by J. N. Colon
“I don’t like him,” Aiden muttered under his breath as Caleb disappeared into the hall.
“Me neither.” I gave him a quick hug. Don’t let this be the last time I ever see him. “If you need me, you can call me, okay?”
He nodded. “Be careful.”
“I will.” I grabbed my leather jacket off the hook and walked out, shutting the door as a hard rock sank to the bottom of my stomach. If anything happened to Aiden while I was gone, I’d never forgive myself.
“Ready?” Caleb rested against the opposite wall, watching me with that irritating smirk.
Was I ready to dive into bed with fae royalty—figuratively, of course—and risk my soul to find a killer?
Not really, but what choice did I have?
Chapter 9
The streetlight on the empty corner outside of Shade dimmed and then flickered out, leaving me in a pocket of darkness. A chill scuttled down my back. Had the temperature suddenly dropped a couple degrees?
I crossed my arms, hunching in my black leather jacket. Caleb should have been here ten minutes ago—unless he decided to have me murdered by the East Side Slasher.
As our first official mission, Caleb and I were sneaking into the summit meeting King Lachlan called between the other Nightworld leaders. He planned to officially confront them about the East Side Slasher, and he wanted us to watch for any telltale signs of deceit. Lachlan also thought I should feel each one of the leaders out. Witches were known for their strong intuition.
Clearly, mine was malfunctioning because I never would have stepped foot in the fae club if I’d sensed what loomed on the horizon.
My lips thinned. Where was that arrogant ass of a prince already? I’d been standing out here for at least ten minutes.
Car exhaust mixed with the vibrant aroma from the fancy Mediterranean restaurant down the street created a strange but familiar combination. A big city could have such an odd blending of atmospheres. Concrete turned into well-maintained parks, a ritzy street could become a run-down neighborhood, and a high-rise shared sidewalk space with a gothic church.
A raucous crash exploded out of the alley on my left. I jumped and whirled around, staring into the black abyss.
Son of a bitch. My heart rattled in my rib cage. A stray dog or cat probably knocked over a trash can.
Something had my hackles raised, though, and it wasn’t an animal.
A car drove by, headlights momentarily spilling into the side street. Crumbled boxes lined the walls, and old newspapers rustled like leaves in the wind. My feet began to move forward.
Maybe I should wait on Caleb.
Ugh. Seriously? Since when did I rely on someone else to check on a loud noise? Running from something stalking me was what led me into this wonderful predicament. If I’d faced whatever had or hadn’t been out there the other night, I could be chilling in my apartment right now.
Or I could be dead.
Or worse, I could be back in Illyria awaiting punishment.
My breath fogged in front of me as I tiptoed down the alley, dodging piles of trash and indiscernible debris. A flash of crimson caught my eye, shooting my heart into my throat.
As the shadows thinned, a torn liquor label materialized, the cracking red paper stuck to the brick wall.
I clutched my chest and slumped. Thank the gods. Who knew someone could be so fearful of a damn label? Well, in the dark and through my paranoid mind, it did resemble the scarlet armband stitched with the Maleor Suprema coven insignia that every venator wore.
Get it together, Thorn.
I shook my head and continued my search. Cigarette smoke and the stink of stale alcohol and garbage filtered through the air. But something else more rancid drifted underneath.
Death.
Goose bumps melted over my skin, and my pulse quickened to a ragged tempo. I swallowed thickly. Would a dead body be at the end of this trail?
A glass container rolled out of the shadows, the hollow tinkling across the rough cement making an eerie tune. I stuck my foot out to stop the empty beer bottle as my nape began to tingle and burn.
My magic crackled under the surface, begging to be released. Another car drove by, lights flooding the narrow space.
A large shape skulked around the bags of garbage near a dumpster.
“Hey!” I called out, darting forward just as the headlights floated down the road, plunging the alley in obscurity again.
The figure sprang onto the lid of the dumpster with a loud metallic crunch before bounding onto the roof.
No way in hell could a human do that.
Adrenaline flowed through my bloodstream as my legs pumped harder, preparing to leap onto the dumpster. Unfortunately, I didn’t see the sizable lump lying haphazardly across my path, and I tripped, heading straight for the concrete.
Shit!
My hands shot out, using magic to stop me inches from the ground. But that put me face-to-face with the thing I stumbled over—a corpse.
A sharp intake of air sucked the stench of blood and death into my lungs. I gagged, choking on the rancid fumes. A pair of lifeless, cloudy eyes stared into mine.
Fuck! Magic popped on my hands, forcing me into a standing position. I stumbled back and slammed into something hard.
I spun around, my heart bursting at the seams and hands raised to defend myself.
“It’s me!” Caleb hissed, grabbing my shoulders to stop my impending attack. He searched behind me and cursed. “Another dead body. Did you see anyone?”
“Just a shadow, but it jumped onto the roof and disappeared.” I pivoted toward the newest victim of the East Side Slasher. Blood stained the guy’s white shirt from a gaping stab wound in his chest, splashing across his hand where the stamp of a black ivy leaf rested. My throat tightened as I recognized him. “He was in Shade last night.” He’d tried to hit on me when I was searching for an exit.
Caleb’s lips thinned, and he took out his phone to send a text. “Come on. We’re going to miss the whole damn meeting if we don’t hurry.”
I planted my feet firmly into the asphalt. “We’re just going to leave him?”
He rolled his eyes. “Of course not, but we’re not going to call the human authorities either. A team of royal sentries is on the way to deal with the corpse, and it wouldn’t be the first time we cleaned up this freak’s mess.”
How many humans had already been killed—and all because someone wanted to steal fae territory?
“Let’s go.” Caleb roughly grabbed my arms and jerked me forward. “There’s nothing else we can do.”
I yanked out of his grip and marched past him, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. Just being near the prince irritated me. If he had a giant SUV, I’d plop my ass in the farthest seat from the driver.
Knowing my luck, Caleb probably brought a tiny, two-seater sports car from the garage.
“I like this view better,” he called behind me, chuckling under his breath.
I’d rather be back in that alley with the dead guy than anywhere with the Unseelie prince.
When I finally emerged onto the corner, I glanced up and down the street for his car. “What are you driving?”
“That.” He pointed to a sleek black and silver motorcycle parked a few feet away. “But you ride a bike. Not drive it.”
A solid rock of dread plummeted to the bottom of my gut. This was so much worse than a sports car. I had to get on the back of that thing and practically wrap myself around him.
“Why didn’t you bring a car?” I asked, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans. Why was I so nervous?
“My Harley is faster, and we’re already running late.” Caleb tossed me a helmet before his long legs straddled the bike.
All the moisture evaporated from my mouth. He looked way too good doing that. The unruly hair and black leather jacket didn’t help cool the embers in my lower regions one bit.
A wicked smile twisted his lips, the thin piercing catching in the streetlight like a taunt.
“You’re not scared to get on the back of my bike, are you, Rose Thorn?”
I shook the salacious thoughts off before they even started. “I’m just afraid of what I’ll catch being that close to you, Tinkerbell.”
“Right.” He hit the kickstand with the heel of his boot and then cranked the motorcycle, a loud roar barreling down the street. Caleb watched me with a dare in his eyes, waiting on me to toss the helmet back at him and storm away.
Not a chance.
With a growl, I shoved it onto my head and buckled the strap beneath my chin. “No helmet for you?”
“Thanks for your concern, but I’ll be fine.” He scooted up the seat to give me room.
I licked my lips and climbed on the bike behind him, his body heat instantly chasing away the chill of the night. My heart nearly jumped out as Caleb inched back and fit himself between my legs.
For shit’s sake. You’d think I’d never been on the back of a guy’s bike before from the way my hands fluttered to find a safe position.
Caleb peeked over his shoulder, the edges of his mouth hitching up in that signature smirk. “Don’t be shy. I know you’re dying to grab hold of me.”
“So I can strangle you.” I leaned forward and reluctantly wrapped my arms around Caleb’s waist. Iron muscles shifted against me as he angled the bike to take off. That intoxicating fragrance of bergamot mingling with leather slithered around me like a blanket.
Caleb revved the motor and took off faster than expected, causing my hold to tighten. The rumble in his chest told me he did it on purpose.
Downtown Chicago began to zip by in a blur of lights. With the thundering motor, the wind whipping my hair, and Caleb snuggled against me, too much stimuli crashed through my system. I had a hard time thinking straight, thinking of anything other than asking him to pull over so I could crawl around the front, straddle him, and—
Nope! Not going anywhere near that fantasy.
I tilted my head back to get a reprieve from everything that was Caleb, wishing I could see the stars instead of clouds and skyscrapers. A swarm of miniature fire-breathing bats angrily flapped their wings in my gut.
Sneaking into a summit and spying on the Nightworld leaders would be a cakewalk compared to working with the fae prince. Because of him, my willpower and sanity dangled on a thin strand of silk moments from snapping.
Caleb laid his palm on the mossy boulder in the park near the lily ponds, his mouth quickly moving as he uttered the spell that would release the lock. Vibrations swept through the ground beneath our boots as the broad stone began to slide. A set of steps sloped into a blanket of darkness.
I wiped a sheen of sweat off my forehead with my trembling hand. My partner failed to mention we’d be sneaking into the summit meeting through the back, meaning we had to travel past the other realm doors.
My last visit to the Conclave had been a little over six months ago—when I escaped through Illyria’s door.
What if a witch happened to step out of that swirling portal tonight? Would he or she recognize me?
“Are you coming?” Caleb had already begun descending the steps, unaware of the turmoil cresting inside of me. “We don’t have all night.”
I choked back the acid oozing up my esophagus and stomped after him. “Why didn’t you tell me we were going this way?”
He shrugged. “Does it matter?”
Yes, it freaking mattered!
The grating of the boulder shifting back in place was worse than nails raking across a chalkboard. The hair rose on my scalp. In such close quarters, if a venator or even worse, the grand witch, walked out of Illyria, I wouldn’t be able to flee fast enough.
I’d have to fight.
Torches flared to life as we hit the landing, spilling light across the narrow, uneven limestone walls. Caleb flicked his hand, and part of a flame broke off and floated in front of him to guide the way.
Of course he was a fire elemental too.
Caleb set off down the pathway without a care in the world. Lucky for him, he hadn’t pissed off a couple powerful witches. That was all me.
I shoved my quaking hands into my jacket pockets, rolled my shoulders back, and headed into the tight corridor behind him.
The electric tang of magic collided with dirt and moisture the deeper we traveled through the maze of stone passages beneath Garfield Park Conservatory. No human could access the hidden entrance near the lily ponds, and a glamour kept any from witnessing nightworlders coming and going.
Something snagged my hair, and I nearly jumped ten feet. The hell!
I jerked to the other side, yanking the strands free. A breath of relief burst out of my lungs. It was only a root. Plenty of them dangled from the ceiling and slithered over the walls.
“Are you going to puke?” Caleb’s rumbling voice made me flinch.
“I’m fine,” I lied, hurrying to catch up with him. My stomach rolled again, on the verge of emptying its contents all over the stone floor. If I got lucky, Caleb’s shoes would be in the way. “Stop looking at me.”
He scoffed. “You’re just so fascinating with that pasty, sweaty skin tinged a little green. So sexy, Rose Thorn.”
Ugh. I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Do you ever shut up, or do you love the sound of your own voice that much?”
“Probably the latter.” He winked. “Most women like my voice. They find it irresistible.”
“They’re lying.” I turned him around and gave him a light shove. “Keep going.” I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to think of anything other than the grand witch stepping out of the shadows.
The prince’s low chuckle bounced against the limestone. “Don’t lie. I know you’d like to hear this voice whispering naughty things in your ear.”
Did he ever stop?
We stepped through another small entryway framed by two elaborate columns carved out of stone, and the chamber of doors emerged.
My knees almost gave out when we found the Conclave empty. No one lingered outside of Illyria to force me home. I pressed my palm into the chilly wall, taking a ragged breath.
Caleb appeared in my eye line, his brows dipping on his forehead. “If you’re done being weird, can we move on?”
I motioned in front of me. “After you, Tinkerbell.” Sarcasm dripped from my words.
He shook his head and slid behind me, laying his hands on my back and pushing me forward. “I’d better stay back here in case you stop again.”
The warmth of his palms radiated through my jacket. “Whatever.” I ignored his presence as best as I could and trudged through the Conclave.
A network of roots crawled over the limestone, tangled from the vaulted ceiling, and twisted around thick columns decorating the large room. So much power throbbed within the space it settled on my tongue. If I lifted my hand and connected to it, tiny electric bolts would crackle all over my arm.
The place would have to be powerful to create all three doors to the other realms. Gateways were scattered across the Earth, but rarely did all three worlds intersect like they did in Chicago.
Carvings lashed each stone door—the name of the realm in various languages—but the entrance disintegrated into a swirling portal when accessed. As we passed the first one, Faerieland, I glanced back at Caleb, catching him staring at it. A quick flash of pain registered on his face.
A strange knot formed in my chest. Had he ever been to Faerieland? King Lachlan made Chicago his home decades ago, so the prince must have grown up here.
The door to the Underworld came next. Frigid invisible fingers slithered down my spine as I surveyed the sharp jabs of the name in every known demon language. That was the door least used. Usually, only demons had business in the Underworld. Vampires and shifters were a byproduct of demon blood and witch magic, but they generally stuck to this world.
The third door, the one to my home, remained solid as we passed.
“Who are you waiting to walk out of Illyria?” Caleb asked. “Who’s got you shaking in your boots?”
“No one,” I snapped. Caleb tried to grab my arm, but I yanked out of his grasp too quickly. “I thought we were late. We don’t have time to chitchat.”
A dark smile twisted his lips. “I’m going to find out who you’re afraid of, Rose Thorn.”
“Good luck with that,” I muttered, stomping out of the room and into another long stone hallway.
After ten minutes of trekking through the underground passages, we climbed a second set of stairs and entered the Palm room of the Garfield Park Conservatory through a hidden entrance in a brick wall. Caleb extinguished the flame that had guided us.
Steamy heat and moisture permeated the large glass enclosure, increasing my temperature. I took a deep breath, glad to be out of the Conclave, and inhaled the tropical aroma of the botanicals. My lids drifted closed, and I pretended to be lounging on a Caribbean island instead of on my way to sneak into a Nightworld summit meeting.
“Stop daydreaming, Rose Thorn, and let’s go.” Caleb bumped me as he trekked by.
I stumbled, catching myself on the wall. My glare bored into his retreating form. If that jackass wasn’t careful, I was going to wrap magic cords around his neck and squeeze until his eyes popped out.
With a huff, I followed the redbrick trail, stopping in front of a thick wall of luscious green plants.
“It’s just through there,” Caleb said before turning back to me. “I’m going to use a glamour to make us invisible.”
My eyebrow arched. “And it’ll work even for a vampire king, a demon queen, and a head alpha shifter?”
He gave a casual shrug. “I’m pretty sure they won’t be able to see through it. I’m damn powerful.”
“Are you sure or pretty sure, Tinkerbell?” I ticked my head toward the plants disguising the magical entrance. “Because I don’t want to get caught spying on them.” Lachlan knew, but the others wouldn’t be too happy that a fae and a witch eavesdropped on their secret meeting. “Let me help.”
Caleb heaved a dramatic sigh. “Fine.”
I lifted my hand and motioned for him to give me his. When he hesitated, I snatched it from his side and slapped our palms together. “Stop acting like a five-year-old and get over your witch cootie phobia.”
