The Trouble with Hades

Chapter 5

Karina and I were in the cafeteria when Kannon entered the room. He glanced around the tables as he walked through the line and collected his lunch. I thought he'd keep going past our table and sit at the one that the jocks usually sat at. Instead, he stood at the end of our table and nodded at it.

"Mind if I join you?"

"So long as you don't mind lowering your status."

It was the last thing that I wanted, but to complicate things, it was also something that I knew could be beneficial if someone opened his foolish mouth and blurted out secrets. My fingers were crossed.

Kannon shrugged as he lifted a leg over the bench seat and sat down. Karina looked at me curiously, saying nothing as she ate her burger.

Neither of them knew that Anzide was in the room, though both probably assumed that he was there. He saw Kannon sit down and gave me a frown. It wasn't jealousy that earned me the frown, but probably closer to questioning my sanity for agreeing to this. I could say that, technically, I hadn't agreed. I merely offered a statement that offered no answer.

"So, new girl. Where are you from?"

"She's from Nunya." I offered before Karina could speak.

She grinned, saying nothing.

"Nunya? Never heard of it."

"Sure you have. It's the capital of Business."

Kannon looked at me. It was like he didn't get the joke, but Karina's giggling clued him in.

"You're so hilarious, Evie. Nunya Business. I can be curious about the new kid around here, can't I?"

"Well, one, she's not a kid. Karina is eighteen and two, she's also a vampire. It makes me think that you already know who she is and that you've been sent here by Captain Peckerhead to get her to join his coven. FYI, he's too late."

Kannon rolled his eyes.

"Drakkus didn't say anything to me. He's barely speaking to me at all."

I seriously doubt that. The statement made me want to scoff, but I restrained it and all forms of amusement that might follow. Still, I liked to tease, and when given a golden opportunity, I always indulged.

"Aww, did you have a lovers tiff?" I teased in my best pouty voice.

"Instead of mocking me, maybe you should be looking at your own problems."

I shrugged, ignoring the statement. It wasn't his place to tell me what to do or caution me about the issues in my life. He was full of good advice that came from well-meaning intentions. I had to understand that he cared about me and Brad. We were once something, and despite what had happened, he still cared. It was enough to make me reach across the table, grab a fist full of hair, and slam his head into the plate of food. But I was a good girl and refrained from listening to the devil on my shoulder.

As I tried to tune out Kannon's ramblings, I looked at the line and saw Audrey and her friends. She was watching us, namely Kannon. I guess she didn't like that he'd been sent here to do a task. The scowl on her face said as much.

"You know what I'm talking about, right? You're supposed to be this powerful being, and you're not. It worries me that you're going into this with nothing but a few people who won't be able to help you. Brad's body is still trying to cope with becoming a vampire, and I don't see lover boy anywhere around. Word on the street is that he's a bit of a newbie, too."

Karina looked at me. I could see the frown she was giving out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to say that it was okay, and I knew what Kannon was doing, but I didn't. Silence was my game here. Let him think that he's getting the upper hand.