Hexed: A Game of Gods Novel: Game of Gods, #2

By Rosetta M. Overman

Simone Carter and Nykosi Olivander are from two entirely different worlds. Worlds that collide in violent, unexpected ways when an attempt is made on Nykosi's life, resulting in Simone taking the brunt of what should've befallen him. 

A prince from a remote compound hidden in the Wilds of Washington State, Nykosi is out for his first and last taste of freedom before taking the Bruja crown. Things get complicated when Simone's blood is tainted with a wicked hex, one that could kill her. 

For Simone, San Francisco is home. When Nykosi claims she may have to leave to be saved, she's hesitant to accept. Dying at home sounds more appealing than taking her last breath amongst strangers.

A standalone addition to the Game of Gods series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rosetta M. Overman
• Release date: Jun 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386790211

Book preview

Chapter One

Nykosi

N

ykosi!" My father’s voice had always been hard, harder even than his backhand across my face when I displeased him as a boy. To him, I wasn’t his offspring or even his heir, but rather another peasant for him to contend with. Even after more than two decades of adulthood, he still forced me to bend to his will, treating me like a child all because, as our king, he could get away with it. There was nothing special about Bruja society other than the fact that we were hidden deep in the forests of Washington, close to a vampires’ lair. And that we were all born male, the women brought in from the outside.

Lately, father had been bringing in women from human cities, and handing them off to the others when I refused them. They were too much like a female version of father, nothing soft or welcoming about them. While I would be among the first to admit that rulers, especially of all-male races, must be strong and stern, there was a certain gentleness to human women that appealed to me more than the countenances of other species. Though I had only met three in my lifetime, all the spouses of common-born Bruja, they had intrigued me far more than any others.

Coming to a stop before my parents, both of whom were standing in front of the window that made up the northern wall of the compound, I wondered when the torture would cease. Behind them were three women: a were-tigress with droopy brown eyes, a witch of questionable origin with track marks racing up her arm from the bend of her elbow, and a small fae that looked like a tulip on legs. Yes, they certainly searched for the best for their eldest child. I took one look at them and shook my head. By no means was I looking for perfection, but these women didn’t meet my standards at all.

Holding my father’s charcoal gaze, squaring my shoulders and standing before him every bit the regal prince I was raised to be, I informed him, I’m going out to find my own mate. Your... I paused, glancing over at the trio they’d brought this time, grimacing my distaste, "...choices aren’t quite up to my standards, I fear. And as much as I appreciate your assistance, I am capable of finding my own life mate." My younger brother walked in, the image of our father with short black hair and equally black eyes. He glanced over at the women uninterestedly.

Mother lifted her head, and though she was the softer of my parents, she didn’t seem at all pleased with my choice to forge my own way. Nykosi, she began, opening her arms toward my younger brother, who was already twenty-nine but still acted like a child, sucking up to our parents. He would’ve no doubt already chosen one of the women Father decided to bring through for him to pick from.  With her arms wrapped around Connor, she continued, You know it’s dangerous for you out there. Her eyes were narrowed slightly on my face, the same dark brown as my own, but nowhere near friendly now that she was confronting me.

Unwilling to back down, I responded, Common-born go out all the time and come back with women they chose. Why should it be any different for me? Bruja were too isolated for anyone to be interested in our politics aside from those within the compound. It was unlikely that any of them would oppose me, the only person who could ascend to the throne was Connor, and he wasn’t interested. All he cared about was sucking up to our parents enough that they threw him a shiny bone occasionally.

Their lips thinned as the three women behind them moved away, toward three steel chairs in a corner. Connor stared at me blankly, tucked under Mother’s arm like a babe scared to go out into the world. He whispered something to her and she repeated it to Father, who sighed but nodded anyway. That was about the same time that my youngest brother entered the room, a roguish grin on his face. Always up for a good time, he’d been one of my only relatives to really stand by my side. Our things are packed away in the saddlebags, he called without preamble, ignoring the flabbergasted expressions on our parent’s faces.

He took us all in, dark eyes sparkling in amusement. Clearly, he thought interrupting the conversation, which he could no doubt hear from outside the door, was the best way to go about things. Usually I found his modus operandi to be quite amusing. Today, not so much. I wanted freedom and it was highly unlikely that I would get it if we went about things the way Emery so often did. We were just discussing my possible exploit into the outside world, I admitted, hoping he would catch the hint and keep his mouth shut. If he read into my unspoken message at all, he certainly didn’t show it. His subsequent silence proved that even Emery understood that our parent’s decisions had to be coaxed with a fair bit of decorum.

Father eyed me up, on the short side for a Bruja, his stare replaced the authority he lacked in stature.Were we now? he inquired, and I knew he was preparing to tell me that he wouldn’t allow it.

With only one option I could think of, I responded, Yes. If I don’t get the chance to embark on a quest to find a mate of my own then I will step down from the throne and allow Connor to take my place as crown prince and, in time, king. Even Emery seemed perplexed by the words, but he grinned at me nonetheless, nodding his head to let me know he thought it was a good move. King’s advisor (aside from the large group of lesser royals who made up our parliament) was often a role given to the second son, but my youngest brother would make a much better one.

Glancing over at his middle son, Father inclined his head, failing to hide his grimace before Connor caught sight of it. His sigh was weary as he gave in with a grave, Very well, but you have only the duration of six months to find a mate, and if no woman you meet in that time suits you, then you must choose one of the women we have introduced you to. While I hated the thought, and hoped that perhaps all of them would have found Bruja for themselves within my lengthy absence, I inclined my head in agreement and made my way toward my youngest brother, who was already nearly sprinting for the door in his haste.

Because I already felt the time constraints closing in on me, I hurried just as quickly behind him, our strides eating up ground as we raced through the compound and into the garage below. For a long while, I wondered why our parents had chosen to purchase me a motorcycle when I never had a chance to ride it down a decent stretch of road. I knew the laws of man and how to control the vehicle, yet I had never been allowed to drive anywhere outside the magical barriers that our perimeter guards threw up every few months to keep intruders out. It was a confusing layout, one that not just anyone could navigate. From what I understood, only those led in by Bruja, or the life mate of one of our people, could find their way in. Admittedly, I had no idea what outsiders would see if they came this way, though there were rumors that it was frightening and disorienting enough to kill a person if they tried.

The motorcycle was a beautiful mechanical beast of blue and silver. It rode like a dream as my brother and I raced for the barrier between our land and the forest. Keep this way, Emery warned, leaning his bike to the right as he spoke to me through the headset. The left fork leads to the vampire castle. Though we were technically their kin, the first of our bloodlines sired there and filtered out when we proved to be deadlier than our magical predecessors, they would drain us dry if ever we set foot on their ground. To them, our blood was even more satisfying than the Strega they kept imprisoned for nourishment.

Jerking my head in a nod, eyes scanning our surroundings as we rushed past, the full helmet cutting off my peripheral more than I would’ve liked, I inquired, Where are we going exactly? Rain was beginning to pelt against us even as I asked the question, and I knew that we would need to seek shelter soon if we wanted to stay out of the weather. Annoyed, I glanced up at the sky, willing the clouds and moisture to move on. It took a few seconds, but the dark clouds eventually obeyed my mental command, shifting away on a gentle current.

Emery grinned over at me, shouting even though we both knew I could hear without the theatrics, California, brother! We’re headed to California. Why he wanted to drag the trip out so far was beyond me, that is, until he added, You’ve been cooped up here on this mountain, swimming in rain your entire life. It’s time you learned a little something about sunshine. I knew plenty about sun, but I doubted he would want to hear my arguments now that he’d made up his mind.

Unsure whether this was the best idea, I asked, California has good women? He knew what I meant. Would the women there be willing to come back to Washington with me and give up everything they knew for a life of privileged isolation? Or would they rather live in their sunny, beachside homes for the rest of their lives without the burden of the Bruja? How could we even be sure that a woman capable of complimenting me would even be there? And if she was, how could I possibly find her in such a short amount of time?

I should’ve haggled for at least a year.

My brother’s amusement was clear. At twenty-three, he saw no need for a life mate. His freedom as the youngest and least likely to rise to the throne had ensured that he could mingle with females outside the compound, unmated and untamed by a harsh society. He was very fond of that freedom, but he didn’t understand the cost if I returned home empty handed. This was my last chance at choosing something for myself, really and truly having an actual choice. I wouldn’t let his raging libido get in my way.

Chuckling, he taunted, Thirty-seven and already willing to go to your death. Our parents had married in their late teens, their parents before them even earlier. Truthfully, I was a bit behind schedule, and he knew that as well as anyone. Many referred to me as defective, as though not being attracted to subpar women made me less of a man. That wasn’t to say none of them had ever been invited to my bed, but they had rarely been allowed to stay long enough to warm the sheets.

A sigh escaped me as I sent up a prayer that there would be someone for me outside that compound, and that I would find her before time ran out and left me with no choice but to bend to my parent’s will. There came no answer, but I was sure that I felt a slight shift in the air as we turned onto the main highway several hours later. There was something or someone out here that I was supposed to find. And I would, of that there was no doubt.

Chapter Two

Simone

L

ining up my oils on their rack, I double checked my appointment book and then triple checked to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. There was no way I could have a good time at my birthday party if I overlooked one of my clients and got a call later about how Irritable Emilio had to take on a couple of extras because I was slacking. He was the only masseur to take on extra clients and they certainly wouldn’t be mine. Shutting the book, I walked out of my office, locking up behind me. Smiling at the receptionist, I asked, Do I have any last minute appointments?

Her head lifted and she stared at me through her cat eye glasses. The rims were thick and red today with little rhinestones that shaped into colorful flowers embedded into the plastic. Smiling at me warmly, she shook her head, promising, You’re home free, Simone. Happy twenty-sixth! Smiling in response, I bid her goodnight and headed toward the door, walking out into the dwindling sunlight. As always, the streets of San Francisco were bustling with life in the form of heavy traffic and people. Most were walking fast, aware of where they were headed while a few early season tourists did the look-about shuffle in an attempt to figure out where they were.

Tilting my head back, I smiled a little as the first drop of rain plopped against my skin, splashing over my cheek. I loved the rain, the feel of it shivering-cold against my skin. As it began to fall harder, I picked up my pace, in no mood to catch a cold on my birthday, regardless of how much I enjoyed the sensation. I’d only graduated college about a year ago and had found my niche so close to graduation that I had to extend my time at school. Something about soothing other people’s woes eased my own and I really loved my job here, so much so that I hoped that one day I could find a place where I could help people on a grander scale than this.

My heels clacked against the ground as I made a B-line for my house, bumping into a black-haired man in a leather biker jacket complaining about where someone had sent the rain. Oh, I’m sorry! I exclaimed, tilting my head back to look up at him as I awaited the onslaught of insults that never came. My hair, amazingly not plastered to my face from the influx of rain, slid away to reveal my entire face...and the reason I hadn’t seen him in the first place. Ever since I was a baby I’d been blind in my left eye, a fact that had left it opaque and a little eerie to look at according to various ex-boyfriends and some ex-friends.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem to phase the man at all. Not a problem, miss, he answered, offering me a flirty grin that had me smiling back. Sure, men flirted with me every once in awhile, but rarely after I plowed into them like a mini-bulldozer.

After that brief encounter we went our separate ways, with me continuing the trek toward my house. The Halliwells would’ve been proud to call the house a home. It had been in my family for four generations and looked exactly like the house the sisters lived in together in Charmed except it was painted a soft grey with sea-green accents, courtesy of my late, eccentric Grandma Carter. And our weathervane was shaped like a cherub, situated for all to see just behind the peak of the gutters.

Or, rather, my weathervane now that I was the last Carter left to call the place home. Flipping the collar on my jacket up to protect my face from the unusually cold wind, I jogged up the multitude of steps leading to the door. I’d used to count them when I was little, seventeen in all leading to the front porch, not including the landing. Unlocking the door with a jingle of keys, I pushed into the house, shivering. It might've been June, but clearly the weather had taken a turn for the worst. We were too far south to experience this kind of weather. It felt cold enough to snow.

The house was dark when I walked in, but I knew well enough that there were people scattered around, hiding wherever they could find a place. A little giggle sounded from somewhere off to my right as I hung up my coat on the rack by the door, trying not to roll my eyes when I couldn’t find a place to put it for all the others already hanging there. Yeah, I definitely owned that many jackets. Even without Tina telling me, I probably would’ve figured out what was going on already. Somehow I doubted murderers and rapists bothered with hanging their jackets up or traveled in circus-sized groups.

Warmth enveloped me as I moved farther into the house, easing out the tension that had formed in my shoulders from the chill. Just as I was getting ready to sit down on the couch, people popped out, shouting, Surprise! and blowing on party poppers in neon colors. Though I expected it, I still jumped, startled by the cacophony of noise. My best friend was closest to me, arching herself over the back of the couch to land next to me, arms wrapping around my shoulders in a hug.

Grinning in a way that let me know I was in for a surprise I wasn’t sure I was prepared for, she whispered, Happy birthday, kiddo! She was all of two weeks older than me, but seemed convinced that I was somehow a child in comparison. She retracted from my awkward partial embrace (it was hard to hug someone when they were pinning your arms to your sides) and leaned back, crossing her legs, grin faded into a bored expression. Giana had to have something to entertain her at all times or she would wander off into a state of boredom that I had never been able to comprehend.

Ruffling her short, red locks, I laughed a little both at the group of friends around me and the disgruntled expression on her face at my brief assault. Thanks, guys, I said, spotting Tina slinking to the back of the group in hopes of blending in with the woodwork. In truth, I only had about three really good friends and neither of the other two were as close with me as Giana was. Bumping her shoulder, I whispered, How long did it take you to put this together?

Even a party planning extraordinaire such as herself couldn’t have planned all of this in a matter of a few days. She had too much on her plate with her blog and website, which was how she advised people without ever once having to meet them in person. This little portion? About an hour scrolling through my contacts and sending out text messages. As for the food, I ordered a month in advance so that damn catering company wouldn’t forget anything. A little laugh escaped me as she rolled her eyes in annoyance, leaning back into the couch cushion with a dreamy sigh.

Knowing her better than just about anyone, I arched a brow, inquiring, And that’s all, only guests and food with no entertainment? I already knew the answer. Of course there was more. Her hazel eyes narrowed on my face slightly before she grinned again, shaking her head. No words were necessary as she stood up, heading toward the kitchen. Having practically grown up in this house with me, she knew the floor plan just as well as I did and moved like she owned the place.

Aware that I was supposed to be mingling, I stood back up and moved to a group of people close by. Two men and a woman, all of whom I’d gone to high school with but hadn’t kept in touch with. They were here for the free food and only faked politeness as we conversed, but I’d been in this situation before with plenty of people. It wasn’t my partial blindness that had people deciding to unfriend me on Facebook, but rather my lack of interest in nasty gossip and ex-bashing parties, out in the open or otherwise.

Giana reappeared a second later, motioning for me to come into the kitchen. With a gentle smile, I excused myself, grateful for a reason to run away from the most shallow conversation I had ever had the misfortune of hovering on the outside of like an awkward fly. There was absolutely no reason for me to feel like I didn’t belong in my own house. Sorry about them, Giana apologized swiftly, pulling me into the kitchen where a laptop was sitting on the dining room table in the only clear space available. Filler guests, you know.

Amused but not wanting to admit it, I tried on a frown that I was well aware came out more as a pout. That is, until I saw the point of the laptop. Happy Birthday! dual