Brenna glanced at Gray. “I have to tell Seraph. If Ga’loh is still in the Underground, we need to bring him in.”
“No.” Gray shook his head. “Ga’loh’s too strong. Now is our opportunity to play nice. We figure out what Ga’loh wants and, if it’s feasible, we give it to him.”
Brenna closed her eyes. “Within reason.”
“Of course.” Gray let out a breath. One day she would realize he wasn’t the devil incarnate. He may play games with demons, but he wouldn’t sell his soul. Standing, he nodded to Agnes. “Thank you for everything.”
The witch shook her head. “You’re not getting rid of me. I’ll make arrangements to stay with our sister coven in Denver. I’ll be there in a few days. You’ll need my help.”
“Find us when you’re ready.” Brenna hugged the other woman. When she let go there were tears in her eyes. “I have some of Marissa’s things for you as well.”
Agnes nodded. “My daughter would be proud of you, Brenna. And she wouldn’t blame you for her death.”
Brenna swallowed. A stray tear trickled down her cheek. “I miss her,” she said.
“So do I.” Agnes gave a sharp gesture. “Enough. We’ll cry once the war is over.”
Gray shook his head. He admired strength, but there was always time to grieve. It was a lesson he had learned the hard way.
They made their way out of the courtyard. Their bags were waiting for them at the front gate. Brenna tossed Gray his messenger bag even as she shoved the duffel over her shoulder.
Gray was strong enough to transport them both, but Brenna would be infuriated if he suggested it. She claimed they were a team, but she would rather weaken herself than submit to his will. She was so damn stubborn. But he loved that about her, so he didn’t say a word.
When he had believed she was dead, the loss had shattered his world; he didn’t want to live without her. Nothing would change how he felt, not the bickering, or the power plays. They didn’t matter. What did matter was Brenna. And he would wait for her, no matter how long it took, because she was his soul mate. Because of that, he was confident he could convince her to return home with him. What was a few more months, or even years, when they had eternity?
“Are you ready?” As she turned, he was struck again by her beauty.
He pushed aside his baser urges. There would be time enough for them later. Closing his eyes, he wrapped his magic around him like a cloak and left the courtyard.
Headquarters was chaotic. Hunters were scattered across the building, out of their offices and preparing for battle. Rumor had it the humans had found their location and were planning an attack. Gray doubted it. Even if it were true, they couldn’t get through the magical barriers.
But fear bred stupidity. And, as much as he hated to admit it, a lot of the hunters were untrained and wet behind the ears. If the conflict with Adare did develop into a full-out war, they would have to learn quickly or die. They should savor their innocence while it lasted. They would never get it back.
Brenna and Gray tossed their bags into their office and went in search of Seraph. It didn’t take long to find him. Hunkered down in the medical lab with Lucy, he was examining something through a microscope. The strain of the past few days was evident on his face. He hadn’t shaved, and his stubble was masquerading as a full-fledged beard.
“Give me some good news.” Seraph stripped off his latex gloves and tossed them in the garbage.
Lucy gave them a quick nod, gathered the slides and slipped into her office. Gray waited until she pulled the door closed. “The deaths were caused from a toxin created with demon blood. There’s no known way to stop it.”
“How do you know?” Seraph studied him.
Gray shrugged. “The witches knew more than we expected.”
Seraph’s gaze widened as they told him what they had learned. “I had no idea. How powerful is Ga’loh if he was able to hide his true self?” He considered. “We’ll have to choose our steps wisely. Right now Ga’loh is only worried about himself. If this gets personal, who knows what he’s capable of?”
“Agreed.” Brenna sat in the metal folding chair Lucy had left behind. “We need to find him, neutralize him in whatever way possible, and fix this mess.”
“There’s a more pressing matter.” Seraph ran a hand through his short blond hair. “Damien, our human liaison, was killed last night. He was alone in his office, and there was no sign of forced entry. When we checked the security tapes, a golden blaze blurred the camera around the time he was killed.”
“How did he die?” Gray asked.
“Someone or something drained his life force.” Seraph shook his head. “Somehow the humans knew before we did. He was dead when we checked on him.”
“Did he have any visitors?” Brenna took a deep breath. “Maybe someone cursed him.”
Seraph shook his head. “He was killed by a demon, but I don’t know how. Damien spent his last few minutes on this plane as supper to one of those filthy bastards. We had no choice but to confirm the death. The humans are demanding a full investigation. They’re convinced the deviants are out to get them. They believe there’s some underlying plot to wipe them out.”
“Well at least they’ve got that right. But they’ve mixed up the players,” Gray said.
Brenna sighed. “This is exactly what Adare wants. The deviants will fight back and it will turn into an all-out war.”
“Who’s assigned to damage control?” Gray asked.
“Sam and Mira.” Seraph wouldn’t meet Gray’s gaze. “Sam’s a powerful incubus. And his talent is playing on emotions. If he can channel their fear into any other sentiment, we may turn things around. Mira can do the same thing at a lower level.”
Gray stared at Seraph. They had known each other a millennium. Seraph had always played by the rules. He never colored outside the lines. And messing with human emotions was forbidden.
“Is the situation that desperate?” Brenna seemed shocked as well.
Seraph nodded. “Some of the weaker deviants are fighting back. The more the death toll rises, the closer we get to government intervention. And if that happens…”
“Martial law,” Brenna finished.
“The government is primarily made up of deviants. The humans are already the minority. If the deviants in power view them as a threat, they’ll stomp them out like ants. Many of them don’t consider human life sacred,” Seraph agreed.
Gray shook his head. “We have to find Ga’loh and find a cure. If whoever is doing this finds a way to expose the entire human population to the contaminant, they’ll be dead anyway. I’m surprised they haven’t already. Either they’re not that bright, or they have limited amounts of the toxin.”
“Keegan might know something. He’s developed a relationship with Ga’loh over the years.” Gray motioned for Brenna to follow as he moved toward the door. “We’ll go back to the house, talk to him, then I’ll rip the Underground apart. I doubt Ga’loh is there, but someone will know where he went.”
Seraph nodded. “Pray Sam and Mira are successful, or we may have a whole new set of issues.”
The house was too quiet. The front room was still a mess, but someone had gotten rid of the destroyed furniture. Once the holes in the walls and the floor were filled in, it would look almost normal.
“About time you got back.” Keegan stepped through the swinging kitchen door, ice cream in one hand and a bottle of strawberry syrup in the other. “The humans are going nuts. I can’t even go to the store.”
“Looks like you managed.” Gray tossed his messenger bag beside the door and walked further into the room. “Got a second?”
Keegan lifted one brow. “I’m hungry.”
“Too bad.” Brenna swept past Keegan, grabbed the ice cream from his hand, and disappeared into the kitchen.
Keegan growled, but followed. That
was one way to get the dragon’s attention.
“Tell me what you know about Ga’loh.” Brenna slammed the ice cream on the kitchen table with a loud thud. “Don’t leave anything out.”
“He’s a badass war mage.” Keegan ripped the lid off the ice cream a bit too aggressively and it tore in half. “Damn it,” he cursed. “Now I’ll have to eat all of it or it’ll go bad.”
“I’m crying big fat tears for you,” Brenna said as she walked over to the counter and grabbed two spoons. She tossed one to Gray. “Keep going.” She dug her spoon in to the chocolate-swirled ice cream and took a big bite. Gagging, she ran to the sink and spit it out. “That’s disgusting.”
Keegan shrugged. “It’s made out of rice milk.” He took the strawberry syrup and poured it liberally over the ice cream. “It’s a delicacy from back East. I got it in the Underground market.” He spooned a large chunk into his mouth.
With a grimace, Gray sank into the chair beside him. “Ga’loh’s not a war mage. He’s a demon.”
Keegan choked, spewing ice cream all over himself and the table. “No way. I would have known.”
Brenna laughed. “You and everyone else.” She threw him a wet rag. “Any idea where he goes when he’s not in the Underground?”
“I’ve met him a couple times in the caves near Red Rocks. But he spends most of his time in the Underground.” Keegan brushed the damp towel over his ruined white T-shirt. He glanced up as the temperature in the room suddenly dropped.
“Not anymore.” Hilda hovered over the table. She was smoking a clove cigarette. The smell was overpowering. “I’m trying to sink into character,” she said at Gray’s raised brow. “To figure out how he thinks.”
“What do you know?” Brenna took the rag from Keegan, who apparently was useless at cleaning himself, and began to mop the ice cream from the table.
“Everything. I’m a witch and a ghost. My mind holds a wealth of information.” She took another drag.
Brenna coughed as she waved the smoke away. “Get that out of here.”
“Can’t demon princes take different forms?” Keegan glanced up. “Maybe he made like a bird.” He flapped his arms in pretend flight.
“Nice to see you’re taking this seriously.” Gray shook his head. “The witches cursed him to stay in one form, and that form is rotting. He’s hard to miss. If no one’s seen him in the Underground, he’s not there.”
“I know where Adare is.” Hilda danced off the table and plopped into the nearest chair, fully corporeal.
Gray took a long breath to keep from saying something he would regret later. Hilda was trying to help. It wasn’t her fault her every move got under his skin.
“I said, I know where Adare is,” Hilda repeated when they ignored her. “That’s why I’m here.”
“We don’t have time for games, Hilda.” Brenna threw the rag in the sink. “If you know something, spill it.”
“He’s recruiting.” Hilda smiled. “His men have been searching the Underground for anti-human deviants. I followed a group of them. They’re in the old airport.”
Gray felt a spark of hope. It was a place they hadn’t looked yet, so the ghost might be right. “How many did you see?”
“Dozens of deviants, plus demons.” Hilda crossed her arms in front of her chest. The cigarette hung precariously from her fingers. “I didn’t see Adare. But he has to be there. And, if he’s not, someone there knows where he is.”
“It’s something.” Brenna quickly covered her yawn.
She looked exhausted. But they didn’t have time to rest. They needed to share this new information with Seraph and get a game plan.
Brenna rose from the table. “One of you tell Seraph. I’m going to take a hot shower and drink a large pot of coffee so I’m functional. Then we can talk.”
She walked over to the pantry and pulled out the remnants of her stash. The bottle of blood was nearly empty. After she drained it, she turned to Gray. “Either fill it, or meet me upstairs.” She shrugged. “Your choice.”
Keegan sputtered. “No way. I knew I should have gone with you.”
They ignored him.
Gray moved toward her, until he was so close she was forced to step back. Her butt hit the sink, but he moved even closer, holding her in place with his body. “No more substitutes,” he murmured then tasted her lips. He ran his hands up her torso, brushing the sides of her breasts with his thumbs. She groaned into his mouth as her body arched against his.
“Get a room.” Keegan pushed away from the table. “The rest of us aren’t getting any, so don’t flaunt your…” He waved a hand in the air. “Whatever it is, in front of us.”
Gray laughed. “I’ll call Seraph. Go take a shower.” He released her with a kiss. Chuckling under his breath, he pulled out his phone and walked into the courtyard.
Brenna watched Gray leave. She wanted to follow, but she was too tired. She couldn’t tell whether she was coming or going. It was too bad Keegan’s ice cream had tasted like vomit. A little sugar might help.
“You’re sleeping with him now?” Hilda smashed her cigarette into the puddle of water that had settled in the sink. The flame hissed then smoked. “It’s about time. I never understood how you could say no. He’s—”
“My husband.” Brenna finished. She glared at the ghost.
Hilda raised her hands in front of her body. “I’m not. Would never. He’s ugly as sin,” she sputtered. “Can’t bear to look at him.” She backed away. Since Hilda had learned Shadow Bearers held power over death, and thus could extinguish her eternal soul, she made a point to keep on their good side.
“Keep it that way.” Brenna turned her back on Hilda, somehow managing to hide her laughter.
Then, she stopped. Hilda had managed something neither she nor Gray had. She had given them a crumb, a place to start in the search for Adare. She didn’t deserve to be teased. Turning back, Brenna smiled. “I’m kidding,” she said, although she hadn’t been. “Thanks, Hilda. You did well.”
The ghost gave her a blank stare. “Excuse me?”
“You did well. Thank you.” Brenna crossed her arms. “I’m glad you’re part of the team.”
Keegan snorted. They glared at him.
Hilda nodded. “I want to avenge Marissa as much as you do. She was my friend.”
“I know,” Brenna replied. “One way or another we’ll get Adare.”
“And I’ll roast him on a nice long painful stake,” Keegan interrupted. “Demons taste yummy.”
Chapter Eleven
Several hours later Gray slipped into the bedroom he shared with Brenna. She had fallen asleep waiting for him and lay strewn across the bed, her head buried in a tower of feather pillows. Her face was peaceful, unlined by the stressors of their day, and a smile played across her lips. Hopefully, she was dreaming of him.
Careful not to wake her, he lifted her in his arms. With his free hand, he pulled back the covers and repositioned her on the bed. She stirred, yawning, but didn’t wake. When he was sure she was asleep, he covered her with the quilt. His magic wrapped around her as he pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. He needed her to sleep. She couldn’t follow where he was going.
“What’s the plan?” She rolled to face him even as he stepped away. After a long yawn, she opened her eyes. Her golden gaze was hazy, but alert.
“Seraph sent feelers out to the airport. He’ll report back when he knows something.” Gray walked to the closet and pulled out his black leather jacket.
Brenna tried to sit, but the spell made her weak. The more she fought, the stronger it became.
“I shouldn’t be this tired,” she complained. The air in the room thickened as she tested her shields. The spell he had used was impossible to detect. After a few moments, her eyes slid closed, and her breathing evened.
Gray sighed. She would never understand why he had
to find Ga’loh on his own. He needed to know the truth about what Ga’loh had used to heal him, and it wasn’t a conversation he wanted overheard.
With one last glance at her prone form, he left the bedroom to find Keegan. The dragon was seated at the kitchen table, his feet propped up and a book in one hand. He glanced up as Gray entered.
“Going out?” Keegan stood, wiping his hands on his soiled jeans. “Kill me something. I’m starving.”
Gray shook his head. He slipped a hand into his jacket and pulled out a granola bar Brenna had made him. She claimed they were healthy, but they tasted like birdseed. “Try this.” He tossed it to the dragon.
Keegan pulled off the wrapper and shoved it in his mouth whole. “Not bad,” he said between bites.
Gray moved closer. He didn’t want to be overheard. “I need a favor.”
“What?” The dragon eyed him cautiously.
“I’m going to the Underground. I spelled Brenna so she couldn’t follow me.” Gray ignored Keegan’s snort. “Watch over her until I get back.” He was the last person Gray wanted to ask, but he had no choice. Keegan was the strongest.
“Sure.” Keegan smiled, his teeth shone in the candlelight. “As long as you’re not going after Ga’loh. It’s too big a risk to go without back-up.”
“I’m only going to talk. We need him on our side, so pissing him off defeats our purpose.”
Keegan watched him intently. “Only talk. Nothing else?” He blew out a long breath, smoke dancing around his jawline.
“I’m not going in there to kick his ass, if that’s what you’re asking. Although I’d like to.” Gray met Keegan’s gaze in a moment of complete understanding.
The dragon nodded, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t do diplomacy anyway.” He grinned. “Don’t worry about Brenna. I’ll take care of her. She’ll never know you were gone.”
As Gray splashed through the ankle-deep water, he knew something wasn’t right. The tunnels were empty. No refugees hid in their dark corners. Silence had replaced the steady hum of the busy marketplace.
Fading Light: Shadow Born, Book 2 Page 10
