Accidentally...Over?(30)

"I've been better. Thanks. So is he here?"

He continued smiling. "Who?"

"Fernando." What was this guy on?

"Which one? There are five Fernandos," the young man said.

"Five? Five?" She thought about it for a moment. Fernando would be  twenty years older now so that would make him …  "Well, this Fernando is  about thirty-nine. He's worked here for twenty years, maybe?" If he  still worked there, that was.

The man grimaced. "You're serious?"                       
       
           



       

Ashli felt the blood drain from her face into her toes. "Yeah. Why?"

"Señor Fernando died ten years ago," he said apologetically. "In a hurricane. His five sons inherited the café."

Shit. "What? Dead?" And he'd named his five sons after himself? Okay,  that was just weird. And slightly narcissistic. But still, poor, poor  Fernando. "Are you sure?"

The young man nodded.

Oh no. This was all her fault. Had she stayed around, he would have gone on to be a teacher like he'd planned.

No. Either way, you wouldn't have been there. Had she stayed, she would have died.

Ashli placed her hand over her heart. "Dead. He's dead." She looked at the young man. "You're sure?" she asked again.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

Ashli bolted for the back door toward the beach. She started running,  her tears streaking across her face. It was all gone. Everything and  everyone.

I made a mistake coming here. A big one.





Fifteen





Máax paced across the tiled living room floor. He'd desperately wanted  to follow Ashli, but he'd already pushed things too far. Not only had he  lied about the prophecy-and it was only a matter of time before she  found out-but he'd also withheld his true intentions: to make her  immortal. It was just as good as a lie in his book. And if he followed  her now, she'd think him a complete chauvinistic bastard. He couldn't  have that. Not when their days together were now numbered. Although, he  supposed, they always were. He'd broken so many sacred laws, now  including making Ashli immortal without the gods' permission and  traveling back to his realm from which he was banished-no regrets, of  course-that he'd probably be sentenced to entombment for two eternities.  Maybe three. His only means to change that fate would be for the gods  to modify their laws regarding mandatory punishment. But that required  something nearly impossible: a unanimous vote.

Not likely. The gods never agreed unanimously on anything.

You could always blackmail your brethren. He scowled at himself for  merely entertaining the thought. The kind of secrets he kept were the  sort that could destroy a person, or deity in this case. And he would  never betray an oath or hurt his family simply to save his own skin. The  mere thought was repugnant. No. He'd known the fate he'd accepted when  he'd broken their most sacred laws. He wouldn't try to wiggle out of it  at someone else's expense. That's not the sort of man he was.

Of course, if they didn't stop the apocalypse, none of that really mattered.

Infernum. He sighed. There was no hope of him having a future with  Ashli, was there? Well, at least Ashli was out of immediate danger.

"Máax. Where the devil's turd are you?" a deep, familiar male voice called out from the direction of Ashli's kitchen.

Ah, hell. Máax prayed it wasn't who he thought because he'd hoped to have a few days with Ashli, at least.

Máax silently tiptoed closer for a look.

Fucking fantastic. It was Niccolo DiConti, General of the Vampire Army, and two of his biker-looking vampire soldiers.

Of course, what did he expect? The Uchben knew Máax had arrived at  Ashli's house with Ashli, which meant everyone knew everything. There  were no secrets among the Uchben.

"I know he's here," one of them whispered. "I can smell his overbloated ego."

"Coming from a vampire," Máax said, "I find that remark marginally amusing."

A devious smile flickered over Niccolo's lips. "Ah, Máax. If it isn't my  favorite invisible deity." Niccolo's European accent tinged his comment  with natural sarcasm. "Don't you look well."

"That joke is as saggy as your thousand-year-old Italian ass. By the  way, Cimil's favorite flea market just called and would like you to  return their Armani knockoff."

"This is Hugo Boss. My wife says his suits make my ass look centuries  younger. Do you really think it looks old?" Niccolo turned, lifted his  blazer, and showed Máax the back of his pants.

Oh, gods. He was serious. "What do you want, vampire?" Máax asked.                       
       
           



       

Niccolo's long dark hair pulled into a ponytail contrasted with his  luminescent eyes. Eyes that flickered between apple green and aquamarine  like a godsdamned happy meter. Did he have to be so pleased about  coming to take Máax away?

"You know very well I'm no longer a vampire; however, it's no skin off  my unfanged teeth if you prefer to call me that. I happen to like  vampires very much."

The story of how Niccolo ceased to be a vampire was a very, very long  one-involved Cimil, say no more-but his wife and coruler, Helena, was a  new vampire.

"I repeat, what do you want?" But Máax already suspected the miserable truth.

Niccolo straightened his black tie and then gave his two men a knowing  nod that sent them outside. "You and I both know why I'm here; the gods,  your brethren and my allies, are calling for your immediate  incarceration. And from what I understand, you have a lot of explaining  to do."

"I'll explain myself when I'm good and ready, Niccolo. In the meantime,  tell my brothers and sisters to … " Oh, what is that expression Cimil  uses? Ah! " …  Suck it."

Niccolo laughed. "I love these modern phrases. Suck it. Circle twerk. Ear boner. Carpe noctem."

Máax cocked one brow, not that Niccolo noticed. "I see you've been  spending excessive amounts of time on UrbanDictionary.com." It was also  one of his brethren's favorite places to learn new human phrases.

"Life as an immortal"-Niccolo shrugged-"it's a journey."

"I'm glad you see it that way because I'm going to tell you to fuck  off." Máax needed to sort things out with Ashli. Hell, if he was lucky,  they might even make up. He'd heard that making up produced the best  sex.

Niccolo sighed. "I am taking you, Máax. And the girl. Deal with those apples."

Máax shook his head. Niccolo's use of colloquialisms was always a bit off. Why did he insist on trying to be cool?

Never mind that, man. Think. What are your options? He could take Ashli  and run, but his brethren would eventually find him; the gods'  connections allowed them to sense each other's presence unless they took  measures to block it. Obviously, Máax had no powers so he'd more or  less be a sitting duck.

He could fight Niccolo and the vampires, but without his powers, he  could not stop the vampires from sifting Ashli or himself away.  Basically, it was a no-win situation. That said, he did like the idea of  cracking a few skulls.

A fight it is.

Máax punched Niccolo squarely in the jaw, and he went flying across the kitchen, smashing into the cupboards.

Niccolo quickly picked himself off the floor. "Oww. What the hell did  you hit me for?" He rubbed his jaw and pouted. Yes, pouted. But in a  manly ex-vampire sort of way.

"Like I said," Máax explained cooly, "you're not taking us. Tell my  brethren I will come and answer for my actions when I'm ready."

Niccolo's two vampires sifted into the room, hissing for a fight.

"No!" Niccolo held up his hand. "This is between us two duds. Wait outside."

"Dudes. It's dudes," Máax said.

"Whatevers." Niccolo flew toward him, fist cocked, but Máax sidestepped.  Niccolo crashed right into the kitchen table. Máax laughed, thinking it  would take the large man a moment to rebound, but Niccolo zeroed right  in on the sound of Máax's voice and pounced.

Máax fell to the floor and a fist landed right on his cheekbone. His vision twinkled with tiny little stars.

"Son of a bitch." Máax threw Niccolo off and sprang up. Niccolo, too,  popped up off the floor and stood with fists ready for action.

Panting, Niccolo said, "I understand your position, Máax; however, I  cannot neglect the fact that I have a mate and a daughter who will both  cease to exist if the apocalypse isn't derailed. So the sooner you come  with me, the sooner we can all figure this out."