by Linsey Hall
We made our way quickly through the enchanted forest, passing by the gnarled old trees and the fairy lights to find the portal that would take us to Edinburgh. I let the portal suck me through the ether and spit me out in the alley in the Grassmarket. The sound of revelry echoed from the main street.
Lachlan and I pushed through the crowd, which seemed to be celebrating some kind of sports victory, if the matching outfits were any indication, and made our way into the Whisky and Warlock.
I turned left, entering the room that was usually full of Protectorate members. The fire burned merrily in the hearth, and Sophie wiped down the bar, a big grin on her face. The smell of food and beer made my stomach grumble, while the scent of woodsmoke made me want to sink down in a chair in front of the fire and never get up. Apparently, my trials in the Otherworld had given me a powerful need for a nap.
“Ana!” Rowan’s voice cut through the crowd.
I turned, catching sight of her by the bar with Bree. I hurried toward them. They threw their arms around me in a big hug. Before I’d even pulled away, I blurted, “I found our mother.”
Rowan pulled back and gasped. “What?”
Shock flashed on Bree’s face. “Where? Otherworld?”
“Yep. She lives there now. It’s her afterworld.”
“Oh my gosh.” Tears sprang to Bree’s eyes.
“You can take us to see her?” Rowan asked.
I grinned, happier than I’d ever been in all my life. “Yep.”
“Wow. I just…” Bree shook her head. “I can’t believe it.”
“This is amazing.” Happiness glowed from Rowan.
“Ana!” Jude’s voice echoed across the bar.
I turned, catching sight of her at a table by the mullioned windows. She sat with Caro, Ali, and Haris. Hedy sat at the end, along with Jessie Ammons, head of the Demon Trackers Unit.
“Let’s go,” I said. “We’ll catch up more about mom later.”
“Definitely,” Bree said.
We headed toward them and gratefully took the seat that offered. Lachlan sat next to me, and my sisters squeezed in at the end.
“You look like you could use some chow,” Ali said.
“Definitely.”
He stood. “You hang out. I’ll get you something. Meat pie or fish and chips?”
“Pie.”
Lachlan nodded his agreement.
“And water,” I added. “No time to celebrate yet. I’ll save the champagne for when we finish this.”
Jude’s eyes searched mine. “So you’ve found something? What’s going on in Otherworld?”
“It’s more than we realized,” I said. As quickly as I could, I explained the issue with The Three invading Otherworld in search of an army.
“So they’re the same people you fought last week and that Lachlan has been hunting?” Jude sat back and rubbed a weary hand over her face. “I don’t like the coincidence.”
“Dangerous,” Jessie rumbled.
I rarely heard the big blond man speak, and it sounded like he could eat glass.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” Hedy said. “We definitely shouldn’t assume that it is.”
Ali delivered our food and water at that moment, apparently having sweet-talked Sophie into getting it quickly. I chowed down, trying not to eat like a ravenous bear. But it was so danged good. I was also starving, so that probably had something to do with it.
“So you need to go to the land of the Fomori?” Caro looked at me with wide eyes and whistled. “Dangerous.”
I swallowed the last bite of pie. “Jealous?”
“A bit.” She grinned. “I’d love to see it.”
“Unfortunately, you won’t,” Jude said. “It’s nearly impossible to get there, and we can only send two at most.”
“Lachlan and I will do it.” I didn’t know if Jude had already been considering that, but I wanted in on this mission no matter what. “I gained the rest of my powers in Otherworld, so I’m qualified. And I want to see this through. This is all linked to me somehow. I know it.”
Jude nodded. “I agree. It’s no coincidence. And this isn’t finished yet. The druids said they needed the two of you.” She pointed between Lachlan and me. “The Fomori are Celtic demons. It’s all linked, and you’re part of it.”
“How do we get there?” I asked. “Boudica mentioned that the Protectorate would know.”
“We do, and it was difficult to get the info. But we have a contact who can get you in, though it won’t be easy. The realm of the Fomori is in the Atlantic Ocean.”
“In? Like, under?” I asked.
“The closest thing to Atlantis,” Lachlan said. “But full of demons. There’s a bubble around it, so you won’t need gills.”
“So we’d be trapped underwater with a bunch of demons, unable to escape if we got separated from our ride,” I said.
“Pretty much.” Jude nodded. “It’s not for the faint of heart.”
“Not a problem.” I sipped my water. “How do we get in?”
“There are two entrances that we know of. One in Dublin, through the river Liffey, and another through New York.”
“New York?” Lachlan asked. “That’s far from Celtic turf.”
“Lots of Irish moved to New York. And Celtic culture has never been about place,” Jude said.
“Fair point.” Lachlan nodded.
“We’re going to have to get in touch with our contact,” Jude said. “It’s not always easy to find him. Once we do, you’ll go and meet him. He’ll get you in, but he won’t go past the gate. When you’re in the realm of the Fomori, you’ll seek out our undercover man.”
“Jonnie.” Ali grinned. “I wonder how the bastard is doing?”
“Probably smells like fish by now,” Haris said.
“Who is Jonnie?” I asked.
“He works with my unit,” Jessie said. “A demon tracker. He’s been undercover in the realm of the Fomori for six months now.”
“So, before we showed up here,” Bree said.
“Exactly. The Fomori shouldn’t be leaving their realm and coming to earth. But they are, in too many numbers. Jonnie is there trying to figure out why and how.”
“And he’ll help us find out who The Three are looking for?” Lachlan asked.
“He’ll try,” Jude said. “In the meantime, get a bit of rest. We’ll find out where Shen is—that’s our contact in New York—then you’ll head there immediately.”
“I’ll go to help,” Bree said.
“Me too,” Rowan added.
“Sorry.” Jude shook her head. “Like I said, Shen can only take two at a time. It’s not an easy journey.”
Bree and Rowan scowled but nodded.
I smiled my thanks at them, wishing they could come. I’d been spending more time away from them lately, and our favorite thing to do together was kick ass and take names. But given the threat that The Three posed, we’d probably have a chance to do that sooner rather than later.
10
Because Jude needed some time to locate Shen, we had a few hours to sleep. My feet dragged up the stairs toward my tower apartment, but my skin prickled with awareness. Lachlan walked behind me. There wasn’t enough time for him to go back to his place and get rest, so it’d been the most obvious thing to invite him back to my place.
As soon as I walked in, I went to the bathroom to check out my new tattoo in the mirror. I tugged aside my shirt collar and peered at it. The markings were much fainter than the ones around my arms, a pale gold that shimmered in the light.
Swirls of gold danced over my collarbones, and if I squinted, it looked like a dragon.
“Cool.” I spared one look for my face and winced.
Yeah, I needed a nap. I looked as ragged as a superstore employee after Black Friday. I’d never personally attended a Black Friday sale, what with living in the desert and being broke, but I’d heard stories. It sounded more exhausting than driving across Death Valley.
“Help yourself t
o anything!” I shouted out to Lachlan, belatedly realizing that I’d just ditched him. “I’m going catch a shower.”
“Aye.” His voice filtered through the door.
Quickly, I scrubbed up, then changed into PJs and went down the stairs toward the kitchen. Lachlan handed me a warm mug.
I smiled. “What is this?”
“Hot chocolate. Found it in the back of your cupboard.”
“The only thing the cats haven’t eaten.”
“Though they might have tried?”
“Bojangles, definitely. That cat’s got a sweet tooth like you wouldn’t believe.” I sipped and sighed gratefully. “You know the way to a girl’s heart.”
“I wouldn’t mind finding my way to your heart, specifically.”
I smiled at him, my heart thundering. But I had no idea what to say, so I went with silence.
He squeezed my arm and set his mug on the counter. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“You do that. I’m hitting the hay. You can, um, join me when you’re done.” I held up a hand. “Sleeping only, though. We’ve only got a few hours at most, and we need it.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up in a devastatingly sexy smile, and he nodded.
I listened to him go up the stairs and waited for the water to start. Once I’d finished my hot chocolate, I climbed into bed. Softness enveloped me. Felt like sinking into a cloud.
I drifted into sleep almost immediately. Vaguely, I felt Lachlan climb into bed next to me, and I rolled toward him, snuggling into his arms.
I could get used to this.
Jude found Shen by three a.m. We woke when she called, then dressed and stumbled down the stairs toward the main entry hall. Muffin led the procession, flying along and bumping into things.
When we arrived, Jude eyed us skeptically. “You look tired.”
“I feel okay.” I scrubbed a hand across my eyes. I really did feel a lot better after the five hours of sleep. Despite the godawful time, Jude looked pressed and perfect, as always, and ready to kick ass.
“You ready?” she asked.
“As I’ll ever be,” I said. “Where’d you find the guy?”
“A place called the Jade Tiger in New York City’s China Town. You’ll find it down Supe Alley, where most of the supernaturals congregate.”
“China Town?”
“He’s a Chinese dragon shifter.”
“Whoa. And he’s supposed to get us to a land from Celtic myth?”
She shrugged. “New York is a melting pot. If you went through Dublin, you’d probably ride a Kelpie to get there.”
I nodded. “All right, then. We’re off to China Town.”
“Be careful,” Jude said. “And do whatever Shen tells you. The realm of the Fomori is one of the most dangerous places there is. Missteps are not forgiven there.”
“We’ll be careful.” I tried to smile reassuringly.
“Good. I don’t want to lose you.” She gave us a nod, then walked off. No doubt to go to bed. Or to kick some demon ass, knowing Jude. Who knew what she got up to at this hour?
Lachlan and I swung by the kitchen to grab a to-go breakfast before heading out. Boris, the little rat, was curled up on a pillow in front of the fire. He loved food so much that he pretty much never left the kitchen, but he had excellent manners and only ate off of tiny plates designated specifically for him. I wanted to pet his head as I passed his sleeping spot but resisted for fear of waking him up. He was so cute that I couldn’t bear it.
Hans had left wrapped-up sandwiches in the fridge, along with an army of juice boxes. I grabbed one of each and followed Lachlan back up the stairs, eating as I walked.
When we reached the courtyard outside, the night was frigid. A slender moon glowed faintly in the sky above, and we polished off our sandwiches.
“Ready?” Lachlan asked.
“Ready.”
He held out his hand, and his magic surged on the air. The portal appeared, and I stepped in, letting the ether suck me through space and spit me out on the other side of the world. I appeared in a darkened alley, thankfully. It’d be no good to pop out of thin air in front of a non-magical person.
While I waited for Lachlan, I headed toward the alley exit, peering out onto the street.
It was busier here since it was only about ten p.m. Cars zipped down the street, and revelers stumbled from bar to bar, while restaurants served a few last stragglers a late meal. I didn’t see anyone that I would pinpoint as a supernatural, though I caught a whiff of some magical signatures that definitely weren’t normal New York City smells. The scent of fresh honeysuckle, for one.
Lachlan appeared next to me a moment later.
“Where are we exactly?” I asked.
“Near China Town and Supe Alley. This is my normal entry point for New York, so I figured it was safest.”
“Your favorite grungy alley?” I grinned.
“Gotta have one in every city.” He took my hand and pulled me out onto the street.
But he didn’t let go.
I smiled and squeezed tighter. Sure, we were on a job and this was dangerous. But that was basically my whole life. So if I didn’t steal a little romance when I had the chance, I’d never get it.
It was obvious when we made our way into China Town. Pretty paper lanterns decorated the street, and the scent of delicious food wafted on the air. Despite my sandwich, my stomach rumbled again. There was a mishmash of shops—some selling traditional goods like herbs and others that sold more touristy stuff.
Lachlan cut confidently through the crowd as if he knew right where we were headed.
“You’ve been here before?” I asked.
“Not to Jade Tiger but to Supe Alley, yes. Great place to buy potion ingredients that I can’t grow.”
I eyed a fascinating shop full of thousands of little glass bottles of herbs. “I can imagine.”
A few minutes later, we turned onto Supe Alley. At first, I thought it was just a dead end crowded with old dumpsters. Definitely not an inviting place, but that was the point. Had to keep the humans out somehow.
Lachlan clutched my hand and dragged me straight through a dumpster. Magic prickled against my skin as I passed through, and the lovely scent of incense filled my nose. I grinned. Someone had apparently given the dumpster doorway a nice magical air freshener.
There was one last crackle of magic as we passed through the dumpster doorway, and we were in Supe Alley.
The change in the air was immediate and intense. Magical signatures abounded, everything from the pretty sound of bells to the stench of old socks.
Here, there were shifters with their tails out and fairies letting their wings flow in the breeze. Supernaturals who looked a little different tended to love places like this, where they could be themselves without worrying about catching the attention of humans.
“I don’t think the shop is located at this end of the street,” Lachlan said. “I’ve been here a few times and never seen it.”
“Let’s head farther down, then.”
We made our way through the crowd, artfully dodging the people who filled the streets. The scent of food was just as strong back here, and even more delicious if possible. A group of women in beautiful silk dresses passed by us. The dresses looked like some kind of traditional garment, but for the life of me I wouldn’t have been able to come up with a name.
I liked this place, though. So much of our lives had been spent hanging out in crappy little towns like Death Valley Junction or living in the wilds of Alaska with our mom. I hadn’t had a chance to see much of the world, and this was pretty danged cool.
Yet another thing to thank the Protectorate for. With them, I got to see so much.
“I think we’re getting close,” Lachlan murmured. He pointed to a building up ahead. It was darker, with two guards out front, each wearing a fancy suit.
“How do you know?”
“That place looks like trouble, and that’s how our luck tends to run.”
“Bingo,” I said.
We approached the door and the guards. I couldn’t see a weapon on them, but in the supernatural world, that didn’t mean anything.
“What do you want?” one of the guards grunted.
“We’re here to see Shen,” I said.
“Hmmmpf.” Both guards scowled at us, then stepped aside and opened the two ornately carved doors.
Lachlan and I entered a room that was dimly lit and mysterious. No joke, if someone had looked up mysterious in the dictionary, this place would have had its picture right under the word.
The air smelled strongly of some type of herb, with the faint trace of antiseptic beneath. Smoke twisted through the air like a dragon, sinuous and smooth as it twined around the tables and chairs.
On one side of the room, people sat at the little tables, playing games. They chatted in low voices, the energy relaxed yet somehow still slightly tense. It was so weird that it made my skin itch.
On the other side of the room, the faint buzz of machinery was overlaid by a live band. Spotlights gleamed on people sitting in chairs. I squinted, trying to figure out what was happening over there.
“Wait, is this a tattoo parlor?” I asked. It was strange, given that the place had the feeling of a cool gambling den.
“I think so,” Lachlan said.
“Can I help you?” An older woman approached, her hair streaked with gray. She wore a sleek black suit and had eyes that were sharp as glass. They landed on my collarbones. “That’s quite the piece of artwork you have there.”
I reached up to touch the tattoo that glowed faintly on my skin. It wasn’t noticeable to most people, at least I didn’t think it was, given how faint it had been in the mirror. But this lady had an eye for tattoos, I had to imagine.
“Yes. It’s special to me.” I left it at that, hoping she wouldn’t pry. “Is Shen here? We’re looking for him.”
“Hmmm.” She scowled at us. “My son keeps the worst company.”
“Hey! I’m not that bad,” I said.
“Maybe not you, but he is.” She pointed to Lachlan. “And don’t even get me started on your cat.”
