Another earthquake hit, and they stumbled to catch their footing. One of the few earthquakes they had suffered had hit off the Gulf Coast roughly two hundred miles out about a year ago. Only a few residents on the coast reported feeling it.
That they suffered a second in a few minutes worried Enzo. Was it the end of the world? Had Balaam defeated Phuck? He’d have thought things would’ve gone smoother with Phuck’s involvement. The king had seemed confident of what would materialize.
“What’s happening?” Brenda cried.
“Well, if I were a betting man,” Enzo started with no fear in his voice. He knew exactly what was happening. “Phuck would be draining Balaam of his powers and ingesting them as his own.”
“Making him no better than a human,” Natalia added.
Mama didn’t correct or confirm his theory.
“You can’t do this,” Jerry screamed. “He was going to make me immortal and a demon, to rule over hell and any cities I wanted!”
“There’s only one ruler of hell and ‘Nawlins.”
The door slammed against the wall behind everyone, and Enzo and Natalia turned to find Phuck and Alexo standing in the doorway, the heart of Balaam in Phuck’s hand.
“That ruler is me,” Phuck said. “You can go fuck yourself with that shit, Jerry.”
“Oh my gawd,” Brenda screamed and thrashed around in her cuffs. She couldn’t go anywhere; her toes barely touched the floor.
“Hold still before you hurt yourself,” Enzo told her.
Natalia’s hands went to her hips. “Phuck, how’d you get Alexo out of lockup?”
He winked at her. “I have friends in high places, kitten.” Phuck approached Enzo and looked between him and Jerry. “He’s your kill if you want to take it. You can end it all right now.”
Enzo stared into the demon’s glowing eyes. His hair lit in blue flames and his right arm was covered in blood and demon residue. Enzo looked over to Jerry and crossed the floor to the captive.
He leaned in and shoved his hand around the man’s throat once more. “One good pull is all I need.”
Jerry’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry, man. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to fuck your wife.”
Natalia laughed. “Oh, so you tripped, and your dick just happened to fall inside her vagina?”
Brenda screamed again.
Natalia walked over to her and cupped her hand over her mouth. “Shut the fuck up! Where’s the chloroform when you need it?”
“Satan’s balls, I love you, woman,” Phuck mumbled.
She raised her brows. “What did you say?”
“Yeah,” Enzo said. “What did you say?”
“Fuck y’all. Yeah, I said shit. Now kill the bastard!” Phuck ordered. “We have better shit to do tonight than fuck around with two-timing cunts.”
Enzo turned his attention back to Jerry and leaned in. His grip tightened and he growled. He felt the hair stand up on his arms and neck. He wanted this kill, had needed it for so long. Killing Jerry would be killing his past, his father, everything that had ever fucked him over in his life.
His arms shook and his eyes burned. He blinked a few times, and a tear slipped down his cheek. A set of hands rested on his shoulders and pulled him back. He turned into Natalia's arms and allowed her to embrace him. Her warmth, her touch—Enzo needed her more than this kill.
“Don’t worry, I got you, brother,” Phuck whispered behind him with a hand on Enzo’s shoulder.
“Come on, baby,” she told Enzo. “Let’s go outside while Phuck cleans up.”
He nodded and didn’t give one glance back to the scene behind him. He heard Jerry scream, and the sound didn’t bother him at all. He imagined instead his father screaming while Enzo beat the shit out of him for touching him and his mother. He imagined Jerry getting his ass handed to him by the Voodoo Dawgs. Then he imagined what Brenda’s headstone might look like.
Then he shook his head. “Phuck?”
“I’m kinda busy right now.”
“Don’t kill Brenda. Make her watch, but don’t kill her. Let her go with a warning that this is her demise if she dares return to ‘Nawlins.”
“You got it, brother,” Phuck told him. “Now get the fuck out of here with my kitten.”
Enzo knew he’d said ‘Nawlins the way Phuck did. Maybe the demon had rubbed off on him. Maybe not. Regardless, this ordeal was over.
Whatever Phuck did to Balaam, he was no longer a threat.
Jerry would be dead soon, if he wasn’t already.
And Brenda would be far away.
He looked to Natalia and sank into her arms once more. “I can’t do casual. I can’t be just friends with benefits. I love you, Natalia. I love you with every fiber of my being, and I want you to be my mate.”
She smiled and cupped his face. “I don’t want casual, either. I thought I did, then I fell in love with both of you. I love you, too, Enzo. So much. Now, let’s get us home so we can fuck this evening from our existence.”
He grinned. “Now that I can do.” Hearing Natalia tell him she loved him in return sent a renewed sense of self he had been missing for as long as he could remember. “Will you move down here with us? Stay with us?”
She nodded. “I already talked to my realtor to put my place up on the market. I have movers coming to pack up my things and bring them to my new house. How’s that sound?”
He chuckled. “Fuck yes, that’s great!”
“All right, my beautiful detective and her jester.” Phuck exited the B&B and met the duo outside. “Who’s ready to get the hell outta here?”
“Where’s Brenda?” Enzo asked.
“Voodoo Mama will take care of her. I need some pussy. Come on. Let’s go.”
Enzo chuckled. “Natalia is moving here to be with us.”
“Nah, she’s moving here to be with me. You’re a contingency prize.”
“Fuck you.” Enzo chuckled. He knew Phuck was kidding and found himself enjoying the banter.
“Nah, you’re not my type. You’re too…pretty.”
“He’s just right for me,” Natalia said with a smile. “Let’s play later. After we clean up. I have some things to bring out to play with you both.”
Phuck growled and scooped her up in his arms. “Where the hell have you been all my life?”
She laughed and held on to him. “Oh, you know, here and there.”
Enzo opened the door to his car. “Get inside, Natalia. There’s no time like the present to play.”
“Dude, we need to get you a ride. This car shit doesn’t cut it,” Phuck told him.
Next thing he knew, Phuck would be wanting to put a kutte on his back.
Not today, Satan. Not today.
Enzo smirked at Phuck as Natalia settled into the front seat. “Just because you have a badass demonic motorcycle doesn’t mean you get the girl.” He looked pointedly at Natalia. “See you at my place, sucker.”
“Oh no, we’re going to mine,” Natalia announced. “My new place.”
“Hot damn,” Phuck yelled. “When did this happen?”
“Just the other day. Figured tonight would be the best time to present it, and my newest toys tonight.” She winked and closed her door.
“What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?” Enzo asked before he circled his car to get inside.
“I don’t know and don’t care. I’m just ready to get there and get my dick inside her.”
Enzo laughed and rubbed across his hardened cock. “I’ll drop her off and text you the address. Meet you there later.”
“Make it early.” Phuck lifted a cigarette to his mouth and inhaled. “After our day, the sooner we’re inside her the better.”
Enzo nodded and got into his cruiser. He started up the car then glanced over to Natalia. “You have both of us by the balls. You realize this, right?”
She reached across the seat and cupped his dick over his pants. “Absolutely.”