Immortal Rider_ Lords of Deliverance Series_ - Larissa Ione [67]
So yeah, everything felt the same. Natural. And yet… there was the sense that something was missing.
You miss Limos, idiot.
Fuck, he was screwed.
“So,” Decker said. “You look pretty good for being in hell’s belly for a month.”
Arik downed half his beer. “I don’t recommend it as a vacation spot.”
“You okay?” Kynan asked, his voice low, gaze serious.
Arik was tired of that question. There’d been way too much doom and gloom and are you okay.
“Couldn’t be better.”
“Runa wants to see you. Said you aren’t returning her calls.”
“Been busy.” Busy avoiding her.font>
Ky got the hint and didn’t push the issue. Decker didn’t either, took a swig of beer and changed directions, bless his little ole redneck heart. “So… what possessed you to kiss a Horseman and earn yourself a ride on the long black train?”
Man, sometimes Decker needed a translator. “Long black train?”
Kynan beaned Decker with his bottle cap. “It’s from one of Decker’s country songs he forces me to listen to. Something about a train to hell.”
“Yeah, well, there’s no train. Just big, thorny arms.” Arik shut down that memory and downed the rest of his beer.
“Well?” Decker tossed him another cold one. “Why’d you do it? I didn’t think you swung that way.”
“I kissed the female Horseman, you idiot. I’m not gay.”
“Duh. I know you’re not gay.” Decker propped himself up on an elbow. “I was talking about supernaturals. I didn’t think you walked on that side of the tracks.”
Kynan snorted. “Train metaphors aside, if you saw Limos, you’d walk there too, Deck.”
Arik sighed. “You two meatheads here for a reason?”
“You have something better to do?” Kynan asked.
“No, but you didn’t come here to bring me beer and sit around taking up space. So you’re either here to gauge my mental fitness, or you’re here to bring me up to speed on Aegis and R-XR shit. Which is it?”
“Both,” Decker admitted, falling into pro mode. He came across as a big, slow hick at times, but Arik wasn’t entirely convinced it wasn’t an act. The guy was sharp as a stang blade at times.
Arik sat forward in his chair. “What’s up?”
Kynan kicked his booted feet up on the desk. “When you were with Limos, did she give you any information about her agimortus?”
Arik filled them in on the stuff about the Isfet demons, which was all new to Kynan. “Damn,” he breathed. “All we’ve had to go on are the lines in the Daemonica. A Horseman, should he drink from the Cup of Deception and Lies, will loose Famine to ravage the earth. Did she give you anything about Thanatos?”
“They’ve been tight-lipped about him,” Arik muttered. “The world is screwed. Unless you brilliant minds have come up with some sort of plan while I’ve been at Disneyland.” Kynan and Decker exchanged glances, and Arik got a bad feeling in the base of his gut. “What? What are you guys not telling me?”
“Did Limos give you any insight into Thanatos and his… ah…” Kynan trailed off as if looking for the right word, which was strange, because the guy rarely beat around the bush.
Decker rolled his eyes. “What do you know about his sex life?”
Arik froze with his beer an inch from his lips. “His sex life?”
“Yeah. You know, what’s he into? Men? Kinky shit? Dangerous shit? Or is he like you and all vanilla?” Decker delivered the last bit with a teasing smirk.
As if he was one to talk. The dude had dated the same sweet, missionary-only girl since high school until last year when he couldn’t take lying to her about his job anymore, and broke up with her. It had come down to keep lying or leave the R-XR. Decker had chosen his career, and Arik couldn’t blame him. Now was not a good time to lay down weapons, for sure.
“Do I look like I’m the guy’s confessor? How the hell should I know what he’s into? And why are you asking?” Arik eyed