Jared frowned. “That doesn’t sound like a very nice life.”
Ria shrugged. “I would guess it isn’t. Most of us tend to just indulge themselves in pleasure and glut ourselves on our Appetites.”
Jared nodded. “But not you. Why?”
She fidgeted with her ponytail. “She’s the only one I have. We’re of the same bloodline — my mother was her second cousin or something. When my mother left me, Miss Senguine took me in as a protégé. I owe her everything.”
“Wait, what bloodline are you? What kind of demon are you, anyway?”
She shifted her gaze away. “I’d rather not discuss it. I think it’s sufficient to say that we are kin.”
“Okay, that kind of explains your plan, I guess.” He scowled. “Except for one thing. Why would you need my help?”
Ria bit her lip. “It’s kind of complicated.” She hesitated for a moment before sighing. “The truth is… I don’t think Jessica has the will to live anymore.”
Jared’s eyes widened. “What?”
“She doesn’t eat anymore. Physically, yes, but not… You know. Magically.” She held up her fingers in air quotes. “She doesn’t think I notice — or more likely, she doesn’t care. I want to convince her to keep on living. If she doesn’t eat…” She closed her eyes. “She’ll probably perish within a year, if not sooner.”
Jared winced. “I’m sorry, Ria.”
She bit back her emotions and opened her eyes. “It’s alright. I’m just hoping I can convince her to stick around for a while.” She looked down. “I don’t think my chances are very high. She’s a… picky eater.”
“And you think I could somehow convince her?”
Ria held up her hands. “I don’t really have a better idea. Frankly, you’re kind of my last hope for this. She hasn’t been so alive since…” She cut off. “For a while. Finding you really woke her up from her stupor. I think that’s a good sign.”
Jared buried his face into his hands. “What about the other proteges? Can’t they help you?”
Ria pursed her lips. “Maybe in the short term. But once the apocalypse hits, well… I don’t know much about their plans, but from what I’ve gathered, they both involve some major activity. Miss Senguine and I aren’t very powerful, and she’s planning on staying far, far away from anything political.”
Jared frowned. “Apparently you know something I don’t.”
Ria laughed and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “I’m sure you know plenty about them that I don’t know. But I don’t think we can really work together.”
She glanced at the window. “It’s almost sunset. I should probably take you to Annika now.” She rose and stretched her legs.
Jared stretched his back as he followed her from the room. “So how did I do? Is my ‘mental strength’ decent?”
She shrugged noncommittally. “I’ll let Jessica fill you in. I think it’ll be fun to let you be surprised.”
Jared sighed. Suddenly, she sobered up. “Jared…” She reached out to touch his arm. “If you can help Miss Senguine, even if you don’t make any deals with me…” She looked down. “I’d be very grateful. Very grateful.”
Don’t look at her lips. “I promise, I’ll try to help.” He hesitated. “But it sounds like it’s going to take some work.”
“Undoubtedly.”
“I’m just not sure I can commit to do everything I can.” He sighed. “I’ve got a lot going on right now, and I’m trying not to get overwhelmed.”
She nodded. “I understand. If you change your mind…” She drew close. He froze as she sidled up to him, painful inches from making contact. “I promise, you won’t regret it.”
She pulled away and smiled like nothing happened. “We’d better get going. Annika is not a patient woman.” She turned and walked down the stairs.
Jared groaned. He was going to need therapy after this.
After reaching the bottom, Ria led him through the back of the house and down another small flight of stairs. They soon approached a large, concrete room.
It was mostly bare, only punching bags and training dummies filling one half of the room. The other had a very out-of-place Olympic sized swimming pool. On the left side stood Annika, who was reclining on a sparring dummy.
She was dressed similarly to Ria, with the only major difference being the black booty shorts she wore in place of yoga pants.
Annika folded her arms as they came closer. “Took you long enough,” she said dryly. “Did you get distracted?” She completely ignored Jared’s presence.
Ria rolled her eyes. “I’m not here to argue, sister. I only came to drop off Mr. Bertreck here.” She leaned over to whisper to him. “Be careful of her.”
She didn’t have to tell him twice. He nodded as Ria retreated for the door. “We’ll talk some other time!” she called back.
When she was gone, Jared turned to face Annika. “‘Sister’?”
Annika scoffed. “It’s a running joke of hers. She always had a soft spot for her little ‘family’.” She pushed off the dummy to face him squarely. “It’s a wonder she’s not already dead.”
Jared clenched his jaw as she stepped forward. “Have you thought about my little… proposition?” She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
He held up a hand to keep her from coming closer. “I have. I think I need a bit more information before I can decide.”
She cocked out a hip and put her hand on it. “Excuse me? I’m not about to go telling strangers about my-” She stopped and scowled. “They made you deals too, didn’t they?”
He didn’t deny it. She sighed. “Let me guess. Ria told you everything, right?”
“Pretty much.”
“And unless I tell you stuff, you’re not going to make a deal with me?”
“Nope.”
Annika stared at him for a long moment. “You’re a pain in the butt, you know that?”
Jared shrugged. “Not the first time I’ve been told that.”
Suddenly she grinned. “A bit of backbone. I like that in a man.”
“What am I here for, exactly? Miss Senguine made it sound like she had something in mind.” He glanced around the room.
“Harbor a guess.” Annika held out her fingers. “You just had your mental strength tested, so now we’re going to test your…” She feigned concentration and squinted dumbly.
He didn’t take the bait. “I figured it would be something like that.” He squared his shoulders. “Where do we begin?”
She stretched her arms and began walking around him slowly. “Have you ever hit a girl?”
“No.”
She grinned maliciously. “Well, you’re about to.”
Before he could reply, she rushed at him with inhuman speed. A quick smack to the face landed by the time he flinched. He backed up quickly.
She was back to a few feet away, pacing around him in a fighting stance. “Go on. Put em up.”
He raised his hands as she came in again. Heavens, she was fast. He tried to block, but she moved too quickly. She was a straight up blur. Almost… inhumanly fast.
He, apparently, was not. She kept raining blows on him, sharp and brutal. Individually they weren’t particularly devastating, but they added up rapidly. He did his best to block them, but he wasn’t very successful.
He swung wildly, but he couldn’t land a hit. She sped up, giving him no time to breathe or react. He backed up, shielding himself against the onslaught, but to no avail. Soon, he felt his back touch the wall.
His frustration was growing. “Time out!” he shouted, but she paid no heed. “I said, stop!”
He reached out to grab her, but she spun away laughing.