Devil May Cry (Dark-Hunter 11)

Kat pulled Kessar up by the hair so that she could whisper in his ear. "Never underestimate an Atlantean. We're not your average pantheon."

His face changed at that. Large veins protruded from his forehead before his eyes glowed. His mouth grew larger as the double-row of fangs appeared. He went to bite her, but Sin caught him by the throat.

Sin shoved him into Damien's arms. "Take out the trash, Damien. I don't want it stinking up my casino."

Kessar's face returned to normal so fast that it stunned Kat. He shoved Damien away from him. "Don't touch me, Daimon. You're not worthy."

Damien curled his lip. "Up yours, asshole. I don't want the Sumerian slime pit stench on me anyway. Take your girlfriends and get the hell out of our casino."

Kessar straightened his sleeves. "Oh, we're so going to come back here. In force."

Sin's features were hard and cold. "Looking forward to it."

"So am I." And with that, they turned and left, literally in a V formation.

"Wow," Kat said under her breath. "They remind me of geese with that action."

"Yeah, and much like geese, they usually shit all over your lawn." Damien pulled a small container of breath freshener from his pocket and started spraying it. "Too bad we don't have demon be-gone."

"Or do we?" Kat looked at the two of them. "What's the one thing the gallu hate most?"

"You would be looking at him," Sin said dryly.

"Yeah, but the next would be a Charonte. Right?"

Sin gave her a droll stare. "And in case you haven't noticed, they're not exactly in supply in this realm any longer. I believe your grandmother has cornered the market on them."

Kat laughed. "Not entirely. I know one in particular who likes to visit here and who would love to have a chance to go on a feeding frenzy, especially here in Vegas where there are lots of pretty sparklies for her to see."

Damien and Sin exchanged a frown.

"Who is this demon?" Damien asked. "And more important, is she attractive?"

"Oh, she's attractive all right. But I would advise against making a move on her. The last man who did, sadly, ended up dead." Kat pulled the cell phone off Damien's belt and dialed the one and only number that would ring a dainty pink Razr cell phone that was covered with white and pink sparkles.

"Hello?"

Kat smiled at the light singsongy voice she knew and loved so well. "Simi? You got some free time?"

Simi made a disgusted sound on the other end. "Of course I do. You know akri on Olympus with that heifer-goddess I want to eat, but he won't let the Simi have no dinner. So why you calling me, little akra-kitty?"

"I'm in Vegas and I find myself in desperate need of a quality demon. Bring your barbecue sauce, hon." Kat smiled in triumph at Sin. "Lots of it."

"Ooo... buffet?"

"Yes, ma'am. As much as you want."

Simi let out an excited squeal. "The Simi is on her way. Lemme pack a few things and I'll be right there."

Kat hung up and handed the phone back to Damien. "One really hungry Charonte coming our way."

Sin nodded, but his face was still dark as he looked down at the box in his palm.

Kat put her hand on him to comfort him. "We'll find your brother, Sin."

His expression made her heart ache. "Yeah, but what exactly are we going to find?"

Her stomach shrank at the thought and she could feel the fury inside him growing. If not for her mother, Sin would have been able to protect his brother and keep him safe. He must be plotting new ways to torture Artemis even as they stood there, and Kat couldn't blame him for it one little bit.

Damien cleared his throat. "It's daylight right now, boss. But tonight we can help you search for him."

Sin shook his head. "You stay out of this. They'll cut through you like butter."

The look on Damien's face said he wasn't a bit afraid.

"What about Savitar?" Kat asked, thinking of someone they might be able to sway to their cause. "Or any of the Chthonians, for that matter? Won't they help?"

"They haven't yet. Since their civil war, all they want to do is guard their own territories and ignore the rest." Sin set the cane down on the floor.

Kat cocked her head, remembering the way Kessar had reacted to it. It alone had given the demon pause. "What is that you're holding? Demon kryptonite?"

"Sort of." He lifted the handle to show her a thin blade, which was exactly what she'd expected it to conceal. "It was created by Anu much like the Atlantean daggers that kill the Charonte. It's how we kept the gallu in line."

Ooo, she liked the sound of that. "You got any more of them?"

"No," he said with a sigh. "After all these centuries, they've become brittle. This is the last one I have, and since Anu isn't around to make any more..."

They were screwed. He didn't have to say the words her mind said them for him. "Would an Atlantean dagger work on them?"

"I don't know. You got one?"

"Not really. I was just thinking out loud. You weren't supposed to call my bluff."

"Sorry to spoil your thinking." Sin turned to Kish, who'd been unbelievably quiet through everything. "Uncover the mirrors throughout the casino. Make sure that we have mirror coating on all the entrances."

Kat frowned. "To keep out the Dark-Hunters?"

"To keep out the gallu. Mirrors show them for what they are. They won't go near one."

Damien snorted. "I like the idea of keeping the Dark-Hunters out better."

Kat gave him an arch look. "I'll bet you do. I'm surprised none of them have been in here cleaning house, so to speak."

"I'm not real friendly to them," Sin said. "The ones here know I own this place and they give it space. After all, unlike true Dark-Hunters, I'm not banned from hitting or killing them, and they know it."

She gave him a sarcastic doe-eyed, worshipful stare. She even folded her hands under her chin and spoke with a fake southern drawl. "You're just such a sweetie pie. I can't imagine why the other Dark-Hunters won't let you play their reindeer games. Shame on them all."

He ignored her except for a little eye rolling. "Damien, keep a watch out for any more gallu until Kish can get the mirrors in place."

"You got it."

Kish headed off toward the nearest wall.

Picking the cane up, Sin turned and headed back for the elevators so quickly that Kat had to practically run to catch up to him.

He didn't speak as he held the door for her. She was rather stunned at his uncharacteristic chivalry.

"Thanks."

He inclined his head before he stepped back and let out a long breath. She could sense that he wanted to say something, but at the same time he didn't want to say it. He wouldn't even look her in the eye. There was something so incredibly boyish about his actions. It wasn't like him to be uncertain about anything, and she found it oddly endearing.

While the take-charge Sin was sex on a stick, this one was lovable. Adorable and sweet. A strange dichotomy for the man she was learning.

Alter a few seconds, he gave her a sheepish glance. "Do you have the powers to locate my brother?"