But Julian knew how deeply Declan’s feelings ran.
“Didn’t take long for her to hunt you down,” he said carefully.
Declan finished his beer. “Pretty easy to do considering Jaden contacted PATU and gave them a heads-up.”
PATU. Paranormal Anti-terrorist Unit.
It was the government agency run by Julian’s brother Jaxon and one that Declan had belonged to up until six months ago. Technically, he supposed the Irishman was still a part of the elite unit, but the both of them knew their journey had been altered dramatically the day they’d left the human realm.
“Jaden contacted her?” He was full of disbelief.
“Yeah; apparently she’s one of the good guys.”
Julian snorted. “Sure she is.”
Declan shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just the messenger. Ana said she’s been working under the umbrella of PATU covertly for years.”
Julian ignored his words.
“How are they?” Julian asked. “My brothers. Did Jagger make it out of the jungle with Skye?”
“Yeah. They’re good . . .” Declan’s voice trailed off. “They’re all good. Normal and fucking peachy-keen.”
The two men stared at each other. Normal was not a word they’d ever be able to use again.
Julian clenched his teeth and let the wave of pain that sat upon his chest ride over him. The tangle of scars burned, pulsated. It was a constant reminder of what he’d lost. Most of the time, he was able to ignore it; but sometimes, like now, the burn was much too intense.
If he let it, it would surely drive him mad.
“And Ana?” he asked softly.
Declan carefully placed the empty bottle on the bar. “The same.”
Julian watched the sorcerer closely, knowing the conversation was over.
“You boys want another?” The bartender drew his attention; Julian shook his head and followed Declan back into the lobby.
His heart rate slowed as his animal gathered tight. He let his senses fly, but as far as he could tell, there wasn’t a hint of otherworld; nor was there any sign of the DaCostas.
“You sure this is a good idea?” Declan sounded doubtful. “I was kinda liking the idea of working this alone. You know, Butch and Sundance, Starsky and Hutch. . . . Bonnie and Clyde.” He laughed softly at Julian’s dark look. “Of course, you’d be Bonnie.”
Julian sighed and shook out his tight limbs. Declan had never lost his sense of humor; Julian just didn’t find anything funny anymore.
“I’m not sure about anything other than the fact she wants the portal as badly as we do.” He continued to study everyone and everything. “We don’t have a lot of time, and she may be the easiest way for us to get our hands on the danm thing.”
“She’s not gonna want to work with you.”
Julian smiled darkly, a flash of white against the deep tan of his face. “Well, that would take all the fun out of it now, wouldn’t it?”
Declan rolled his shoulders and exhaled softly. “All right, let’s do this.”
“You got your cloaking charm handy?” He didn’t want his prey to sense a Castille jaguar in their midst. He nodded toward the security cameras. “I don’t feel the presence of any DaCostas, but Nico is around here somewhere and the eagle shifter, too.”
Declan smiled rakishly, winking at several women who walked by the two of them, their hips swaying suggestively. “Piece of cake.”
Julian felt a tingle of energy slide over his skin and looked at Declan in surprise. He was still smiling at the women, but Julian sensed his concentration and saw how his hands were loose at his sides, though the fingers were flared.
The sorcerer’s powers had tripled with their time spent in darkness, but it had been fed by something pungent, evil, and he knew Declan was living too close to the edge. They both were.
One wrong move, and the two of them could be lost forever. The lure from the darkside was incredible, intoxicating. Totally Darth Vader.
The energy tickled his flesh as they moved through the throng of tourists still waiting to check in.
“So, we got a plan?” Declan asked.
Julian shook his head. “Hell, no.”
“Good to know,” Declan answered.
They headed toward reception, bypassing a long line. The young woman behind the counter began to protest, but Julian cut her off with a smile, feeling nothing as she melted beneath his gaze.
She smiled, hesitantly, her young face shy. “Sir, you can’t—”
“Jaden DaCosta is expecting us. Can you tell me where her room is located?”
Surprise fell across the young woman’s features. “Um, sorry we’re not allowed to give out that information.”
Julian watched her closely, saw her eyes shift toward the elevator at the extreme right. It was nondescript, set away from the large bank of them grouped closer to reception.
“I can call her if you like.”
“No, that’s fine. I have her number.” He turned abruptly, instantly dismissing the woman.
He nodded toward the single door, his eyes catching the security camera above and, for the first time, the large man who had been half-hidden by a huge palm tree.
“That gives us access to her.”
Declan nodded. “Yeah, but all I can see is the freaking Neanderthal between us and the door.”
“Don’t worry about him.”
Declan snorted. “You gonna invite him to tea?”
Julian moved away. “Nope. Don’t drink the stuff.”
Declan on his heels, he approached the security guard, the energy inside him gathering deep in his gut. His heart began to beat faster, his jaguar no longer content to be still.
The guard moved toward them, his hulking frame blocking the elevator with no problem at all. He was built like a goddamn tank.
The two of them stopped, and Julian smiled harshly as the scent of otherworld drifted on the breeze. The man was a shifter. He was jaguar, and as his eyes passed over the clan tattoos on his arm, he knew the man was a warrior. Not DaCosta, but dangerous nonetheless.
The hulk’s eyes narrowed, and his lips peeled back into a grimace that was supposed to be a smile.
“You two gentlemen lost?” He nodded toward the bank of elevators several feet away. “This is private, you need to back away.”
Declan smiled. “Dude, what’s that on your arm? Christ that is the ugliest fucking tattoo I’ve ever seen.” Declan looked at Julian, who was staring silently at the warrior. “And I’ve seen some ugly-ass tattoos. Shit, hope you didn’t spend heavy on it.”
Julian felt the guard’s anger and tensed as the mountain of flesh flexed his arms and rolled his neck. “I suggest you move away before I—”
“Before you what? Kick my ass?” Declan sneered.
The guard growled, his tone low and menacing. Declan’s glee at the guard’s anger was a little too reckless for Julian’s liking. He didn’t want to attract any attention.
“I don’t think so.” Declan continued to taunt as he moved in closer, drawing the warrior’s attention. They were now hidden behind the massive palm tree. “An overlarge tattooed fairy has no chance at my ass.” He laughed as the guard flexed his hands. “Besides, I’m thinking you’d like it just a little too much.”
Declan’s inference regarding the warriors sexuality was apparently the last straw. On cue, the hulk lunged, but Julian’s hand shot out at the same time that Declan threw an energy pulse. His fist blurred as it connected, hard, with the shifter’s temple, and it was followed by another quick jab to his throat.
The warrior stumbled, suddenly fighting for air, and Julian moved quickly to subdue him, his large hand pressing against the guard’s windpipe as he held him still.
Within seconds, the large man was unconscious.
“Get the door.” Julian nodded, but Declan was already on it, his hand hovering above the control panel, energy sizzling from his fingers.
It slid open silently, and, seconds later, they we
re safely inside, along with the deadweight of the warrior at their feet.
There was only one button, and Julian pressed it while Declan took care of the security camera. If anyone was watching, they might see a blur, a ripple in the air.
Magick came in handy at the trickiest of times.
The lift rose in silence, and as the seconds ticked by, the energy inside Julian darkened. His thoughts continued to center on the woman who had managed to make his miserable existence even more of a spectacular failure.
Jaden DaCosta claimed they were mated. That he was responsible for the warrior tattoos adorning her flesh. Fucking ironic, he thought, and a DaCosta no less.
When the doors finally parted, his body was tense, the muscles bunched good and tight.
Jaden’s soft scent lingered in the air, teasing him with its exotic flavor, and he exhaled harshly in an effort to ban it from his nose.
Julian squared his shoulders and shook his arms until they hung loose at his sides. He stepped into her lair, proceeding slowly, with Declan right behind him.
The penthouse suite was simple, elegant, with a bank of windows that ran the entire length of the room, letting in the beauty of the Mayan countryside. Outside, the sun was high, its warmth caressing his skin as he stepped into the center of the large room.
He knew right away the place was empty. There were no energy signatures, no indication of life.
He relaxed a bit and walked over to a simple table with several pictures on display.
Jaden’s laughing face stared up at him, and he cocked his head as he studied them closely. Most were of Jaden and a woman who appeared to be an older version of the shifter. Her mother maybe?
The woman looked sad, something about her eyes was haunted, but Jaden looked unaware, happy and incredibly young.
A few were recent, but there were none of Jakobi, her father, or any of the brothers.
Declan joined him. “You gotta admit the woman is one fine piece of ass.”
Julian tensed at the crude words yet remained quiet. His eyes glanced back at the pictures. There was no question as to her beauty, but the blood that ran through her body was tainted.
“She’s nothing more than a means to an end. She will help us whether she wants to or not.”
Declan shrugged and turned away. “So, what now?”
Julian smiled harshly as he focused on a picture of Jaden, her lean body barely covered by a bikini.
He exhaled slowly and glanced up at the Irishman.
“We wait.”
Chapter 6
“Where’s Tank?” Nico’s harsh tone grabbed her attention as Jaden accepted a folder from one of her staff members. She turned toward the elevator that led to her private suite.
It had been a long morning. She’d been hard at work for hours. Running a huge resort was not for the faint of heart. Coupled with her secret duties, lack of sleep was something she’d learned to deal with early on.
And she was definitely tired. Jaden was not quite back to full strength and had only slept a few hours on the jet, if that. Demon poison usually took a few days to dissipate fully, and she was still feeling the afteraffects.
She pursed her lips together tightly. What now?
Night Sky Resort and Casino was her baby, the one good thing in her life, and running it, as well as being the head of her own special branch of PATU, was tiring at the best of times.
Her senses flared as her eyes swept the entire lobby. Tank, her shifter guard, was always at the elevator, and his absence spelled trouble. She felt her muscles bunch instantly, felt them tighten in anticipation.
“Miss DaCosta?”
“Yes,” she answered as she continued to scan the immediate area. Nico had already moved from her side and was halfway to the elevator.
“There was a man asking for you. I thought you’d want to know.”
She looked at the girl sharply. “Did he leave a name?”
“No, he said you were expecting him.”
Jaden glanced back at the elevator. This was not good.
“Thanks,” she said softly, and turned away.
She joined Nico, who stood near the large palm tree that hid the elevator. The warrior was tense, the corded muscles in his neck a testament to the state of mind he was in.
“Something’s off,” he spit out, his eyes flat and black as his nostrils flared wildly. “Tank would never leave his post unless it was covered.”
Jaden felt a whisper of energy in the air, an echo of something frenetic, something dark. No one had ever been bold enough to attack her within the resort, but times were changing, and the stakes were so much higher.
She should have seen this coming. She’d been leading a double life for the past several years, and borrowed time eventually expired. If anyone in her family or any of their nasty alliances discovered she worked covertly for PATU, she’d have a bull’s-eye tattooed on her ass for the rest of her life.
Maybe her time was up.
She looked at Nico. “Call Security and alert Finn; we’ll need an overhead search just to be on the safe side.”
She moved toward the private lift and was reaching for the control panel when Nico grabbed her arm, his grip firm, his tone harsh.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Jaden glanced down at his hand on her flesh and suppressed the quick anger that scratched below the surface. Christ but she was getting tired of his attitude lately. She needed no one’s protection.
“Nico, you need to back away.” Her words were low, controlled, but the tension between them rose sharply.
The shifter took a step closer, and she looked up into his eyes, feeling a snag of remorse as she caught a glimpse of the pain that lingered there. She knew his history, knew the damage that lived inside him, and, because of that, she would tread carefully.
“I don’t need the caveman routine, seriously, I’m a big girl. You know I’m more than capable of taking care of myself. I’m a warrior, same as you.” If his overprotective attitude continued, she was going to have to make some difficult decisions.
Nico’s grip held firm. Why was he making this hard?
“I’m not Bella,” she said softly, the hint of danger in her tone not to be missed. “So I suggest you remove your hand and remember who and what I am.”
The mention of the woman’s name was enough, and Nico wrenched his hand from hers, a snarl falling from his lips.
Bella was his mate—had been his mate—she’d been lost to him several years earlier. Jaden wasn’t privy to all the details, but what little she did know broke her heart. The warrior had never recovered from his loss.
Nico took a step back and glared at her. “I will accompany you up to your suite.”
His tone brooked no argument. She nodded before reaching for the panel again and scanned her hand over the laser pad. A subtle trace of energy rushed along her fingers, a remnant of someone, or something, that shouldn’t be there. She had state-of-the-art security, and it would take a lot to breach it.
Jaden tensed as her hand dropped. Something was definitely up.
The door slid back silently while Nico called Security and ordered a sweep of the entire grounds. She kept an elite guard that would be able to run the command discreetly, mixing with the human populace and able to remain hidden in plain sight.
Her eyes skimmed over the humans who milled about the lobby of her resort. They had no clue of the danger or the monsters that lived amongst them, and she would do everything in her power to make sure it stayed that way.
The elevator seemed to take forever, and by the time it slid back and allowed them entrance to her suite, her nerves were humming.
An eerie quiet fell upon her, its whisper thick and unnatural. There was no energy in the air, no hint of intruders, living or dead. But the fact that she sensed absolutely nothing had her internal alarm shrieking.
It felt like she’d slipped inside a black hole, as if everything had been wiped clean. It was unnatural a
nd reeked of otherworld. Dark arts. Her eyes scanned the immediate area, but nothing was out of place. She looked at Nico, and he nodded before moving toward the left.
Inside, her jaguar shifted, and she felt the burn ripple across her flesh. She kept the temperature in her suite cool, but that did nothing to alleviate the heat suffusing her skin. The room looked untouched, and though there was no indication that things were amiss, everything inside her screamed danger.
She scented the air, but again nothing, and as she slowly made her way down the hall to her bedroom, she was careful not to make a sound.
She passed the small study where she kept a personal office, yet it was empty, in darkness, and she continued along until she reached her bedroom.
Soft light fell from the windows that ate up the entire left side of the space, the beams cutting through gloom in a flickering array of gold. Outside, azure water beckoned, and farther in the distance, the outlying jungle cradled its beach.
This was her own private view of the land she loved with all her heart, and it pissed her off that someone had dared trespass in her domain.
She kept her heartbeat steady, calm, though every instinct inside her prepared for battle. Her feet were bare of the sandals she’d worn, and they hung from her fingers as she carefully made her way into the room.
Her bed showed not a wrinkle, the maid had obviously been, and she slipped toward the small alcove that housed her large walk-in closets.
The silence hurt her ears; it weighed upon her like a physical blow, and she grimaced at the weird sensation. A slight tremor hung in the air, a foreign vibration that was somehow familiar to her.
She paused at the entrance to her closet, and even though she tried to keep calm, she felt the blood inside her veins thicken and rush through her body. Her skin was itchy, hot, and as the tattoos began to tingle along the side of her neck, she stopped, her focus shifting to the shadows that clung to the corners.
Someone was there.
Adrenaline spiked inside, she felt the power gather and pulse. Jaden pretended to turn and exit, then at the last second whirled around, the stiletto-heeled sandals hurtling through the air like deadly missiles.
His Darkest Salvation Page 5
