by Brenda Trim
“Zander admitted they are bringing Izzy back home soon. They want her to be there for a family event.”
Crocell cackled through the receiver. “Perfect. When is she returning? Where will she be staying? And, did you find a way to break the protections around Zeum?”
“They didn’t mention a date, and I’m not sure where she will be staying. All they said was Ramiel was trying to find a way to mask her power.”
“They can hide her signature, but I will find the child. She is the perfect tribute to Lucifer. You did very good, but I need more information,” Crocell ordered. “You will go back and discover where the Princess has been. If she has been in Heaven like I suspect there are few portals an angel can travel when bringing a being from another plane.”
Teagan wanted to shout with relief when the intense pressure in her mind didn’t change. She thought about telling Killian what the Archdemon was asking and the fact there was no pain associated with the action. She’d bet a million bucks that she wouldn’t forget what she was told either. The crystal Suvi gave her must be working, she thought.
Recalling what Killian said about making Crocell believe she still had control, Teagan responded, “I will next time I see Zander and Elsie.”
“No,” Crocell demanded. “You will go back right now and get the information I need. I need to know where she is and where she is being brought back to this plane. If you fail me, I will make you and your human friend suffer.”
Teagan’s heart raced in her chest. Despite knowing Killian and the Dark Warriors would protect her, she was terrified the Archdemon would manage to kill her and Kari both.
“I will get the information, but they are getting suspicious. If I tip them off, then they won’t tell me the truth.”
“Then, don’t make them suspicious. Act like you’re their friend and you want to help protect the child. By now Killian must know you’re his Fated Mate. You can get away with more than you know,” Crocell informed her. “I expect to hear from you in forty-eight hours.”
The line went dead a second later, and Teagan fell onto her couch. Laying her head on the back of her couch, she closed her eyes and tried to recall everything the demon had told her.
When she had perfect recall and wasn’t besieged with the need to call Killian and ask to see him, she knew the charm worked its magic. Lifting the crystal from her chest, Teagan looked it over.
She owed Suvi more than she could ever repay her. She still felt the need to get the information Crocell had previously compelled her to gather, but she had no doubt she could tell them what happened, and what the demon wanted from her now.
The situation was looking up. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if they were willing to steer clear of details about the protections around the compound, and location of Izzy. For the first time since learning about the demon’s mind control, Teagan felt as if she’d reclaimed a small portion.
Chapter Seventeen
“We need to plan this in a remote location to avoid innocents being harmed in the process. Crocell isn’t going to go down without a massive fight,” Evzen suggested as they sat around the table in the war room at Zeum.
Minutes after Killian heard Teagan make the call to Crocell he let the council know that they were a go for the plan to trap the archdemon. The anger coursing through Killian made perfect sense to him. He was pissed at the demon for using his Fated Mate to get to the realm’s striplings. It was the crushing disappointment that he didn’t understand.
Crocell was acting as her nature dictated, so he wasn’t frustrated by her behavior. It was when Mack rejected the idea of going to the property on Whidbey Island that he realized what it was about. He was disappointed that his mate obeyed a vile demon rather than overcoming it to protect him and his world.
Being discouraged by her behavior was ridiculous. Logically, Killian understood there was no way a human could battle a compulsion, and for him to expect more from her was unrealistic. But logic played no part when his heart and soul was in the risk.
Zander’s curse reminded Killian he needed to put his thoughts aside and get to work planning the trap. “Shite. You’re right, Mack. ‘Tis far more believable that we would bring her through a portal close to home. We’d want her protected faster. Problem is there are no’ many locations close to the city that are isolated enough.”
“Gold star for Zander,” Mack teased. “We can stick with the island, but we run the risk of Crocell not arriving or being prepared to teleport away before we can stop her.”
“We can’t cast the same protections around the Whidbey house with Pema and Isis missing,” Evzen said, making Killian wonder where he was going with that line of thought. They’d put basic protections around the island house but never went further because they spent so little time there. “If we can find a spell that mimics it, we might be able to pull that location off.”
Killian shook his head. “Looking for that will be a waste of time. We need to find a way to hide the presence of dozens of warriors and C.L.A.W.,” he divulged, referring to Hayden’s lieutenants. “She will expect Zander and Elsie, but if she senses too many, then she won’t show up. I don’t want my mate in danger any longer than necessary.”
Hayden nodded his head. “I agree. It’s better to act while the iron is hot. My C.L.A.W. will protect humans around the area we select. We can’t worry about keeping hidden, as much as keeping casualties and injuries to a minimum. And I think we need to select a location she would never expect. Like Gas Works Park.”
“She’d never think we would teleport Izzy to a location where we’ve battled with her before,” Evzen added. “She assumes the angels have Izzy, so we don’t need to worry about creating a portal.”
“Speaking of angels, we should ask Illianna’s brothers if they can help,” Zander interjected.
Rhys pulled out his phone and pressed a contact. “Abraxos. Hey, brother. We are planning a trap for Crocell. You want in on the action?” the warrior asked his brother-in-law while everyone watched. After a pause, Rhys replied, “Alright. See you soon. They’re on their way,” he informed the group.
Zander nodded as he rubbed Elsie’s back. Elsie’s forehead was furrowed, and it looked like she wanted to say something several times, but she kept her mouth shut. Killian imagined the female wanted to play a more prominent role but wouldn’t put her pregnancy at risk. “I want a plan in place before Teagan arrives. When is she coming?”
“She’ll be here in a couple of hours,” Killian replied. “I didn’t tell her why we wanted her here. It seemed as if she could withstand new compulsions, but there’s no reason to risk the mission.”
“Good idea,” Elsie finally said. “We should be in the pool area when she arrives, and I will ask her to help me in the kitchen then send her back with drinks or something. You guys talk about the location, date, and time when you hear her coming back. Then there will be nothing to tip her or Crocell off.”
A scowl creased Killian’s forehead. “I don’t like keeping secrets from my mate.”
“Then you can sit this one out and rejoin us when you grow a pair,” Mack retorted. “You can’t have it both ways, Kill.”
The sound of the door opening, and closing stopped his caustic retort. It was for the best. He knew Mack was right and he would have said something that might have caused more arguing and time away from catching the archdemon. He might be pissed at the moment, but he wasn’t angry at Mack.
“So, you’ve got a plan to kill the blue-winged demoness?” Araton asked when he entered the room. Killian swore the male thrived on chaos. All of the brothers were capable warriors, but Araton was far more bloodthirsty than Abraxos, who was always singing and chasing females.
Zander got up and clasped forearms with the angels. “Aye. It seems Crocell placed Killian’s Fated Mate under a compulsion to gather information from us so she can capture Izzy and the rest of the striplings.”
“Fuck,” Ayil exclaimed. “That’s unfortunate. You’ll have to keep y
our mate under tight supervision until Crocell is killed. She will have no ability to fight the need to follow through with the order she was given. Can she tell you exactly what she was told to do?”
Killian narrowed his eyes at the steadiest of the three brothers. The urge to plant his fist in Ayil’s pretty face had Killian balling his hands into fists. “She was told to find out where Izzy is and when she will return, as well as, discover any weaknesses in the protections surrounding Zeum. Seems she knows the stripling are here.”
“We are going to use this to plant false information and set a trap. Is there a way to hide the warriors and C.L.A.W.? We can’t do this without adequate coverage.”
Araton cracked his knuckles. “The only way we can hide their presence is within a bubble we can cast to hide our presence.”
Abraxos flared his large red wings behind his body as he stepped forward, crowding the room. Until that point, he and Ayil remained standing right outside the door to the war room. “But our ability is limited, and they can’t be spread out. And we can only cover about a dozen males. They need to be close to us. What I’d suggest is that we have a second group waiting where we can easily and rapidly teleport them to the scene if more than forty, or so, are needed.”
Killian’s hands unclenched, and his shoulders dropped. They could do this. He was worried there would not be enough to beat the archdemon. For the first time in days, Killian was excited.
As he listened to the group finalize plans for the next day at Gas Works Park hope filled him coupled with wonder and joy. He found his Fated Mate and they were going to have a mating ceremony.
Checking his watch, Killian noticed that Teagan should be arriving at any minute. Needing to have her in his arms, he left the meeting and headed to the foyer.
“Hello, sexy,” Killian greeted as he opened the door before Teagan could knock.
“Wow, someone’s excited to see me,” she voiced as he pulled her into his arms.
“I couldn’t wait for you to arrive. I missed you,” Killian admitted, melting her heart. Her libido went into overdrive the moment his mouth descended on hers.
The urge to push him away and break the lip-lock surfaced but was shoved aside when he groaned and swept his tongue into her mouth. Her body immediately went limp, and her mouth opened fully. Her arousal rapidly went from mild to volcanic in an instant, and she couldn’t fight it.
Noise down one of the halls had her squirming in his arms. Killian lifted her with his hands on her backside and nudged her leg around his waist. When his erection prodded her soft stomach, her legs went up and around automatically. The movement brought her now aching core in contact with his hard shaft. The leggings she had on weren’t much of a barrier. She wanted more, but the last thing she wanted was to be caught by one of his friends.
Giving it one more try she pushed against his shoulders. Finally, he broke the kiss, and her eyes blinked open to find his glowing brightly with his desire. “Not that I’m complaining, but what prompted that?” she panted.
Setting her on her feet, Killian ran his thumb over her lower lip. “Like I said, I missed you. My mating brand has been tormenting me for hours.”
Placing her hand on the outside of his shirt over his left pectoral, she felt him shudder beneath her touch. “So, my mark is making you horny, is what you’re saying.”
Killian tugged her hand and twined their fingers together. “I’ve been horny since the moment I met you. It’s just worse now. And, touching you is the only thing that relieves the pain. You brought your bathing suit, right?”
Teagan lifted the collar of her t-shirt from her shoulder and showed him a strap. “Yep. I’m wearing it. Are you sure I’m welcome here? I left abruptly last time. I…” She let the last of her words trail off when she discovered she wasn’t able to tell him why she left. Seems Crocell ordered her not to tell anyone what she was told. It wasn’t worth the headache to fight it.
“Good. C’mon. I want to introduce you to Illianna’s brothers,” Killian said as he pulled her down the hall and into the kitchen. There was no one in the room, and he continued to a covered patio. She heard voices as soon as they entered the outdoor area.
“There are more angels here?” She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Growing up in foster homes, she wasn’t raised with much religion, but she was taught that angels were agents of God. She was filled with joy anytime she was around Illianna, but the thought of being with four made her worry. Would they judge her? Would they see her as unclean and unworthy?
She drank alcohol regularly, frequented what many would call dens of iniquity, and had her share of sexual partners. That was frowned upon by God, right?
“Yep, but don’t worry. They’re harmless. Stay away from Abraxos, though. He likes the females,” Killian told her with a wink.
“I only have eyes for you,” she replied, then lost all train of thought. Numerous shirtless males were playing with a ball in the water. To her relief, she couldn’t pick out the angels since none of them seemed to have wings at the moment. Even Illianna’s golden wings were hidden. The sight before her made her wonder if the Goddess created any ugly or plain looking beings. Every supernatural she encountered was gorgeous.
“I’m going to change really quick. Jump in the water,” Killian told her before he headed to a door to the left. He was gone before she could say anything, and she found herself standing there awkwardly.
Seeing Braelynn sitting on the edge of the pool, she hurried over, dumping her bag and clothes on a lounge chair on the way. “Hey, Tea. Glad you could make it.”
“Why aren’t you in the water?” Teagan asked as she sat next to the woman.
At that moment a guy with white-blonde hair, carrying a little boy entered with a woman who had hazel eyes and a Celtic knot tattoo on her neck. She thought she’d met the man once before, along with, the bald guy. Orlando and Santiago were their names if she remembered correctly. She spotted Santiago in the pool with a black-haired beauty. Despite her injured arm, Santiago’s mate was laughing and happy.
“I don’t know how to swim,” Braelynn divulged as she averted her stunning purple eyes.
“I had a foster sister once that didn’t know how to swim, so our foster father threw her into the deep end of a pool. He told her to either learn or drown. Needless to say, she learned to tread water that day. I can teach you some time if you want,” she offered with a smile. When she saw the tremor of Braelynn’s lip, Teagan realized how that sounded. “Oh, God. Not by throwing you in the pool. I’d never do that to anyone.”
Braelynn chuckled and nodded her head. “Maybe some other time when there aren’t so many in the pool.”
Elsie crossed the pool with sure smooth strokes. The pregnant vampire was as graceful in the water as she was on land. “So glad you stopped by. We’re planning a baby shower for Cailyn the day after tomorrow,” Elsie informed them. Cailyn called out across the pool, “It’s for Elsie, too.”
Elsie laughed and turned to splash her sister, who was held in her mate’s arms. The hulking warrior had a sizeable black braid down his back and amethyst eyes. The love between Cailyn and Jace was more than evident as he cradled her slightly bulging belly.
“It’s more for my sister because this is her first pregnancy, and she deserves a special celebration,” Elsie explained then leaned toward Teagan and Braelynn. “And I have a surprise planned for her.”
Killian strolled out of the room, and all Teagan could see was her sexy mate. His bare chest made her mouth water and had her thanking the Goddess for the gorgeous guy she’d been given. All she wanted to do was grab his hand and lead him to a room upstairs.
“I’ll be there,” Teagan promised as she slipped into the water and headed for Killian where he jumped in and splashed Rhys. Retaliating, Rhys dunked Killian, and all the males started a game of toss each other.
Teagan retreated and went back to the side of the pool where Elsie, Braelynn, and now Cailyn were hanging out. “Do they do this ofte
n?”
Elsie chuckled and nodded her head. “You’d never know most of those males are centuries old. And, Illianna’s brothers are millions of years old.” Teagan followed the trio Elsie pointed to and was shocked to hear that number. None of them looked much older than their late twenties to early thirties.
“That’s hard to wrap my head around. They should be dust by now.”
“It takes some time to get used to,” Elsie admitted then hefted herself out of the water. “Hey, you want to help me grab some drinks and snacks?”
“Sure,” Teagan replied. No way could she heft her curvy body from the water like Elsie had, so she swam over to the stairs and climbed out. After picking up a towel, Teagan followed Elsie into the kitchen. “I wanted to say that I’m sorry for how I acted the other day. It was rude to take off like that.”
Waving her hand through the air, Elsie opened a cupboard and grabbed a large wooden tray with handles. “No need to apologize. It took remarkable strength to resist and leave like you did. Thank you for protecting my daughter and the other kids. Will you get the green pitcher from the fridge?”
“Anything else?” she asked.
“Yeah. The clear one filled with juice, as well, please.”
Teagan picked up both pitchers and turned around. Elsie had three more platters out and was filling one with crackers and pastries. “There are solo cups in that cabinet there. Would you grab a few stacks and take those drinks out then you can come back and help me finish making these platters?”
“Sure thing,” Teagan replied as she set everything on the wooden tray. After wrapping the towel around her chest, she picked up the drinks and headed back for the pool. Before she managed to make it back to the door, she heard Zander mention Izzy.
Shock froze her feet, and she heard him confirm a plan to have Ramiel teleport the young Vampire Princess to Gas Works Park tomorrow night. It was the information Crocell wanted. Fuck, Teagan silently cursed and forced her feet to keep walking through the door.
