Immortals After Dark 06 - Dark Desires After Dusk

don’t see anything predetermination-wise, and human pharmacology is beneath my notice.”
    “Nïx, please, I might not look like it, but I’m walking the razor’s edge right now.”
    She nodded gravely. “I know. In the restroom, you had the urge to scream to the ceiling and pull your hair out. And really, dearling, they have someone to clean that area.”
    How did she see—
    “Ever-knowing, that’s how.”
    “Then tell me, is all this Vessel stuff true?” Holly asked.
    “Yes, unfortunately it is. Best choose your babydaddy carefully.”
    “Why me?”
    Nïx said, “A stroke of bad luck.”
    Holly’s face screwed up into an expression of distaste. Bad luck was merely a random occurrence that didn’t go in one’s favor. “But if I get the Valkyrie change reversed, will I still be the Vessel?”
    “I don’t see how you could be. The Vessel must be of the Lore.”
    “So if I can get back to normal, people will stop trying to kill me?” Holly could nullify this chance event. She could take action to combat the random.
    “Theoretically, it would follow.”
    So do the reasoning trail: Get Valkyrie change reversed, lose Vessel status. Stop having immortal assassins trying to kill me or demons attacking me. Break free from the finite solution set of dead or bred. Go back to being one code away from PhD and previous life. Eventually, have normal kid. No ultimate evil.
    Nïx said, “But I think when the choice comes, you’ll have grown to like your new self. At last you’ll have a self.”
    “What does that mean?”
    She pulled a curl free from Holly’s tight chignon, irritating her. “Who are you, niece? You have no idea. You will soon, though.” Nïx gave her a grin, as if Holly was on the outside of an inside joke. “Well, I must be off. Proto-Valkyrie and Soothsayer without Equal is a grueling, thankless job, but Nïxie must do it.”
    “Wait!” Holly followed her to her abused Bentley. “I have so many more questions. Did my mother die young? And who was my father? How will I get in touch with you? Are there more of our kind walking around? How can I recognize them?”
    “All your questions will be answered in time.”
    This being already had all the answers. “Please, take me with you! You said I was family.” And Holly felt that a few more hours with Cadeon might send her over the edge.
    “If you want to stay a Valkyrie, then hop in. We have mayhem on tap for tonight,” Nïx said, motioning to her backseat.
    Holly glanced inside, then stared in horror. The space was piled with Pat O’Brien’s cups, uninflated balloons, peanut packing filler, and boxes that read: dangereux! C-4 plastique.
    She took an involuntary step back.
    Nïx blithely continued, “But if you’re set on the reversal, I can’t take you to Groot’s. His fortress is hidden, and you’ll have to go through a series of checkpoints to reach him. It’ll take at least a week, a week I don’t have since I’m fighting an apocalypse. Just think, Holly”—she draped one arm around Holly’s shoulders, and waved the other hand in an arc in front of them—“an apocalypse, the ultimate in disorder.”
    Holly shuddered.
    “Would you want to take me from preventing that?” Nïx asked, releasing her.
    “Well, of course not, but—”
    “If you are adamant about having your gift overturned, then I’ll arrange it so that Cade has to get you safely to the sorcerer to earn his sword. Is that what you want?”
    “I want to go, but not alone with him! I don’t suppose you could hire someone less…”
    “Incredibly hot? With less lickable horns and a less sexy Sith Ifrican accent?” She shook her head, opening her car door. “No, Cade can keep you safe. He’s strong, and he’s ruthless.”
    Holly’s lips parted wordlessly. Lickable horns?
    “Oh, I almost forgot.” Nïx fetched a weighty satchel from the passenger seat. “Here’s your welcome kit. Must go now. Ciao!”
    As Nïx started the car, Holly said, “One last question.”
    “Very well, dearling.”
    “Can I trust Cadeon?”
    Nïx gave her a sunny smile with blank golden eyes. “As far as you can throw him.”

11
    I guess we’re keeping the conspicuous car?” Holly asked when Cade pulled onto the highway, going north.
    “For now. We’ve got to get out of town fast. Coincidentally, this car hauls ass.”
    “Where are we headed first?”
    “Memphis. Nïx said she put the directions in your bag.”
    Holly reached into the backseat, grabbing the