"It's your powers. You'll be able to sense other people in a way you've never imagined."
"Will I hear their thoughts?"
He gave her a land smile. "Only if they think out loud. But you will be able to sense the emotions people struggle to hide. That will tell you more about people than anything else."
"Will this massive headache ever ease?"
"Eventually."
Nodding, she looked down and touched his wrist where the bracelet used to be, "You're free of me now."
"I know."
"Then why are you still here?"
Xypher hesitated. It was something he wondered about himself. But he couldn't leave her. She was vulnerable and alone, and having been there himself, he couldn't bring himself to abandon her. "You need help."
"I can manage on my own. I always have."
"I've no doubt you can. But you helped me when I needed it. I'm returning that favor."
Simone leaned her head against his shoulder, truly grateful for his support. "Thank you, Xypher,"
"No problem."
She rubbed his arm as the entire events of the day played out in her mind. "Because I'm a demon now, is Jaden over me?"
"No. So long as you own your soul and you don't baiter it, no one has power over you."
She pulled back to look at him. "What if someone takes my soul?"
"No one can take your soul without your consent. Souls don't work that way."
She was glad to know that. Being a demon was scary chough, the idea of losing her soul was even more terrifying. God, she had so much to learn. It was like being born all over again. There was so much about herself that she didn't understand.
She wanted to learn the depth of her powers and what part Jaden played in the universe,
"I have a question ... If Jaden is so powerful, couldn't you make a bargain with him to kill Satara?"
Xypher brushed the hair back from her face. "Jaden doesn't work that way. He won't actively do anything. Rather, he provides the means for each of us to carry out our desires, If you need more power, he finds it. If you seek an amulet or device, then you call him. As he would say, he's a means to an end, not a lap dog."
"Why didn't you have him open one of the portals to her, then?"
"He refused me when I asked it of him."
"Refused you? Why?"
"Since Kalosis is controlled by the goddess Apollymi, I guess his powers wouldn't work there. But I don't know. It could be something as simple as he didn't like what I bartered with. Jaden can be extremely capricious at times."
"That doesn't seem right."
"Tell me about it." He looked around. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."
She smiled. "Famished." Suddenly that smile faded, "I'm not going to be drinking blood now, am I?"
"I hope not. If you are, we're going to have to learn how to bleed Jesse."
Jaden flashed back to the tree where he'd first been summoned As expected, Kaiaphas was waiting for him.
"Greetings, my lord," the demon said, bowing.
Jaden would give him kudos for knowing when to grovel. But kudos wouldn't save his ass. "You attacked your brother in the open today."
"My mistress demanded it."
Jaden slung his hand out and pinned the worthless bastard to the tree. "And by doing so, you undid a bargain I made. Do you know what that makes me?"
"No, my lord."
"A liar. And that is one thing I've never been." Jaden wanted blood over what had happened today. Palackas had given his life in vain and that sent Jaden to a level of pissed off he didn't like to function in.
But it wasn't his place to demand satisfaction over the demon's death. Frustrated, he released Kaiaphas and let him fall back to the ground. "I don't want your virgins. You can keep them."
"What then, my lord? Name your price and I will deliver it to you."
"There's a Dimme in this town. Bring me her heart."
"Is that all?"
"Trust me, it's enough."
Kaiaphas blinked as Jaden vanished from his sight. . .
A Dimme. That was easier said than done. First, they were brutal and rumored to be invincible. He wasn't sure if he had the powers to even look at one.
Licking his lips, he remembered his fight earlier that day. The woman . . .
Her blood had held the Dimme in it. He was sure of it.
Perhaps if he delivered her heart to Jaden, that would suffice. After all, wasn't one Dimme as good as another?
Yes.
Snapping his fingers, he went back to Kalosis to round up a sortie for his next attack. Simone was a medical examiner . . .
Smiling, he thought of one way to definitely get her out of her house.