"What do you mean, you lost it?" I screech then lower my voice when I realize how loud I am and where I am. In case you're wondering, I'm in the woods behind the Gauthier Mansion. I'm also on the phone with Joshua King.

I took off from the mansion because I could sense that the Grimoire was no longer on the premise the moment I got out of the room. I couldn't sense it anywhere near the mansion so I decided that it made no sense for me to stay.

In my wake, I left an unconscious Nephilim guard and a passed-out human man dressed as a server...or rather partly dressed as a server now because I took his pants, back in the mansion.

I took them both out with Cortid strikes on the side of their necks. It's easy, I think all girls should know the trick- just deliver a quick hit on the phrenic and the vagus nerves on the neck, and they'll be out like a light.

The large Nephilim guard had fallen to the ground like a sack of potatoes. "Sorry, dude," I whispered to the unconscious man. I pulled him inside and closed the door because I figured that would buy me a little time.

As for the human server, I took him down because I recognized his face at the entrance when I was in the car with Katherine earlier this evening....and also because I needed a pair of pants. The man was dressed in a valet uniform then and when I saw him again in the kitchen, he's dressed as a server. Unless the man had an identical twin who worked as a valet, then he's a suspect.

He's a slight man, a lot smaller than the Nephilim guard. I dragged him into the staff washroom at the back after I rendered him unconscious. Then I tied him up with his belt, took his pants and his cellphone before I slinked off in the shadow through the back because the front of the mansion was too brightly lit and too heavily guarded.

My foot catches a tree root and I almost faceplanted on the hard ground before I grab a tree trunk to right myself. "What do you mean you lost it?" I repeat, resuming my conversation with Joshua King after I find my footing. "Did the book suddenly grow legs and walked away by itself?" I ask and I hear him snorts. It's not funny!

Ten million dollars. That's the amount of money we've agreed upon for him to steal the Grimoire from Pappalardo's dirty paws. Another cool fifteen if he manages to penetrate Astaroth's lair and get another Grimoire. I've transferred a quarter of the agreed amount to his account and the rest will be paid upon the delivery of the goods. I've dealt with Joshua King a number of times in the past and he's usually very reliable.

I'm gripping the phone so tightly that it's in danger of snapping in half ever since he told me that he'd "lost" the Grimoire that he stole from Pappalardo. "Joshua King, you'd better be kidding me!" I yell, unable to hold in my temper.

"Look, baby girl, someone stole it from me tonight, okay?" replies Joshua. He sounds so casual about it that it makes me grind my molars. I'm severely pissed. I'm so furious that I can hardly talk...or walk.

"No, it's not okay!" I finally spit out. "What do you mean stole it from you? You're the freaking thief!" I'm screaming now and I'm shaking. I can tell that my eyes are two red flames. I pause to take a deep calming breath. My voice might carry in the vastness of the woods back to the mansion and I can't afford to be found now.

I take another deep breath and when I open my mouth again, my voice is very quiet but full of venom. "Don't cross me, Joshua King. You'd better find a way to get it back and deliver it to me or there will be consequences. You know you don't want me as your enemy." I don't know yet how I'm going to make him pay if he crossed me, but I will make him pay dearly and Joshua King knows me enough not to toy with me or take my threat lightly.

"I'll get it back," he promises me, sounding more serious. "I'll get it back and deliver it to you in 72 hours."

"Within 24 hours," I counter. Despite losing the Grimoire, I have to give it to him- Joshua King is a king of thieves. Within a few hours of getting the assignment, he managed to steal it from Pappalardo.

"72," he says.

"Deliver it to me within 48 hours." I pause before adding, "Send it to the Gauthier Mansion."

"So it's true then. I heard that you're with the Nephilims, I thought it was just a rumor," he drawls, managing to sound both amused and calculative. "What are you up to now, Danica Saint?"

I'm about to find my way back to Astaroth because I suspect he's in the center of all this. If I was right, then he might have more than one Grimoire in his possession soon and I can't take that chance.

Dealing with Astaroth is like dealing with a toddler- if he's too quiet, he's up to something. He's also always a step ahead of me and I wouldn't be surprised if he'd figured out my betrayal.

But to Joshua King, I say, "It's none of your business, Joshua King. Just get the goodies. But remember this, if you played me, I will hunt you down and make you regret the day we've ever met."

"Woah, you don't need to warn me twice. I thought we're friends, pretty girl."

We're never friends. I trust the son of Leviathan as much as he trusts me.

I resume walking after I end the call. The truth is, I am not at all happy about leaving Sacha. It feels like a betrayal after I promised him that I'd stay with him forever. It's as though I was leaving half of myself behind. I aim to win this but I don't really know when or if I'd see him again. I look back over my shoulder but I can no longer see the light from the house.

I pay more attention to where I'm going when I almost face plant again. I always pride myself on being graceful but it's hard not to trip over branches and tree roots when you're trying to find your way in the woods in the middle of the night.

The moon was bright in the sky when I first started out but now, a thick dark cloud is slowly drifting by to cover it.

The sound of an owl hooting echoes in the distance. The cool wind is picking up, making me aware of how thin the shirt is. Twice, I thought I hear the flapping of wings of a large bird over the top of my head, but when I look up, I don't see a thing. The feeling of being watched and the rush of blood in my veins make me hasten my steps.

"You're almost there, Danica," I whisper to myself when I see the outline of the Blackwell Estate looming against the midnight sky like a menacing giant raising from the ground.

When I see the first strike of lightning, illuminating the trees and the crumbling tombstones, my mind and my pulse start to race.

I start running when the thunder gets louder and flashes of lightning are zigzagging across the sky. Now, I know for sure that the Nephilims are near. I just need to get to the portal in that sealed room before they can get me and I'll be fine. Well, I won't be fine, obviously, but I'll get closer to Astaroth and do what I set out to do.

I leap back with a shriek when a bolt of lightning lights up the whole sky and hits a tree not too far from where I'm standing. The loud boom of thunder shakes the ground beneath my feet and the tree catches fire.

"Where are you going, princess?" says a familiar voice from behind me.

"Sacha!" I gasp when I see him. I'm torn between feeling thrilled to see him and disappointed that I got caught. There's also this high alertness and the churning in my demon's blood because the Nephilims in their true form are near.

He's standing there without a shirt on. The fire from the burning tree illuminates the muscles of his broad shoulders and chest. His hair is tousled and his eyes are gleaming gold. He's intimidatingly and breathtakingly beautiful.

Behind him are three other Nephilims, including Olivier and all of them are shirtless. All of them are gleaming gold.

"Were you planning on leaving me, sweetheart?"

"No." I vehemently shake my head. "Well...yes," I add with a defeated sigh after a pause. "But only to prove to you that I didn't take it."

He takes a step closer to me and I feel the sizzling in the air as though he is surrounded by crackling energy that could burn me if he gets too close. "How?" he asks. "How were you planning to do that, Danica?"

"More likely she's running back to hell with our Grimoire as a gift to daddy Astaroth," sneers Olivier.

My horseshit tolerance just reached its limit and I turn to Olivier with blazing eyes. "You don't know the truth if it hits you in the face, you stupid Nephilim!" I hiss at him like a feral animal. "You can see that I don't have the Grimoire on me. I didn't take it but you wouldn't believe me, would you? You sit on your high horse like your kind can do no wrong while you stabbed each other on the back."

I hear Sacha's quick intake of breath. "Explain, Danica."

One of the other Nephilims steps forward. He's very blond and almost as tall as Sacha. "What does that mean?"

"You were betrayed by one of your own," I spit out. I immediately regret blurting it out when I see the disbelief mars the blond Nephilim's face.

I don't care if no one else believes me, but I don't ever want to see that look on Sacha's face when he looks at me. That's why I keep my eyes off him now. That's why I didn't tell him before.

So I keep avoiding looking at him and stare at the Blackwell Estate as though my life depended on it. I just need to get there.

********************************************** 

Below is a little teaser of the story on Joshua King. The first chapter is now available on Inkitt. I'll be posting it on Wattpad in a week or so:

THE LEGACY: THE SON OF LEVIATHAN

You know you have a big problem when you come home to a gorgeous stranger lounging on your bed claiming that you took something priceless from him last night. Now he's demanding that you return what you stole along with what you promised him before you disappeared on him - a night of passion. A night for him to do as he pleases with your "hot little body" (his words).

Nope, that doesn't sound like you. You're not the type who's brave enough to offer your "hot little body" to a hot stranger. Not going to happen. Nope!

See, the thing is, you don't remember much of what happened last night. Either he's lying or...is a body snatcher a thing?

But he won't leave you alone until he gets what he wants. So, what's a girl to do? You give him attitude. But your attitude seems to amuse him and turn him on. You yell at him and he thinks it's foreplay. You give him an inch and he takes a mile. You'd like to give him the finger too but you're worried if he's going to take it as an invitation to your bed.

Joshua King is a rake and a thief. He might have a gorgeous face...and...and a hot body but he's such a bullheaded womanizer and a perv with no redeeming quality at all!

Anyway, thank you for reading, voting, commenting, and following. If you want to read three chapters ahead, go to Inkitt:

https://Inkitt.app.link/RA_NicoleRidd3y

Have a great weekend and stay safe!

Much love,

Nicole♥