Chapter Eight
I roamed around the streets of Styx, mostly gathering toys and food for the orphans near the docks. I usually only visited them on a strict schedule, so that they wouldn't depend on me, but I figured since I was in town, I'd do it anyway.
The rich smells of hot food, exotic music hanging in the air, people bustling back and forth, chattering and laughing without a care in the world. The shopping district was especially busy because of the weekend shoppers.
I managed to pass in and out without problems. I headed down the street, wanting to walk to the docks when I passed an electronics shop, slowing to a halt with a frown turning down my lips as I saw the news report. A few other shoppers had gathered to gawk at the screen as the succubus news reporter read from a card in her well-manicured hand.
"... attempt on Lord Theo's mother, Aria, late last night between the times of two and three in the morning. The guards claim they have no idea what happened to the suspect. He was last seen disappearing through the drain pipe in the town square. Authorities are asking that anyone with any information on the suspect please report it immediately." She informed, then turned to the red-headed bitch herself as she looked right into the camera with blood red eyes.
"And whoever the stupid," She swore and the camera bleeped it out, "Was that made this attempt on my life will sorely regret it should he try again. I will have you publicly executed by method of a slow and painful gutting." I grimaced.
Son of a bitch. She was smarter than I thought.
I turned course from the docks and went straight to the cute little Goth shop that Kristoff and his girlfriend, Bella, owned. There was a long line of customers out the front door of people trying to get in and out with bags of clothing you'd wear to a Goth rave. Did that even make sense? I shook it off and went around through the narrow alley between their shop and the one next to it. I got in through the back and slipped inside with ease.
I could've teleported, but I didn't want to lose all of my things in the process. Teleportation was a tricky ability and ever fickle on location. I trusted my legs more than I trusted teleportation. I went up the stairs to the Gothic studio apartment.
And sitting on a black leather sofa was Kristoff bandaging up his ravaged shoulder, his hair swept back from his face with a bat designed headband. As soon as he saw me, he was on his feet and holding a gun at me. He hit the trigger without a second, though, but I stopped the bullet seconds from hitting me Superman-style, only letting it fall to the floor. Kristoff curled his lip at me and threw the gun down on the sofa.
"I told you it wasn't going to be easy!" He snarled. I gave him a blank stare.
"I never said it was going to be. I just said to do it."
"I'm not going back there. The bitch nearly took my head off. She makes Freddy Krueger look like Barney and Friends! And I have a pregnant girlfriend to worry about." Kristoff added angrily. I blinked, caught off guard. I hadn't even noticed. The vampiress was a petite woman with a curvy figure and decked out in Goth from head to toe. Not to mention, I hadn't passed her on the way up considering I was illegally breaking and entering, but who gave two shits?
"I didn't know she was pregnant."
"Neither did I," Kristoff said past clenched teeth, "She decided to tell me when I showed up this morning bleeding so badly that I needed blood and when I tried to drink from her, she told me she was pregnant. What a way to find out." Vampires could get pregnant, contrary to popular opinion. They weren't the undead zombies that people thought they were. At least, not Kristoff's origin anyway. His species of vampire was very much alive, and the cousins to the ever fun wendigos. Human flesh, or more precisely, human blood is what fed them and kept them immortal. A type of demon from a Native American tribe.
Their species believed that when a couple formed, they would drink solely one another's blood. Unfortunately, when the female became pregnant, she didn't dare give away any of her blood for fear of killing the child within her. In fact, she needed more blood than usual for both her and the child. If Kristoff had drank from her, her child would have most likely died.
Not a good thing to hide your pregnancy in their species.
"I wouldn't have asked you to do this if it wasn't important." I said at last. Kristoff gave me a dirty look and said nothing as he stalked over to the fridge and took out a couple of blood boxes. Sort of like juice boxes, only full of blood and not covered with cute cartoon characters. It was also the size of a standard water bottle and not a nickel. He popped the straw into the top and sucked hard on it before licking a drop off his bottom lip and raking me with an angry glare.
"Yeah, well, right now, my girl needs me. And so does our child. I can't go back, Xenon. I'm sorry. You can collect your favor at some other point in time, but now is really not the time for it." He muttered. I just nodded grimly.
I was a selfish bastard to the core, but I wasn't cruel enough to risk a father's life when he had a child and woman to take care of.
Without another word, I took my leave through the back entrance and made my way to the docks, cursing each step of the way.
I had to find someone else to take out Aria for Sept, otherwise... Well, honestly, I wasn't sure what would happen if I broke a bargain. I just had this creepy feeling that it would be catastrophic, and right now, I couldn't risk anything catastrophic. Not with so many things going on at once and definitely not with Dorean in my care. If anything happened to him because of me...
The thought made me ill.
But who else did I know that could kill someone in the blink of an eye and not die?
An idea came to me like a bitchslap at a strip club. It certainly wasn't a highly intelligent, but it was the only thing I could fall back on.
I hurried over to the docks to drop off the toys and treats I'd gathered in town for the orphans. They all came scuttling out of their hiding places like the rats they called their pets. I let them hang on me and chatter in their strange made up languages for a while, although, I was antsy to leave. Not because I wanted to get away from them, but because I had lives to save... and destroy.
As soon as I was finished at the docks, I teleported to a high-end apartment complex on the other side of town. I tapped my knuckles against a black steel door and waited just a couple more minutes before the door opened to reveal Akin. Once an incubus and now a mortal, Akin was definitely not a pushover. Pissing him off would result in a serious groin crunching and I wasn't particularly in the mood to lose my boys, but I wouldn't have come if I wasn't desperate-- not that I would tell him that exactly.
Tall and lithe with long flowing white-blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, Akin was actually quite attractive. He generally decked himself out from head to toe in enough Goth attire to make Kristoff jealous, but today he wore a pair of laidback sweatpants and a low cut long sleeved shirt. And a frown.
"Can I help you?" He asked, glancing back and forth around me as if to make sure I'd come alone.
"I'm here to see Hannibal." I stated. Instantly Akin's muscles tensed and his eyes became suspicious as he gave me a quick once over, then met my eyes.
"I don't think so," He responded cautiously, "The last dickhead who came here and said that tortured him." I resisted the urge to punch him. His caution wasn't misplaced or unnecessary. After everything Epimetheus had done to Hannibal, it was any surprise Akin didn't headbutt me and slam the door shut. But I saw his grip on the door tighten as if he were preparing to slam it shut in my face, so I stuck my foot in the doorway in case he did. That resulted in a glare that made his icy blue eyes turn to steely daggers.
"I'm not here to hurt him," I promised sternly, "I'm here for his help. I wouldn't have come if I had other options." Akin studied me suspiciously, but he reluctantly gave me a short nod and held up a finger for me to wait a moment. I frowned and stepped back as he shut the door. I felt like I waited another half an hour before the door opened and Akin appeared with Hannibal.
A hybrid god from both the Atlantean and Greek pantheons, Hannibal was actually far more powerful than people gave him credit for. Freakishly tall at six foot six with long black hair, his right eye an iridescent blue and left a deep milky white with a forked scar that cut through it all the way down to the corner of his mouth, the rest of his body also marred by vicious scars and burn that told more stories than a library. Hannibal's mother had actually been my aunt, Lea, goddess of curses and battle strategies, while his father had been the Greek Titan, Iapetus, god of mortality. Two of the most powerful pantheons poisoned the blood of his veins.
And there were multiple reasons why I chose Hannibal for this particular job. Not only because he was incredibly powerful and literally the most immortal thing you'd ever come across --thanks to a bitter curse his mother had placed on his head as an infant-- he also understood well what it felt like to have your parents spit on you for no reason. He and Theo were far more alike than either of them thought.
Way more, I noticed. Hannibal was wearing a black leather straitjacket top, buckles to pin his arms behind his back and everything. He wore a pair of tight black leather pants to match. And judging from the red marks in the corners of his mouth, he was definitely busy when I showed up. I tried not to focus on that awkward little hobby and cleared my throat, glancing around the hallways before looking at them.
"Can we discuss this somewhere more privately?" I asked. Akin rolled his eyes and looked at Hannibal, who just gave him a nod that said it was all right. Akin reluctantly stepped aside to let me in while Hannibal led me into the living room. It was definitely a neat and modern penthouse, complete with large marble kitchen, giant piano, and a staircase that led to the loft where the master bedroom was. I looked over at Hannibal as Akin came to join us, and judging from the way he reclined against the back of the sofa indicated he wasn't going to leave, but I expected as much. He was incredibly possessive.
"What do you want, ksádelfos?" Hannibal asked me and Akin's eyes widened as he looked at his lover in bewilderment.
"You never told me you had a cousin." He accused. Hannibal looked at him innocently.
"I'm half-Greek. They're all my cousins." He replied. Akin paused, then shrugged and nodded at the same time, admitting defeat to that. Hannibal looked back at me as I gave him a grim stare.
"Someone summoned me and sold me their soul to have Theo's mother, Aria, killed. I sent in a trusted friend of mine to do it last night, but he nearly died in the process and he just found out his woman is with child, so I can't send him back in. I couldn't think of anyone else who could finish the job." I explained, cutting right to the chase. Hannibal frowned and Akin pushed off the sofa angrily.
"The chances of Hannibal doing that are like Lindsey Lohan's chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize, so you can fucking forget it." He snapped defensively. Hannibal gave him a weird look and I glared at Akin in irritation.
"Hannibal can't die."
"I don't really give a shit. He'll get hurt or captured or blamed or what-the-fuck-ever. I'm not letting him go on some stupid mission because you're too dumb to turn down a bargain, mister whatever you said your name was."
"Xenon... sir." Hannibal said to Akin, who narrowed his eyes at me. The way he looked at me reminded me of the way someone would look at a cockroach, but I was used to getting sneers because while my name was nearly saintly amongst lower demons, some people viewed me as a dangerous entity-- which I was. I wouldn't deny that claim. I had no limits, so long as someone could pay the price.
"Hannibal," I said, ignoring Akin's sneer, making Hannibal turn to look at me blankly, "You're the only person I can think of to do this job. This is doing the community, and especially Theo, a service. Aria is tormenting him both mentally and physically. It's only a matter of time before Theo snaps under the pressure." Hannibal seemed to actually be considering it, which made Akin's sneer crumble into concern as he came to Hannibal and touched his arm gently.
"You don't have to do this," Akin said gently, making Hannibal look down at him with an affection that surprised me, "Please. You're in enough trouble as it is. I don't want anyone to take you away from me again." How interesting, I thought. There had been a time when Hannibal had been rabid. The only emotions I'd seen from him were agony and rage. And that was when he broke his mask of stoicism on rare occasions. To see the adoring glow in Hannibal's eyes when he met Akin's was... amazing.
Who'd have thought that this little ex-incubus would have broken down the shell Hannibal had protected himself with since birth?
But then, there was far more to Akin than most people knew. Even Akin didn't know what he was, not completely. However, that wasn't our problem right now. Right now, I had to kill Aria before sunset, get to the house, please Dorean, and try not to pass out drunk again. It's a good fucking thing I'm immortal, otherwise, I'd of died of cirrhosis of the liver.
"Theo's done a lot for me," Hannibal said at last, making me look at him in surprise and Akin grimaced, clutching Hannibal's arm to him tightly, "He tried to shut down the club, even when no one asked him to... I can't let someone who does something like that for me get hurt." Akin's shoulders slumped in relief.
"And I guess ordering you not to do it won't work either?" He tried. Hannibal gave a very faint smile and tilted his head to look at Akin.
"It's very rare that someone does something kind for me. I want to return the favor." He answered. Akin sucked his bottom lip in between his teeth, chewing on it a little before sighing and giving Hannibal's arm a hug before he stepped back, shooting me a dirty look and pointing a finger at me.
"You're going with him, bub, and you make sure no one hurts my baby. If he comes back with another scar, I'm going to castrate you in my kitchen." He threatened dangerously. I raised an eyebrow. As much hidden power as Akin had, he wouldn't be able to hurt me. I was a fullblooded god, but his threat was understandable, so I only nodded. Akin still looked reluctant, though.
"We need to do it before sunset," I told Hannibal, who nodded, "And while the original intent was to make it look like an accident, I don't think that part of the bargain applies anymore know that she knows someone has put the hit out on her."
"Isn't that dangerous to attack so soon, though," Akin asked with a scowl, "She'll be expecting it."
"No," I answered, "She won't. She'll expect us to wait until she's forgotten, which she never will and not to mention, the person I made the bargain with wants it done as soon as possible and I have another very serious appointment to meet by sunset that I cannot be late for." Akin studied me curiously, but I ignored the look until Akin sighed loudly.
"Fine, but nobody's leaving until I get Hannibal a super badass assassin outfit. And I have just the thing." He added excitedly, hurrying up to the loft. We watched him go before I raised an eyebrow at Hannibal.
"You play dress up now?" I asked dryly. Hannibal looked at me blankly.
"He likes clothes."
"I've noticed." I deadpanned, indicating his straitjacket. Hannibal cocked his head at it like he hadn't even noticed how odd it was. But obviously he had noticed his drastic change since last we encountered so heavily. The second time my men and I had captured Hannibal during the Greek versus Atlantean war, Hannibal was decked out in burgandy and black armor and he'd spoken very little Greek and absolutely no English. His native tongue was Atlantean. It was why my people had been so reluctant to hurt him. It was his Greek blood, though, that kept us wary.
And more. Hannibal was a killing machine. I'd seen him pop the heads off soldiers like little boys did to their little sisters' dolls. And all the while he did it with this expression void of emotions. If anyone was talented at hiding how he felt, it was Hannibal.
And if anyone was good at killing someone, it was Hannibal.
We just had to make sure that Theo didn't find out it was us, or Sept. Although, I knew Theo wouldn't be too upset if she died. He would probably just be more upset that he wasn't upset.
We were doing the community a service by getting rid of Aria.
Akin eventually returned with a black leather suit and a long black jacket. He made Hannibal go into the bathroom and change. As soon as he came out, he looked like the stereotypical assassin and it would've made me laugh if I wasn't sure Hannibal would rip my head off. So I just smirked and Hannibal kept a straight face as Akin took a brush and brushed at his hair, a smile on his face.
"You look so hot in that! When you get back, we're definitely doing a roleplay. Ugh, man, I have never seen someone look so fucking sexy in leather," Akin gushed and fawned over him, stroking his muscular arms through the leather jacket, "God, I bet you that psycho bitch won't even be able to kill you because of how hot you look." I cleared my throat and Akin just rolled his eyes, then paused to look at Hannibal. He reached up and cupped the guy's face in his hands, bringing him down for a scorching hot kiss that made Hannibal moan deep in his throat before they broke apart and Akin stroked Hannibal's cheeks with his fingers.
"You be careful," Akin said, looking a little nervous now, "Please, Hannibal. I really want you to come back tonight. And it has nothing to do with the sex either. I don't want to have to go another two weeks not knowing where you are and what's going on." The pain in Akin's eyes was almost tangible. Hannibal reached up to lay his hands over Akin's on his cheeks as he leaned in to give Akin a kiss on the forehead.
"I'll be back, master." Hannibal told him. Akin shivered in delight and jumped up to kiss him again before giving him a little push.
"Hurry up before I strip my clothes off and fuck you right here." He ordered. Hannibal gave him a nod, then approached me. I tried not to appear awkward as I touched Hannibal's shoulder and teleported us out of the apartment and in a small alley near the town square. I summoned a pair of black sunglasses for Hannibal, making it harder for people to recognize him as the rumors still spread like a wildfire in California.
"I never thought I'd see the day that someone could tame the beast known as Hannibal." I commented as we waited for the town square to bustle with more afternoon shoppers. Hannibal adjusted the glasses to hide his face and ran a hand through his hair to brush it to the left side of his face to hide the scar there.
"Never thought you'd come to me for help." Hannibal responded. I shrugged, glancing out into the square as more people flooded the streets, most of them avoiding the four guards posted at the entrance that led to the path to Theo's palace that glinted like a pool of blood in the afternoon sunlight.
"I could think of no one better to slit her throat than you."
"You flatter."
"Hardly," I scoffed, "My compliments are as rare as Girl Scout cookies and I certainly don't go door-to-door with them. You have to come get 'em."
"I have never had Girl Scout cookies."
"You poor, deprived person," I shook my head and glanced up at the palace again, leaning on the corner of the alley with Hannibal beside me, and thankfully people just walked past us, pretending not to notice us for fear of being sliced to pieces, "Anyway, we need to teleport inside, but we need a plan first. I can't physically do anything, but I can, however, make sure no one cuts your intestines out."
"That would be nice. I like my intestines inside me where they belong. I also would really like to use my testicles, so let's try to keep those attached."
"Tell me about it," I muttered, then turned to him, "I can't go in there looking the way I am. They'll recognize me. Aria knows who I am and if I turn on her now, she'll gut me." Hannibal nodded in understanding. I snapped my fingers and changed my appearance. I changed my height to match Hannibal's, a really pain on my bone structure, then dyed my hair dirty blonde and eyes stormy grey before changing into an outfit similiar to Hannibal's, which immediately made me grimace.
"Holy crap, how can you wear this? I feel like my balls are suffocating."
"I hadn't noticed."
"Anyway," I said again, trying not to get distracted by the tightness of the leather, "We'll teleport to the throne room. Judging from Aria's self-obsession, she'll probably be warming up the throne right about now. I'll keep the halls clear and you can do your job. If you do it right, I'll owe you a favor." Hannibal's eyes flickered behind the sunglasses.
"A favor?" He asked for confirmation. I nodded.
"There's no such thing as a free lunch, Hannibal. I wouldn't have asked you to do this if I wasn't ready to give you something in return. You can collect any favor from here until... Let's just say eternity since you can't die. But we can discuss the payment later. Right now, I say we go in there and get rid of a certain hemorrhoid." I responded. Hannibal just responded with a nod. This time, we both teleported on our own. Hannibal appeared in the throne room and I appeared just inside of it, and sure enough, Aria was sitting on the throne, looking like a cozy content cat that had just devoured all her kittens. She even wore a silver tiara nestled in her blood red hair and rings on all her delicated manicured fingers, a tight red leather dress hugging a devastatingly sexy body.
If only she wasn't every man's nightmare.
As soon as we appeared in the throne room, she shot to her feet, red eyes flaring angrily for a moment before a smirk curled her lips.
"I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to show up so soon," She commented, then paused to rake Hannibal with a suspicious glare, "But you're much taller than the one who attacked me last night... Who the fuck are you?" Hannibal glanced at me and I shook my head for him not to answer. Hannibal accepted that and swung his arm out, summoning a dagger and throwing it at her throat, but Aria spun out of the way and lunged for him, but he dodged and kicked her in the back, making her stumble around and whirl with fury. She shrieked and went for him again.
I almost stayed to watch, amazed that this woman could actually meet Hannibal's abilities, but she wouldn't be able to kill him and that's what made him ten times more stronger than her. That and the fact that he'd been fighting everyone his entire life.
I sensed a presence nearing from the main hallway that led to the lobby and cursed under my breath, snapping my fingers at Hannibal to let him know I was leaving the room. I vanished and appeared in the hallway, my stomach sinking when I recognized Abel standing there, looking surprised by my appearance. Well, he didn't actually know it was me.
Abel, twin to Cain, was tall and pretty with navy dyed hair swept into a stylish hair-do and sky-blue eyes that flashed dangerously when he saw me. He used to be limited in clothing to the leather suits Malachi's servants were to wear, but now he wore low ride black jeans and a black cropped shirt with sleeves that became fingerless gloves.
"Who the fuck are you?" Abel demanded instantly. I hesitated. Well shit.
"Uh, Jake." I responded briefly, changing my voice so it was several octaves deeper. Abel gave me a droll stare, arms folded over his chest.
"Okay, uh, Jake," He said, making air quotations with his fingers before folding his arms again, "What are you doing here?" I shifted awkwardly.
"Enjoying the scenery?" I offered. Abel's cheeks pinkened and he scowled, lunging for me, but I swung my leg around to kick him and he leapt back, startled by my attack. His suspicion was confirmed that I was definitely foe and not friend. He held his hand out to blast me back, but I swung my hand up and deflected the attack with one of my own that made him stumble back in disbelief. He glared and went in for hand-to-hand, so I blocked his fist punch at my face, then tried to bring my knee up for a groin cruncher, but he caught my leg and tried to flip me onto the floor, but I back flipped and kicked him in the chest, making him stumble again before he came at me again with the intention to stab me with a dagger he summoned into the palm of his hand.
I caught his wrist and snapped the dagger out of it so it clattered to the floor. Abel hissed, baring his fangs at me. I grimaced, wrenching his arm away from me, but he slammed his forehead into mine and I groaned, then held a hand out to him when he went in for another attack.
"Will you stop that?! I don't want to hurt you." I warned. Abel scoffed.
"Yeah, sure. Then what are you doing in my brother's house looking like a Terminator copycat?" He demanded. I scowled, stepping back as I rubbed the red mark on my forehead from where Abel had hit me.
"I'm here to solve a pest problem." I informed sternly. Abel arched a brow.
"What kind of pest? Besides, Theo's a germaphobe. He'd burn the whole place down if there were rats or spiders here." He added. I looked at him, surpried.
"Theo's scared of spiders?"
"Theo's not scared of anything. He just overreacts. To everything."
"Okay," I admitted with a shrug, "I can give you that one. But no. Our pest is a little... bigger. Like, six foot bigger. And it bleeds once a month." Abel's face screwed up for a moment before realization dawned on him and his eyes widened.
"You're the one who was going to kill his mother." He accused. I didn't deny or agreed to the accusation, just gave him a blank stare. Abel's eyes darkened with uncertainty, and I quickly decided to play on that.
"Aria is a menace," I declared, making Abel frown, "He's torturing Lord Theo. There's no way I can allow this to continue." Abel hesitated.
"But that's not your choice," He started, "You're a civilian, you can't take the law into your own hands--"
"And you will not," I returned angrily, making Abel blink in bewilderment, "The other lords won't even stop to help their brother when they know he's in pain. Aria is a plague and she's infecting her own son with misery and woe. Someone has to do something and if his own brothers won't come to his rescue, then we, his loyal citizens of Styx, will take up arms against the poison that threatens our great lord." Abel looked awed by that.
"You... Really?"
"Did I fuckin' stutter?" I returned. Abel scowled at that, but still didn't look entirely convinced to back down.
"Theo still loves his mother. It's why we can't kill her. You're hurting him by getting rid of her."
"He may hurt for a while, but not eternity. If Aria stays here any longer, she can and she will kill Lord Theo. We cannot let it get that far. Lord Theo is too precious to us." I responded. Abel bit into his bottom lip worriedly. I started to continue a speech made up off the top of my head when I heard a loud shriek of rage and agony. My eyes widened and I whirled around, sprinting down the hallway with Abel just a few feet behind me. I cursed, whirling to him and holding my head out to threaten him and he glared at me.
"You can't leave me behind!" Abel barked.
"And I cannot let that bitch poison another prince." I responded, and instead of blasting him, I sent my blast into the ceiling, causing it to groan and crumble down between us. Abel yelped and scrambled back and I retreated from it as it created a wall between us. I whirled back around and ran into the throne room.
Hannibal stood a few feet from the throne, breathing hard with blood running down the side of his face from a gash near his temple. I winced. Akin was gonna kill me.
Laying not far from him, Aria was sprawled out on the floor, gasping for breath, blood bubbling down the sides of her mouth. There was a deep bloody slash down the front of her torso, blood seeping from it and staining her clothing, spreading out on the floor beneath her. I ran over to Hannibal, eyeing Aria as she struggled for air. As soon as I got to him, a cold tingle rushed up and down my spine and I flinched.
Shit. Seriously?! Now?! Of all times?! Whoever was summoning was about to get a butt full of foot.
"We need to go," I told Hannibal sternly, making him frown at me, "We don't have time. If we're lucky, she'll bleed out. Now come on before we're caught. I can feel several people moving for our positions. Let's go." Hannibal nodded reclutantly. We vanished from the palace and reappeared in the middle of Akin's living room where he was pacing like a caged cat.
As soon as he saw Hannibal, he let out a cry of horror and ran to him to cup his face.
"My baby! What happened? Why are you bleeding? Xenon, you asshole, you told me you weren't gonna let him get hurt, you liar!" Akin shouted at me, then went back to fussing over Hannibal, who seemed more than pleased to have all the attention. I rolled my eyes, changing my appearance back to normal, relieved to be out of that horrible leather suit. Hannibal had to be one masochistic son of a bitch to wear that outfit.
"He's fine," I told Akin dryly, then wince as another cold fissure shot up my spine, this time much more insistent, "He just needs to heal for a bit. Hurry up and dispose of that outfit. Burn it. And the sunglasses. And while I hate to say this, give Hannibal just a little bit of a haircut and make sure to keep that wound hidden. We need to make sure there's no way they can trace the attack back to him." Akin glared at me, but didn't argue. He went back to kissing Hannibal repeatedly on the cheeks, stroking his hair and cradling him.
An odd pang hit me then.
Hannibal had fought hard against Aria, that I would admit, but when he fought, he'd been very careful not to get hurt for Akin's sake. He wanted to make sure he was able to return to Akin, who showered him with enough love and affection to drown the entire underworld.
And he was giving it all that love to Hannibal.
Hannibal was very lucky.
And I had a job to get to because my luck was like a cat's on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic.