Downworld

Chapter 2

Same bar. Same reason. Two months later. Tinder was late, I could tell because I was on my fourth beer. I wasn't worried though, it happened sometimes.

Plus, I had other concerns. Like trying not to freak out at the noble sitting beside me.

'Hello,' he said in an attempt to get my attention. 'I'm Malik.'

As if I didn't know he was there. My heart had clenched painfully when he'd come in, and the pressure had only gotten worse as he'd come closer. I wasn't ready for this so soon after last time; my guardian hadn't quieted down properly yet. I didn't need this.

'What do you want, kid?' I said back, hoping he would leave if I were unfriendly. Devil knows I couldn't have convinced my guardian to let me leave; it was too pleased with the situation. Sometimes, I think it hates me.

Actually, I know it hates me. All the time. Just as much as I hate it.

'To buy you a drink.'

I turn my head to look him up and down.

He was not bad looking, though a bit young for me. Teenagers have never turned me on, not even when I was a teenager. His hair was short, black curls; his skin was a tan color that was not caused by time under the sun. A little on the skinny side too. His power, though, that was nice. This close I could feel it emanating off his skin, hot, crackling, potent. I'd have bet my rent that he was some sort of fire elemental.

'Are you even legal?' I sneered.

His cheeks darkened. 'I'm twenty-one.'

I snorted. There was no way he was only two years younger than me. 'Right.'

'So I'm nineteen. I'm not going to be drinking it.'

If that you true, he was a young nineteen. It might have been the bad light, but I couldn't see even the shadow of stubble on his cheeks.

'If you're trying to pick me up, I'm not interested.'

His blush spread to his ears. 'I'm not, and you know it. I'm trying to thank you.'

'What for?'

'You know.' I raised an eyebrow to suggest I didn't. 'For saving me.'

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'You do. It was you. Kip described you. And I remember you here that night.'

I swallowed. My guardian wanted me to accept the drink, it hummed with pleasure at the thought of a noble's gratitude, but I knew that part of myself well enough to know it could be satisfied another way.

'You know what you could do to thank me,' I paused and he waited, perking up a little, 'you can fuck off and go back below. I'm not the bloody babysitter for nobles who don't have the common sense to look after themselves. So get, and don't come above again until you can handle yourself, all right kid?'

'You know what, fuck you.'

'I said I wasn't interested.'

He slammed some money down on the bar and stomped out. And my guardian was happy, because the kid would be safe in his father's territory, even if it would have preferred to have stayed close to him.

'Well done,' the bartender said, scooping up the cash.

A moment later, Tinder slipped onto the vacated stool. 'Why was he here?' I hadn't seen her come in, but I guessed it wasn't more than a moment ago.

'Been round every Friday since his trouble,' the bartender said with a nod at me, 'looking for his hero here.'

Tinder raised an eyebrow in my direction. 'It was you?'

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Right. So you have no idea why below was buzzing with news of how two other nobles roofied the Red King's son to try do something untoward, but he was saved by an incubus?'

I scowled at her, but she just laughed.

'Thought you hated nobles.'

'He was going to be raped, Tin.'

That took the smile off her face. 'Shit, I hadn't heard that.'

And if she hadn't heard, the Red King's camp must have kept that quiet from even their close allies like the Silent Lady.

'What did the Red King do to the nobles?'

'Dead,' she replied with a grimace, 'their parents too.'

'War?' I asked. You don't just off noble kids and their parents without entire downworld factions getting pissed off and retaliating.

'Quick and bloody. Everyone is fine.'

'Great.'

Another reason all nobles could fuck off; whenever they had a tiff, they pulled in everyone below them. In a war, guardians became generals, and every one of lower rank became soldiers, to die for their lord or lady. And die they did.

'Any lingering tension?' I asked.

She shrugged, which meant yes.

'I'll walk you to the gateway.'

She protested a little, but stood when I did. Tinder filled the walk with her usual spiel about the family and her love life. She and Kean were thinking about having kids. I noticed she didn't mention the fighting, but I didn't ask about it.

We paused outside the door to the hotel, the guardian doorman watching. Clearly on edge.

'You could come down, you know. Everyone would be happy to see you.'

I didn't respond to that. Not long before I'd left, my parents had tried to shut down talk about above by saying something to the effect that I could consider myself orphaned. I doubted nine years had changed that.

'They miss you, you know, everyone does, even if they won't say so.'

'Pride's a bitch like that.'

'You would know.' She kissed me and headed inside. The doorman opened the door for her, and gave me a lewd smile behind her back, clearly thinking we were lovers. I gave him the finger and began the walk back to my car.