The Darkest Promise (Lords of the Underworld #13)

Without looking back, the goddess gave her a thumbs-up. The people around her began to sob.

Cameo’s shoulders rolled in. She wouldn’t go chasing after her friend, treating Viola the way Sabin had treated her. As if she were an invalid incapable of protecting herself. She would trust Viola to see to her own safety.

Cameo turned her attention to hunt for her prey. Thanks to Gwen, she knew Juliette Eagleshield would be—there!

Oh, wow, Cameo had forgotten how beautiful she was. Tall and toned with dark hair and lavender eyes. A man could get drunk looking into those eyes.

The Harpy tossed back a shot, lifted her arms and shouted, “Woo-hoo.” She wore a purple tank top and a miniskirt, the wealth of tattoos on her legs perfectly displayed. In several places, different symbols wove together, creating an optical illusion, making her skin look as delicate as lace.

When Juliette threw back her head and laughed, a blade of envy cut through Cameo.

Why would Lazarus want you, a pity party waiting to happen, and not her, a pleasure party?

Cameo raised her chin. The answer didn’t matter. Juliette had removed Lazarus’s hands. More than once! Today Cameo removed hers.

Determined, she closed the distance.

Xerxes stepped into her path, stopping her. “Fights aren’t allowed inside the club.” His red eyes glowed, as ominous as they were unusual. Up close, his scars stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin, and it became obvious they were claw marks.

No help for it. She had to speak. “How do you know I plan to fight?”

He flinched ever so slightly before motioning to her hand. “You are clutching a dagger.”

Was she? Oops. She couldn’t recall palming one.

Cameo sheathed the weapon. “Happy now?”

“No.” Moving with a speed she couldn’t match, he claimed the dagger and its twin.

Whatever. From head to toe, she was a weapon.

“I’ll keep these until you’re ready to leave,” he said. “No reason to play with temptation.”

“Fine. But just so we’re clear, I’ll shove those daggers in your eyes if you or your friends harm Viola.”

Surprise registered, softening his features. “No harm will come to her.”

She believed him. Sent Ones were incapable of lying.

“Nor will any come to you,” he added. “Unless you cause trouble here.” He strode away, disappearing in the crowd despite his size and unique appearance, a feat that required talent.

Well. Time to cause trouble.

Finally Cameo reached the Harpies. Voice nothing but heartache and despair, she said, “Juliette the Eradicator.”

Juliette cringed, but quickly covered the action by arching a dark brow. “Cameo, Mother of Melancholy. I suggest you move along. Your friend killed my consort.”

She ran her tongue over her teeth. “He wasn’t your consort. He was your slave. And why would I move along? I’m going to wipe the floor with your face.”

The Harpy tensed, even as tears filled her eyes. Actually, every Harpy at the table tensed. Six in total. Meaning, six pairs of watery eyes focused on Cameo and flickered with rage. We’re off to a good start, then.

“Look who decided to steal a pair of balls.” Juliette flicked her tongue over the sharpened edge of an incisor, mimicking Cameo. “Too bad for you, we know the balls belong to Hades. We’re on different sides of the war, and you think he can protect you. News flash. He can’t. Make no mistake, I’ll rip off your limbs and mail them to your family.”

The crowd of immortals caught wind of the argument and formed a circle around Cameo and the Harpies. The music came to a screeching halt and silence reigned. Then mutters began to rise from the throng.

“Are you filming this?”

“Is that Cameo, keeper of Misery? Five bucks says we’re about to find out if blood is her best color.”

“I once watched Juliette pull out a man’s spine—through his mouth. Cameo’s going down.”

Everyone assumed the Harpy would beat her? Wow. That stung.

Your loss will be humiliating, Misery said, and cackled.

Sadness threatened to drown her. No! Not here. Not now. I can do this. I will do this. If she could control her thoughts, she could control her emotions. She could.

Three Sent Ones pushed their way to the front of the circle—Xerxes and the other owners, Bjorn and Thane—hurling people out of their way.

No fighting in the club? “Hypocrite,” she muttered.

Bjorn had dark hair, bronzed skin and the most spectacular pair of rainbow-colored eyes. Thane had innocent blond curls but hardened blue eyes. All three males radiated malice as they crossed their arms over their massive chests, daring Cameo and Juliette to deliver the first strike.

Cameo stood her ground. “You hurt Lazarus,” she spat at Juliette. “Now I hurt you.”

Lavender eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “Lazarus is my consort, now and forever, in life and in death. Mine! He is nothing to you.”

Borrowing a page from Viola’s playbook, Cameo fluffed her hair as if she hadn’t a care. “Are you sure? I just spent the weekend with him.”

Tremors swept through the Harpy. “You found him in the spirit realms?”

“Found him...kissed him.”

“Kissed—” With a shriek, Juliette launched at her.

Just before contact, a streak of black slammed into the Harpy, knocking her backward. Fluffy, Cameo realized, shocked to her core. He clawed at Juliette’s face, a bundle of rage, and the Harpy screamed in pain.

The crowd gasped collectively and backed away. Someone must have tripped over someone else, because a fight erupted. The Sent Ones leaped into action, doing their best to stop the worst of the violence.

One of Juliette’s friends pulled a thin, silver rod from the leather cuff around her wrist. A rod she swung at Cameo.

Reflexes well-honed, Cameo caught the end and threw a punch. Her knuckles shattered the Harpy’s cheekbone.

Viola appeared in a puff of crimson smoke. No longer angelic, she looked like the demon living inside her. Two horns extended from her scalp. Red scales had replaced her skin, and her eyes flared like radioactive rubies. Sharp, deadly fangs had grown from her gums, and her nails had lengthened into claws. The scent of sulfur wafted from her.

The goddess slashed the neck of Cameo’s opponent—as if it were a stick of butter. Blood sprayed, the Harpy grasping at newly torn tissue, desperate to breathe but unable.

The Sent Ones focused their efforts on Viola, but failed to stop her. She was simply too strong. As she worked her way through the Harpies, slashing at anyone within reach, the table fell over and glasses fragmented.

Cameo seized the opportunity to attack Juliette, who hadn’t yet fended off the Tasmanian devil. She kicked the bitch in the stomach...then kicked again as the Harpy hunched over, gagging.

Fluffy released her—but he took a piece of her ear with him.

Cameo backhanded her across a bloody cheek, sending the Harpy stumbling into the riotous crowd.