by G. K. DeRosa
“Not yet.” The scowl etched deeper into Talon’s face. “If they don’t have something to us by the end of the week, I’m going down there myself.”
My brows nearly reached my hairline. “Didn’t you just lecture me on not running into the Underworld half-cocked? That I’d never be allowed into the SIA if I behaved so recklessly?”
He shrugged as he shoveled a spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth. “I was talking about you, not me. I have a little more experience under my belt.”
“I’m going to have to side with the little pumpkin on this one, T.” Hayden pointed his spoon at his brother. “I want to find Vander as badly as you but getting trapped down there won’t help anybody.”
Talon’s fist hit the table and the faux wood shuddered, popping my tray up. “I can’t sit around and do nothing while he’s down there. We have no idea why they took him or what they’re doing to him.”
A rush of guilt washed over me. It was my fault Vander had been captured. He’d come after me the night of my soul-suck fest. “Why was Vander out that night looking for me?”
“Because it’s his job,” Talon snapped. Then he tossed his head to the side and released a breath. “Sorry.”
Hayden and Dallas’s eyes bugged out, surely matching the surprise on my face. Did Talon just apologize for his rude tone?
“Yup, blood bond still going strong.” Dallas smirked.
Talon seared his brother with a glacial glare. “It’s a good thing I’m not bonded to you, so I have no problem scorching your vampire ass.”
Dallas tittered under his breath.
“Still touchy though,” Hayden added.
Talon’s arm brushed against mine as he reached for a napkin, and a sizzle of energy crackled over my skin. The tendon in his jaw fluttered as he pulled it back and wiped his mouth. Maybe I should just give myself over to Delacroix. After having a little taste, being this close to Talon without being able to act on my lusty urges was worse than any torture the hellus demon or dark lord of the Underworld could come up with.
“Hey, girl!” Flix waggled his fingers at me from a few tables over. By the daffodil yellow of the jumpsuits surrounding him, he must have been hanging out with his Fae friends.
I threw him a half-hearted wave, and he popped up from his seat. A female Fae stood with him, and the pair sauntered over in our direction.
A deep growl reverberated Talon’s massive chest, making his broad shoulders vibrate as the pixies approached. The two froze on the spot, about a yard away from me, their eyes wide.
“Talon,” I hissed under my breath.
He stood and leveled Flix and his friend with a withering glare. “Who is that?” He ticked his head at the female, and her wings trembled like dry leaves on a wintry day. She took a step back, cowering behind Flix.
My tour guide mentor raised his hands in the air, and a shock of pink hair tumbled over his forehead. “Just a friend, Talon. Harmless, I swear.”
His scorching gaze razed over the girl’s petite form, and she looked like she was a second from peeing herself.
“Enough, Talon.” I threw my hand across my overzealous bodyguard’s chest and shoved him back. Well, attempted to anyway. He finally released the pixie from his death stare and backed off. “Why don’t you sit with us?” I pulled the chair out beside me.
The two Fae gave Talon a wide berth as they sat down on the far side of the table, ignoring the seat I’d offered.
“I wanted to come by to say hi and introduce my friend, Valeria,” said Flix. The cute blonde pixie smiled, her short bob bouncing just below her pointy ears. “She spent years in the human world so I thought you girls would hit it off.”
“Oh, cool.”
“She doesn’t need any friends,” Talon barked, leaning forward to pierce the pixies with another crushing glare.
“Maybe we should go.” Valeria fiddled with her fingers and pushed back from the table.
“No!” The word popped out harsher than intended. “Sorry, I would really like it if you stayed. I don’t have many friends in here and none that are female. I could definitely use a little escape from all the testosterone.” I shot Talon a narrowed glare and sat forward to attempt to cut him out of the conversation.
He muttered something under his breath, most likely a curse, but I ignored him and focused on the scaredy faeries at the end of the table.
“So, Valeria, what were you doing in the human world?”
She swept her pale blonde hair behind her ears, and her lips puckered. What in the world could this shy pixie have done to end up in this place? I decided to ask Flix about that later. “I was one of the Spring Court Queen’s stylists many years ago. Then King Seris was killed, and she vacated the castle to live in the countryside. With no job, I entered the supe visa lottery and won. A few days later, I had a yellow card and a one-way portal to the human realm.”
“Wow, that’s pretty cool. I’d heard about the lottery system, but I’d never met any supes that had actually gotten it.”
“It’s like an urban legend,” Hayden interjected. “Mothers tell their children stories about it. A one-way ticket to freedom in the human world.” He snorted on a laugh, then went back to talking to his brothers.
Valeria fanned herself, her dainty fingers flapping overtime. “I can’t believe Hayden from the Triad just spoke to me.”
Now I snorted on a laugh. Sometimes I forgot how notorious the Triad brothers were. “So where did you live, and what did you do while you were there?” I hadn’t realized how much I missed my normal life before my demon powers started acting up.
“I spent a few years out west: Vegas, L.A., and a few smaller cities in Arizona. I got jobs in hair salons as I went, and it gave me the chance to see the United States. Then I tried Europe next, Paris, Milan, London, pretty much all the big cities.”
My eyes widened. I’d always wanted to travel, but when I became old enough I was shipped off to the Nether Lands with my grandma, Emi. It wasn’t quite the international dream vacation I’d planned.
Flix’s finger reached out and lifted my jaw. “You’re going to let the bugs in.” He smirked. “You see, I knew you’d like Valeria.”
“You better watch out, Flix, she might replace you as my BFFF—best Fae friend forever.”
He chuckled and tossed his brilliant pink hair back. “Not a chance. I’m completely irreplaceable.”
Valeria leaned closer and whispered, “If your boyfriend ever lets you out of his sight, maybe we can hang out during Happy Hour.”
Boyfriend? I nearly choked on my spit.
Talon tensed beside me, and Hayden and Dallas broke into a chuckle on the opposite side of the table. Stupid supernatural hearing. I spun around and shot them the finger. “I thought you guys had enough to talk about on your own. Keep your nosey ears out of my conversations.”
“Sorry,” Valeria mouthed.
I shook my head, suppressing an eye roll. “Don’t worry about it. And yes, I’d love to hang out sometime.”
“Great, how about tomorrow?”
“She’ll get back to you.” Talon rose, and his thumb and index finger closed around my bicep. “Azara’s got a busy schedule.”
I tried to wiggle free from his hold, but like his temper it was unbending and merciless. “I guess I’ll be going now.” I waved at the two cute pixies as Talon practically dragged me through the mess hall.
As soon as the door to the cafeteria slammed shut, I whirled on him. “What the hell was that about? You already control every part of my life, why can’t I have one girl friend?”
“You can’t have any friends until I run a background check on them first. Are you still having memory problems, or do you have a death wish? It won’t take Thax long to discover we were in his castle, and when he does, it’ll be open season on Azara.”
I wrapped my arms around my middle and bit down on the flare of panic his words incited. I had to be strong if I wanted to survive this. Fake it till you make it, right?
&n
bsp; He must have seen the flicker of fear I tried so desperately to hide because the harsh set of his jaw softened. “And anyway, you actually do have somewhere to be tomorrow.”
My brow arched. “I do?”
“You’re meeting with the SIA first thing in the morning.”
Chapter Three
“Thanks for coming so quick, GG.” I pulled my grandpa, who’d actually appeared in his true form, into a hug and nearly knocked down a tower of boxes. I had to remember to thank Flix for giving me the key to his secret office. It was the perfect place to meet with my warlock gramps without drawing too much attention.
Logan arranged the meeting and covered for me with my overprotective bodyguard and his brothers. This conversation had to be held in private.
Garrix eyed the storage room, and his mouth screwed into a pout. “I still cannot believe you choose to remain in this hovel.”
“I already told you, I need to figure this out. If I’d left when you wanted, I never would’ve discovered that I may not be responsible for ending all those lives.” I mean I was responsible, but maybe someone had made me do it. My money was on the demon at the bar—he probably spiked my drink which was why I’d lost control.
He clucked his teeth, and a rueful smile curled his lips. “Always the do-gooder, just like your mother.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, GG.”
He chuckled, and his hand reached out to pinch my cheek. Something he used to do all the time when I was a kid. I hated it. But today, it reminded me of home and much happier times. “All right, then little princess, why have I been summoned?”
“Well, since your ten-day deadline is quickly approaching and we still haven’t figured out the Thax and Delacroix situation, we’ve come up with an alternative plan instead of you spilling to Mom and Dad.”
He quirked a light brow, and his cerulean irises lit up. “I’m listening…”
“Talon thinks he can get me into the SIA. So instead of staying here for ten years, he’d work out a deal where I worked for them for a shorter time period and then I’d get released.”
“An agent for those stuffy bureaucrats? What would you have to do exactly?”
“Oh, you know, basic superhero stuff. Just like my parents.”
He rolled his eyes and grunted. “You see, I wasn’t wrong. Always a do-gooder.”
“GG, it’s a good deal. By working with the SIA, I can get the information we need about Thax so we can finally figure out what he wants with me.”
“It still sounds dangerous, Azara.”
“Better than staying here.”
“Touché.” He grimaced as he scanned the crowded room, cobwebs lining the dusty corners. “You’re sure this is what you want?”
I nodded.
“And this doesn’t have anything to do with that dragon you’re bonded to, does it?”
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “What? How did you know?”
His nostrils flared, and his lips twisted in disgust. “His scent is all over you, Azara. And you smell worse than last time.”
Heat seeped up my neck and flooded my cheeks. I must’ve been fifty shades of red. How embarrassing. “No,” I barked, a little more sharply than intended. “That’s not why I’m doing this.”
“I certainly hope not. A bond like that can have a variety of unwanted side effects.”
“Yeah, I know,” I muttered. “Is there any way you could remove that by the way?”
He smiled. “Oh princess, you know there isn’t much I cannot do.”
A tiny pang shot through my chest at the idea of losing my connection with the grumpy dragon. I shoved it down, reminding myself he wanted nothing to do with me, and the only reason I felt anything for him—which I didn’t—was a result of said mystical tie. “So let’s do it. Can you remove it now?” I spat the words before I could chicken out.
He shook his head. “I said I could do it, but I didn’t say it should be done. As much as I hate to see you tied to a dragon”—his lip curled in revulsion—“removing the bond is not an easy feat and not one that I would consider doing lightly. Breaking a connection like that is risky business, and I’ve had more than one go awry.”
I snagged my lower lip between my teeth and harrumphed.
Garrix squeezed my shoulder and gave me a reassuring smile. “It’ll go away on its own most likely, as long as you do not strengthen the tie by doing something stupid.”
“Like what?”
“Sleeping with him, falling in love with him, etcetera, etcetera.”
“GG!” My cheeks flamed once again.
He shrugged, raising his hands in feigned innocence. “I simply want you to understand what you’re getting into. A blood bond could easily transform into a mating bond and then things would become monumentally more complicated.”
I opened my mouth to ask more, but thinking better of it, I snapped it shut. Mate bond sounded like more sex talk and that was not the sort of conversation I wanted to have with my grandfather. I’d have to do my own research.
“Okay, okay enough about that. Believe me, it’s not going to be a problem because Talon and I can barely stand each other.”
He grunted out a sound of disbelief, but I ignored him.
“So anyway, if I’m going to meet with the SIA, I was thinking I’d need a cover story. You know Mom and Dad are like famous there. If they find out who I am, it would get back to them in minutes.”
“Yes, that’s true. I can take care of conjuring you up a new identity in the human world for the preliminary background check. I imagine there will eventually be more in-depth testing. In that case, you’ll have to keep your warlock side a secret at all costs.”
Dammit, and I’d been about to ask him to remove the power binding spell.
“How am I going to keep that from them?”
“I’ll teach you. The head of the SIA is a shifter. He won’t be able to ascertain the difference between witch and warlock magic. Not many supernaturals would. Regardless, there aren’t too many high-level coven members within the agency so as long as you avoid any you come across, you should be fine.”
“Okay.”
He snapped his fingers, and a slip of paper appeared in his palm. “Practice this spell a few times before you go. It’s a ‘my will be done’ incantation. Use it any time you need to hide the truth about your heritage.”
I took the parchment note and slipped it into my tank top. “Thanks, GG, you’re the best.” Wrapping my arms around his neck, I drew him into a hug.
“Your parents miss you, Azara. You need to give them a call one of these days. They’re not going to believe your story about training with Logan forever.”
“I know.” I pulled back and that pang of nostalgia streaked across my insides, squeezing my lungs. “Maybe if I get into the SIA, I’ll be allowed to sneak away for a visit.”
He threaded his fingers through his platinum hair, the white streak bisecting the center growing with every year that passed. “I hope that’s true, my princess.”
“I gotta go, GG. It’s almost lights out, and I don’t want to get caught outside my cell.”
He pulled me into his chest once more and gave me a tight squeeze. “Keep in touch and let me know how it goes with the SIA.”
“I will, thank you.”
A swirl of dark smoke curled around my grandpa’s legs, then surged up his body until it blanketed his tall, lithe form. “Goodbye, princess.” His words evaporated with him, the lingering echo of his voice leaving me hollow.
Chapter Four
I stared in quiet shock as Talon muttered an incantation at the onyx wall. When he’d brought me down to Scom, the guys’ own SIA clandestine office in the basement of the prison, I thought he had to check his email or something before our departure.
Instead, he stood in front of the beautiful framed landscape he’d painted uttering the words to a vaguely familiar sounding spell. The charred scent of magic filled my nostrils and a moment later, the rock wall juddered
, and a thin fissure raced along the black surface. The obsidian parted with a sharp crack and revealed a dark tunnel behind it.
I gasped. “That’s how you guys get in and out of here?”
“That’s right, one thirty-eight.”
I popped my hands on my hips and glared up at him. “Can you not call me that? Especially not when we’re at the SIA? It doesn’t exactly instill the most confidence.”
The ghost of a smile hitched up the corner of his lip. “You’re right. I’ll make sure not to call you that while we’re at the agency.”
“Great,” I mumbled.
Talon took a step inside the murky tunnel and blew out a soft breath. A brilliant orange flame burst from his lips and lit the torch I hadn’t been able to make out on the wall. He neared the old lantern and blew again, this time more forcefully. The flame jumped from the first torch all the way down the line, igniting the tunnel in a soft golden glow.
If the dragon didn’t drive me so crazy all the time, I might’ve thought it had been a pretty cool move. Too bad he’d never hear me say the words out loud.
“Let’s go.” He motioned toward the seemingly never-ending corridor, and I scrambled past him.
As soon as I crossed the threshold, a wave of damp air wafted over me, followed by a frosty chill. Since I’d arrived in Draeko I’d only been outside once—in the boneyard, an experience I hoped to never repeat, and now I remembered the other reason why. It was freezing. If it was this cold down here, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like atop the mountain.
I must have shuddered unconsciously because Talon moved beside me a second later. “I’ve got warm clothes for you in a go bag further ahead.”
“You just so happen to have girl clothes in your emergency SIA duffle?”
He shrugged. “I don’t only work with male agents. There are quite a few females in the agency as well.”
I nodded, not sure how to answer that. Even if he had female partners at the SIA why would he carry around their clothes? I chased the errant thoughts from my mind. It didn’t matter anyway. Talon and I were nothing more than a bothersome blood bond. “So how are we getting there?”
