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  In loving memory of Fred Grimm, whose last name was the biggest misnomer of all. Nick proudly dons his bright Hawaiian shirts in your honor, my brother. You are and will always be missed.

  To Stephania, for being another bright and shining light in this world. God bless and keep you always, my sister. I love you dearly! And I think of you every day.

  For Mama Lisa, Greg, and Sister Kim, for keeping me sane and for reasons y'all know. I couldn't have done it without you! And for Judy, Loretta, Paco, Carl and Jacs and Pam and my two nurse Kims! And always Red Kim. :) Last, but never, ever least, my husband and boys, for inspiring me and putting up with my most forgetful ways and long, solitary hours of writing time. I couldn't make it through my days or life without you.

  And to my awesome agent and team at SMP, and especially my wonderful editor, who hasn't used her voodoo doll on me yet. Thank you! I'm so blessed to have all of you in my life and I'm so glad all of you are part of my world!

  A good friend once told me not to dread the future. One way or another, it would come. The trick was to meet it with open arms so that when it ran me over, it wouldn't break anything.

  --Renegade Waya Mayan Dark-Hunter

  PROLOGUE

  It wasn't easy being Death. Made it hard to make friends. Harder still to keep them. No one was ever really happy to see you. Being around anyone tended to make them nervous and jumpy. Really sucked most days.

  And today in particular, Grim was ... well ...

  Grim.

  Sighing heavily, he glared at his hulking henchmen, Pain and Suffering. Instantly terrified of Grim's intent and mood and what it might cause him to do to them, they skittered from the room like two roaches caught trying to pilfer a bite of cake. As if he was going to kill them while they were cleaning his office.

  Later, he might be tempted. But he seldom killed anyone while they were doing something for him.

  Even more agitated by their fear, he skimmed his hand over the large crystal skull on his table. Time was being tampered with. He didn't know why and he didn't know who.

  But something wasn't right. Something unnatural was happening. And this stupid, clear skull wasn't helping him decipher the riddle in the least. He saw nothing, and that only ticked him off more. He'd never liked being in the dark. Never liked not knowing, and he cursed the day he'd been born without foresight.

  Grim lifted the skull up, intending to splinter it against the wall.

  "Are you trying to find our missing rider?"

  Calming enough to return the skull to its stand, Grim cocked his head at the sound of the feminine voice. With long, curly dark hair and perfect features, Laguerre was ever beautiful. Ever evil. His favorite kind of being, if the truth were told. There was no ambiguity in her heart. No prejudice. She hated everyone equally.

  And she killed without hesitation.

  It was why they were best friends and had been so for countless centuries. Sighing in the midst of his bitter ennui, Grim sat back in his chair to eye her ruefully. "There's no reason to hunt for Yrre. Sadly, Gautier refused the call and closed the door on our ride against the human vermin. There's nothing we can do now."

  "Yes, but he left all the riders on the human side of it when he so rudely slammed it shut in our faces. None of us are trapped in other realms this time."

  She had a point. Still ...

  "Bane is aligning himself with our enemies. He says he's done with the intrigue. It's just you and me now."

  "And Yrre, with one more who is willing and bitter enough to join us. One who has the blood and fury we need to pull the ancient gods into this world and unleash them. They will be forever grateful for our service and they will reward our loyalty. While four is not as strong as our seven, four riders make a formidable team ... and the majority we need to call for a judgment and take back what was stolen from us."

  Grim quirked a brow at that. "Pardon?"

  "I found our missing rider who's more than willing to eat the heart of the Malachai and lead us to Conquest. Together, we can make our Malachai-Gautier demon all he should be. Or kill him if he refuses and replace him with his brother, the elder child who bears Malachai blood."

  For the first time since Nick Gautier had fought his way back to the right dimension and decided not to end the world or die in utter agony at his feet, Grim smiled.

  Things were finally looking up again. And this time, nothing would stop them. Especially not some smart-mouthed guttersnipe teenager and his motley band of friends. And little Nick was about to learn just what a liability friends really were.

  CHAPTER 1

  "Nickaboo? Hurry, child! You're about to be late for school!"

  Nick Gautier dropped the towel from the damp hair he was drying as he glanced to the clock on his nightstand to confirm the fact that his mother was still the most vigilant and accurate timekeeper in the history of all mankind. At least when it came to his home, school, and work schedules.

  But how odd ... he'd had almost forty minutes just a heartbeat ago when he'd left the bathroom.

  How long did it take to pull on a pair of jeans and one really foully ugly Hawaiian shirt, anyway?

  Apparently thirty-five minutes.

  Dang, I do move slow in the morning. Good thing his mortal enemies didn't know that. He'd be Cajun hashbrowns.

  Tossing the towel into the bathroom, he rushed to the kitchen and almost tripped over their newest furry addition.

  Xevikan, who let out a nasty hiss in protest before he scurried to the corner to arch his back against the wall.

  Nick started to return the cat's growl, but since his mom didn't know their new pet was actually a shape-shifting ancient Nick and his friends had freed from a hell dimension and taken in, he refrained. His luck, she'd think he had distemper or something, and take him in for shots. "Sorry, Mr. Fuzzy Boots."

  Xev glared at him before he mentally projected his ire at him. I really hate that name you gave my feline incarnation, Gautier.

  Nick flashed a grin at the large white Egyptian Mau staring up at him indignantly. Why you think I use it?

  Xev spread his claws for cleaning, but Nick caught the one he aimed directly at him.

  Laughing good-naturedly at the single-finger insult Xev had picked up from Caleb, Nick started to reach for the bacon only to realize his furry houseguest had beat him to it. Again. Yeah, it was a good thing he felt sorry for Xev.

  And he did. For thousands of years, the ancient being had been imprisoned in a realm without friend or family. Now Xev was extremely gun-shy of a world he didn't understand, nor did he play well with others, which was why they'd decided the best thing was to leave him here in Nick's house to sleep while Nick went to school and work. All of them were much happier that way. And since Xev had severe PTSD mixed with extremely frightening powers and not a lot of patience or tolerance, the world was a lot less likely to end violently if Xev stayed out of events that elevated his stress levels, and tempted him to mass homicide.

  "Really, Nick? Really?"

&nb
sp; He turned to find his petite, blond mother glaring up at him. Man, he'd never understand how a woman as tiny as Cherise Gautier could be so terrifying when riled. But then, his girlfriend, Nekoda Kennedy, had those same testosterone-sucking powers, too.

  And all Kody had to do to wield hers was pout in his general direction.

  "What?"

  Closing the fridge door, his mom wiggled the milk container at him. "First, why did you drink all the milk last night after I went to bed? Second, why did you put the empty container back in the fridge?"

  He clamped his jaw shut and slid his gaze to the real culprit, who'd probably drunk out of the container without a glass on top of it all. But his mom would think him nuts if he blamed the empty milk jug on the cat lacking opposable thumbs. So he manned up and took the fall for his friend.

  "Blatant stupidity? I find it to be responsible for the vast majority of evil I unintentionally do."

  She rolled her eyes and tossed the milk carton into the garbage. "Go on before you get another tardy. Love you, even when you make me crazy."

  "You, too." He grabbed his backpack from the floor, kissed her cheek, and glared at the cat. "Later, Fuzzy Boots." And don't defile my bedsheets!

  It was too late. Xev was already beelining to Nick's room to take his shift in the bed.

  Sighing at the uselessness of warning Xev off anything, Nick glanced back at his mom. "I'll grab more milk on my way home from work."

  "Thank you, Boo. Have a good day."

  "You, too. Don't work too hard." Nick headed out the back door and crossed the condo parking lot to the brick wall that separated it from the school yard. Even though there were storm clouds gathering in the distance, and headed in from over the river, he took a moment to appreciate the day.

  Zipping his jacket, he inhaled the familiar smell of beignets and coffee that wafted on the breeze, coming in from the Market and restaurants. Honestly, he was grateful to be home in the French Quarter, and among his friends and family.

  To be standing here, in the most beautiful city in all the world.

  Yeah, it was a good day to be alive. His friend, Acheron, who was an ancient Atlantean, was right, every day should be met with purpose and lived with gratitude. Having been forced against his will to live as someone else for a brief time, Nick had decided that as screwed up and dangerous as his real life was, he much preferred it to anyone else's.

  This existence and world might not be perfect. But they were perfectly his. The only thing he'd change at this point was the number of paranormal creatures who wanted him dead.

  Or enslaved.

  Yeah, it would be nice to be off a few hit lists for a while. That he wouldn't complain about.

  Eh, ca c'est bon. That was life. Some days you ate the rougarou. Some days the rougarou devoured you.

  And in this city, and in his particularly screwed-up life, that phrase seriously had significance.

  Sprinting up the steps of St. Richard's High School, he entered the two-story redbrick building and headed for his locker to change out his books so he could start his day right, and with as little drama as possible. Which would be a really nice change of pace.

  "What are you smiling about, Gautier?"

  Nick grinned even wider as he shut his locker and turned to face his recalcitrant demon bodyguard. "It's almost 8 A.M. and nothing's tried to kill or eat me yet. Dang good day, if you ask me."

  Rolling his eyes, Caleb stepped around him to open his own locker. "I really hate chipper morning people. Thinking I should have hand-fed you to your enemies last night."

  Nick laughed. "But you didn't," he teased against all common sense, in a singsongy voice he'd learned from a very special Charonte demon named Simi, while Caleb pulled books out and shoved them into his expensive designer backpack. "Which means you think I'm all cute and fluffy. Besides, you'd miss me if I were gone."

  With a rude snort, Caleb zipped his bag shut. "Careful, Cajun. I wouldn't test that theory, were I you."

  Nick leaned up against the locker bank and tried not to envy Caleb his dark, perfect Hollywood good looks that made every female in their school pass a longing gaze at him as she walked by. Student and teacher. "That would hold more weight if you weren't here."

  "Meaning?"

  "You said if my demonic overlord of a father were dead, you wouldn't be in high school anymore to guard me. Now he's gone, and yet here you remain ... ever my faithful, handsome protector." He batted his eyelashes playfully.

  Ignoring Nick's feigned flirtations, Caleb shut the locker and brushed his hand through his stylishly coiffed jet-black hair. His dark eyes flashing orange, he gave Nick a harsh, unamused stare. "Yeah, well, my self-preservation and common sense kicked in. If something eats you, they inherit my servitude and soul. As annoying as you are most days, I'd rather deal with you than one of my other possible choices. 'Cause let's face it, my luck and past experiences say it would never be a sexy succubus who spends her days working as a supermodel in a bikini, but rather some scaly elderly male exhibitionist who likes to pull the wings off daeves and stick us in jars ... or nail us to walls."

  He shoved a chemistry book at Nick. "Been there. Done that. Reloop's a bitch and whoever designed it should be relegated to the lowest level of Thorn's special pit."

  Nick tsked at him. "Poor Caleb. Thousands of years old and still in high school. Dude, you seriously need to speak to a guidance counselor about your transcript."

  "Don't push it, Gautier. My maternal instincts don't kick in till noon."

  Laughing, Nick stepped away from the lockers so that LaShonda could open hers. Dressed in a J-pop-style navy suit, she had her newly done sisterlocks pulled back into a matching bow.

  "Morning, Miss Sunshine."

  LaShonda scowled at him as she pulled books for her first period. "Someone's in a good mood this morning."

  Nick winked at her. "What can I say? The sight of your beautiful face can cheer my most soured mood."

  "Better not let her boyfriend or your Kody hear you speaking to her like that, Gautier, or they'll be having a pair of fried Cajun nuggets for lunch."

  Smiling, Nick stepped aside for Brynna Addams, LaShonda's best friend, and one of the few people he knew he could count on whenever it mattered. Unlike LaShonda, with her daring style, Brynna was much more sedate in her wardrobe choice, with tan pants and a white shirt. "Morning, my other Miss Sunshine. Ever a pleasure to see you."

  "You are in a good mood." Brynna started to scowl until her gaze went past him. By the shift in the air, his instincts told him someone with the highest level of supernatural abilities approached him from behind. Someone who was lethal and could kill him in a heartbeat. And without looking, he knew exactly who it was. A gifted celestial being whose qualities he was more than well acquainted with.

  His heart even lighter, he turned and, blatantly ignoring the PDA laws of his school, wrapped his arms around Nekoda so that he could breathe in the light vanilla scent that was uniquely hers. Her brown hair was twisted up into a messy braid that framed a beautiful face. A face that held a pair of bright green eyes that never failed to set his blood on fire. Even though she'd originally been sent here to assassinate him before he fulfilled his prophecy of doom, and Caleb still had his doubts about trusting her loyalty to them, Nick couldn't help his feelings for her.

  She was his first love.

  Honestly, he couldn't imagine ever feeling like this about anyone else. And if he had to die, he'd rather it be by her hand than that of an enemy. His heart would always be hers, and no one else's.

  He gave her a tight squeeze. "And here's the brightest part of any day. Good morning, cher."

  With a fierce frown, Nekoda brushed the dark hair back from his face. "You okay?"

  Brynna smirked as she opened her locker. "Girl, he's in a strange, strange mood. I'm wondering if Madaug's been programming games again."

  Nekoda laughed nervously at the reminder of the Zombie Hunter game Madaug St. James had created that had accidentally
turned half their football team into mindless zombies and caused their former coach to eat their previous principal.

  "He hasn't, has he?"

  "No. Definitely not. He hasn't even played Solitaire on his PC since that night." Nick took Kody's backpack from her hand so that he could carry it for her. "I'm alive. In New Orleans, where I'm supposed to be. Here with you, the most beautiful girl in the entire universe." He kissed her cheek before he jerked his chin toward Caleb. "And we have King Grump scowling at us and plotting my death and dismemberment. All is right in this world. And I'm just really glad to be at this school, in this time where I belong, with all of you thinking I've lost my ever-loving mind."

  Caleb scoffed. "For the love of all that's holy, would you stop saying that crap?" he ground out between clenched teeth. "Personally, I wouldn't tempt the Fates, kid. They have a nasty way of ramming those pleasant thoughts down your throat and making you weep for them."

  Nick considered that for a moment. Then, closing the distance between him and Caleb, he couldn't resist whispering the question that comment most begged for, "In a fight between the Malachai demon and the Fates, who would win?"

  Placing a hand on Nick's shoulder, Caleb gently shoved him back. "Beware of arrogance, Gautier. It's a foul, fatal thing."

  "I was only postulating a question."

  The look on Caleb's face was intense and chilling. "Pray you never find out the answer. The price of war is always a lot higher in the end than you think it will be when you go in for that first battle."

  Okay then ...

  Suddenly, a shiver went down Nick's spine. Something he couldn't quite identify. For a moment, he wasn't in the hallway of his high school.

  Rather, Nick stared down at himself as he stood inside the ruins of a Greek temple. A temple he remembered visiting one time before when he'd saved Nekoda's life after she'd almost died in an attack on him.

  Home of the enigmatic Artemis, goddess of the hunt.

  Only the Greek goddess wasn't here this time. He knew without being told that this was another glimpse of the horrific future to come.

  The post-Apocalyptic future where he destroyed everything and everyone. Where he and his army laid waste to the entire world.