking,” I responded. He didn’t say another word, but I felt the pull in my chest that let me know how much he loved me. It was a welcome relief from the pain of Stephen’s past.

Ivan quietly got up and moved to the other side of me so that we were all sitting together, leaning against the long ago fallen tree. “Don’t want you to get cold while we hash this out,” he said, sending low levels of anger my way just to stoke the fire.

isn’t harder to comprehend than evil from men. Everyone almost expects it from men, so no one is really surprised when a guy turns out to be evil. But women are the mothers of the world. The protectors. The healers. The nurturers. It’s so much harder to take when a woman

got past me. It was a hard lesson for me to learn to not give any special passes just because they’re chicks. Giana was much more of a special circumstance, but even still, she’s still a bitch for the way she handled most of what happened. It’s always been that way for me. Girls have always been worse to me than men, which is saying quite a lot for this punching

“You have been a punching bag, princess. I shouldn’t

can laugh. Inappropriate humor

us might all

little louder. “Maybe that’s why I found it funny. Punching bag recognizes punching

complicated. Ivan’s right, too. It’s always harder to take when evil comes from women. Until I met you guys, I’d only told maybe one or two people about my

mood. “I think we just solved that mystery.” He was very confident in his hypothesis. Both Stephen and I couldn’t contain our laughter,

Stephen. I also know that it’s difficult to kick them out of your head for good, so I’ll be here to argue with you anytime you start listening to

me to have people that care about me. I mean, there’s Vlad. He cares. But mostly because I’m his enabler and I recognize that he’s always been ahead of his time when it comes to problem–solving. I mean, his solution for the poor people

be improved upon.”

doesn’t feel real some days. If I couldn’t feel it from the princess,

not the only one.”

asked

it until just now, but being able to feel what you feel helps me believe all of this is real. I would have convinced myself it was all a dream or all of it was fake by now if I wasn’t getting constant reminders through you of how much we all care about each other. So, you see, princess, the connection you

me,

everything my sisters would tell but then I feel Seph’s joy when she sees one of us.” He turned to look at me, a sweet

that makes everyone else want to puke because you’re so

Even though you don’t think you are, you’re helping us with that too. If any of us were to meet that someone right now, it wouldn’t work. We wouldn’t be ready. You wouldn’t have been ready to meet your goddamn prince

so wise,” I said,