Touched by Fire: Magic Wars (Demons of New Chicago Book 1)

by Kel Carpenter

  I gave her a not-amused look, and she flashed me one right back.

  Before either of us could respond, a howl filled the air.

  Then another.

  And another.

  Wolves the size of cars entered the park and were circling us in a second flat. Six of them, to be exact.

  “Shit,” I muttered, getting to my feet.

  I turned my back on Nathalie, facing the very real threat. They snarled in my direction, massive jaws snapping in a pretty clear impersonation of what would happen to my skull if I made a wrong move.

  “These friends of yours?” Nathalie asked from behind me.

  “I’m not sure . . .”

  The pack of six stopped, paused, and then the one directly in front of me shifted.

  A naked man, well over six feet tall and built of muscle, towered over me.

  I squinted past the sun in my eyes that backlit him. He had a strong brow, and straining muscles. “Recognize me?” he said, all arrogance.

  It clicked.

  “The alpha from the bar,” I said.

  He grinned. It wasn’t nice. “Bingo.”

  I took a step back, and he took one forward. “You shot me in the head. Scrambled my brains. If it weren’t for my omega mate that ran, I wouldn’t know who I was looking for.”

  I took another step, and a hand brushed against my side—then locked around my other pistol. Nathalie stepped into me from behind and put the gun to my head. Cool metal pressed into my temple.

  My heartbeat kicked up a notch, but I wasn’t scared.

  “Back off,” she said to the alpha. “She’s mine.”

  He looked over my shoulder and narrowed his eyes, then threw his head back and laughed. “You?” he said. “Take it from me, little girl, you were never going to get her there, anyway. She didn’t make a name for herself by being easily caught. I didn’t know who I tangled with a week ago, but your boss burned you. I can see why you were so confident before, but now . . . we’ll be collecting that bounty.”

  “How’d you find me?” I asked.

  He held up his arm. Something was jutting out of it. I squinted.

  “Vampire tooth,” he said. “From the bar. Got yourself bitten and then tossed it aside. Had just enough blood that I got a witch to do me a tracking spell. Turns out you’re not popular amongst their kind. She didn’t even charge me.”

  “Fucking supes,” I growled.

  “Back at you, hunter.”

  My heart kicked up another notch as the wolves closed in.

  There were six of them, five of which were in their wolf form. Assuming I could even fire off all six shots, there wasn’t enough time. One or both of us would be dead by the end of the encounter, and the whole reason Nathalie was taking me was so I wouldn’t be injured. I didn’t know if the hit on me said dead or alive, but either way had consequences, especially if I let these blokes do it.

  Judging by the malicious grin on the alpha’s face, I’d be beat within a half inch of my life. Until I went demon on their ass. At which point my secret would be blown, and this entire plan would go up in flames.

  “I said, back off,” Nathalie snapped. The metal barrel pressed harder into my temple. “Come any closer and I’ll shoot. He’s only paying one mil if she’s brought in alive.”

  She didn’t know that. While Anders said a million, he never stated if the boss wanted me hot or cold. She was bluffing through her damn teeth.

  I tried not to let it show on my face as I watched the alpha squeeze his fists.

  “You shoot, and we’re both out the money,” he said, not correcting her.

  That meant . . . double shit. If the order was to have me brought in hot, that was not good.

  “I’m willing to take that over giving it to you,” she said, her voice strong and sure.

  “He’s still willing to pay a quarter mil if I bring her in dead. I could just kill you both.” He shrugged. The fact that he dropped the amount so much for dead versus alive had me worried.

  Lucifer was a vindictive asshole.

  A cold laugh made my spine snap straight.

  It was coming from Nathalie.

  “I’m a Le Fay. What makes you think you’d win this fight, pup?” she said, sounding utterly fearless, even if her own heartbeat was drowning out my own.

  I had to give it to her. Girl had balls.

  The alpha twisted his lips, seeming to consider it. Her words were good, but were they good enough? Probably depended on if they saw the monkey bars disintegrate or not.

  “I’ll split it with you,” he said. “Fifty-fifty.”

  Nathalie laughed callously. “Nah, you’ll jump me the second I put this down. I’m not stupid.” She lifted her free hand and started wiggling her fingers.

  The wind blew harder, and he paled.

  Most witches couldn’t do magic without speaking.

  It was rare but not unheard of for some witches to do it with their hands alone, and when they could, it was usually considered a sign of substantial power.

  If I weren’t being held hostage with a gun to my head, I might have been contemplating that little tidbit about her a lot more. As it was, the wind was enough to make the alpha step back.

  “I’ll send the others away,” he said, gritting his teeth. It was starting to sound like pleading, and that wasn’t a good sign for an alpha that wanted to stay alpha long-term.

  “What makes you think that would make me split it with you?” Nathalie said.

  “You might be powerful, witch, but six wolves is still a lot for you. Human bodies don’t heal as easily as wolves. You think you could take all six of us at the same time? One swipe of claws, and you’d be down and out. I care about my pack, though, and don’t want to lose any wolves when I don’t have to.”

  Nathalie seemed to consider that, and I couldn’t offer her any aid, given this whole thing counted on people believing she was a bounty hunter.

  Eventually, she said, “Send the wolves away and have them patrol the streets so we don’t run into any problems. I want this job done. You come with me, and we split it sixty-forty, since I did do all the work.”

  I could tell the alpha wanted to argue, but another twirl of her fingertips and a mist of rain had him cutting his losses. He nodded once. “Deal.” He extended his hand.

  I couldn’t see Nathalie, but I could sense the derisive look she was giving him. “Forgive me for not moving this pistol, or my hand, until the wolves are gone,” she said tersely.

  He inclined his head and then flashed a look toward his pack. The group stepped back slowly. When they were halfway across the park, they each turned tail and scattered.

  Nathalie dropped her wiggling fingers to my shoulder and the wind and misty rain stopped. “Either walk ahead or walk parallel, but I’m not doing this with you at my back,” she said. The alpha grunted and motioned toward the road that led to the casino. They both turned, and I figured she was eyeing him the same as he was her.

  Her foot nudged the back of my calf. “Get moving,” she snapped.

  I shook my shoulder and her hand tightened, nails digging into me through my jacket and turtleneck shirt.

  “We could knock her out,” the alpha suggested. I sent him a scathing look and started walking.

  “Let me guess, you’ll carry her? Fat chance. I’d rather keep her gun on you, and we go with her awake.”

  The alpha lifted both hands in mock surrender. “I’m just saying, it would solve a lot of our problems.”

  Nathalie didn’t deign to give him a response, and neither did I.

  The city was quiet as we made our way toward the casino in strained silence. My muscles were so contracted that I half expected to get a cramp. True to the werewolf’s word, we made it to the back door without him trying anything. I sensed Nathalie tense at my back.

  “Open it,” Nathalie said.

  My lips tightened in a grimace as I reached for the metal handle. The door squealed like a dying pig. The hall light flickered on
and off. It wasn’t the bustling place it usually was when I came in for my gigs. The door at the end wasn’t in a constant rotation, instead it was closed and quiet. We approached the door on the right. My heartbeat kicked up again, and I took a breath through my nose and released it slowly, trying to calm my own nerves.

  “Knock,” she commanded.

  I lifted my hand, unsure who would answer with Ronny dead.

  My worry doubled down when it opened, and it was Anders’ watery blue eyes that stared at me. His expression softened, then hardened. He stepped back, opening the door wide.

  I’d never been on this side of the door.

  Never seen much of it beyond Ronny’s barreled chest.

  I had to say, I was disappointed by the metal table and chairs. The walls were a pristine white. An elevator at the back. A single hook hung from the ceiling, one that I suspected Ronny had used to beat the shit out of people before they went wherever came next—probably through the elevator.

  “I’m surprised,” Anders said, motioning to the table. “I was so sure you’d never let anyone bring you in alive.”

  “Sorry to disappoint,” I spat. Anders snapped his fingers and the elevator doors opened. Two men stepped out, both of them larger than the alpha escorting me.

  “Grab her,” he sighed. They moved faster than any humans, and before I could turn my gun on him, I was wrenched away from Nathalie and my arms pulled taut behind my back. One held me up, hand fisted in my hair. The other disarmed me, then patted me down, thankfully in a clinical manner instead of trying to cop a feel.

  While they were busy, Anders invited Nathalie and the alpha douche to take a seat across at the table. On it, a single file sat next to an ashtray. Anders pulled out a cigarette and snapped his fingers again, this time with the other hand. A tiny spark lit. He touched the end of the cigarette to it. Smoke wafted off as he took a long drag before sitting down. He kicked his leg out, and I saw it had a cast on it. It was the same foot I’d shot.

  “You two must be quite the team to catch this one and bring her in alive. She was our best hunter for years,” Anders said, not touching the file. Dark circles lined his eyes. He looked tired. I imagine Lucifer had him here until someone brought me in.

  “We’re not a team,” Nathalie said. “He just tried to steal my bounty.”

  “Oh?” Anders said. The guy patting me down fished my spare knife out of my boot and then gave the other one a grunt I had to assume meant I was all clear.

  “She shot me a week ago. I had a bone to pick, but someone beat me to it.” The alpha shrugged, not at all reproachful.

  “Tell me, how’d you do it? I’ve had the rare pleasure of seeing her in action, and I gotta say, you don’t look like you have much in you.” He appraised her, and not in a creepy way, but like he was looking at another potential hunter.

  “A good magician never reveals their secrets,” Nathalie said with a grin and a wiggle of her fingers. A wind that didn’t belong rustled the file, scattering some of the papers about.

  “Fair enough,” Anders said and shrugged. “I figured it must be quite the story how someone she’d kidnapped a week ago was now turning her in.” He flicked the end of his cigarette, and ash dropped to the tray.

  Nathalie’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Anders’ expression didn’t change, and I cursed internally. He knew. I don’t know how, but he did.

  Anders always knew. There was a reason he’d had his job as long as he did, and it sure as shit wasn’t because he was human.

  “I gained her trust,” Nathalie said, backtracking. “I played the part of hostage and then convinced her I wanted to team up. Then I waited until her guard was down.”

  “Hmm,” Anders hummed. “Bounty wasn’t on her when she kidnapped you.”

  “No, it wasn’t,” Nathalie agreed. “But by the time I wasn’t a hostage anymore, it was. I decided to bide my time and wait for an opportunity.”

  Anders flicked his cigarette again. His expression hadn’t changed once.

  The elevator dinged, though no one had pressed the button.

  I looked down at the paper in front of me right then. I’d assumed it had been on me. I was the target, after all.

  Or so I thought.

  The picture that stared back at me was Nathalie.

  “Unfortunately for you, Ms. Le Fay, you’re just as guilty. Piper Fallon might have been hired to kill you and your coven, but you summoned the demon to begin with.”

  The doors opened, and though I’d never seen him in my life, I knew without a shadow of doubt that the man I was staring at was the devil himself.

  Lucifer was here.

  18

  He smiled with the light of a thousand suns.

  The Morningstar, they called him.

  I could see it. His white blond hair was worn short and spiky in a modern fashion, but there was no mistaking the glow that came from it. His golden eyes swirled with mercurial delight. A cruel grin crossed his perfect lips. Like Ronan, he dressed in a fine designer suit. Unlike him, his was white, whereas Ronan wore black, at least the times I’d seen him.

  “Piper Fallon,” he said in a voice like velvet. He could make humans weep just from the sound of it. I was glad he didn’t now. “And Nathalie Le Fay.” He turned that blinding smile on her. Nathalie jumped to her feet, knocking the chair over in the process.

  “Boss,” I said the word sarcastically.

  That voluptuous smile faded. The mirth in his expression dimmed as the rage that he was equally known for started to surface.

  “Ex,” he snapped. “You betrayed me.”

  “You were a job,” I said. “Grow the fuck up. It’s not like I was contractually bound. You hired me to hunt down the people that pissed you off, and this time I chose to use them for my own benefit.”

  The room went silent as everyone held their breath. Those golden eyes focused on me.

  “Yes,” he purred. “I hired you to bring me the people who lied to me. Stole from me. Imagine,” he said, striding forward and reaching up to run his fingers down my cheek, “what I do to people who betray me.”

  I spat at him. The wet glob hit him right in the face.

  His ire rose. Power gathered in the air around us. The tattoos that peeked out at the neckline and cuffs of his suit flared to life, glowing white hot.

  A cold hand wrapped around my throat.

  It felt like marble, smooth and strong.

  He started to close his fingers, cutting off the air in my windpipe.

  Panic flared inside me, and I had to fight my heartbeat to slow.

  It wasn’t time yet.

  Lucifer leaned in, and I got the impression he was going to tear me a new one. Then he paused.

  His rage evaporated like alcohol in open air. His fingers loosened, taking a different hold. A possessive one.

  He leaned in, his nose trailing along my jaw, inhaling deeply.

  Then he purred.

  Goosebumps pebbled my skin.

  “Uh, boss?” the man holding my arms behind my back said.

  Lucifer lifted his head and stared at the guard. There was death in his eyes when he let out a growl. “Why are you questioning me?”

  “I, uh,” the man fumbled. I wanted to roll my eyes. While big and clearly strong, they weren’t the brightest. At least this one wasn’t.

  “You don’t have a reason?” Lucifer asked, voice clipped.

  “Well, I—”

  “You don’t have a reason,” Lucifer repeated, not a question.

  “I don’t have a reason,” the guard repeated slowly. Fear crept into his voice. Lucifer tsked.

  “Perhaps you shouldn’t speak unless spoken to, then? Hm?” he said, his eyes glowing. “Cut out your tongue.”

  The hands gripping me turned sweaty.

  “Sir?”

  That ire inside him burned once more. “I said, Cut. Out. Your. Tongue.”

  I didn’t look, but the hands that were holding mine behind my back released me. I kept
the shock from my face as the sounds of whimpers and pain started. I tried not to react as wordless cries fell on deaf ears. Blood dripped to the ground. A pool began forming around my left boot.

  I heard his knees hit the cement floor and couldn’t stop my nose from wrinkling as his hand fell to the side. Holding the bleeding stump of his tongue.

  “Does anyone else feel like questioning me?” Lucifer asked, looking around the room. “No?” Everyone save me shook their head. “How about you, Piper? Feeling mouthy?” he said, giving me an amused grin as he pulled the handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped the spit off his face.

  “No.”

  “Good,” he beamed, flashing me that radiant smile. “Because I’m sure we can find much better uses for that mouth of yours if you feel like running it again.”

  Heat blossomed in his gaze, and my stomach turned.

  First Ronan, now Lucifer.

  Both were vile creatures from Hell. Except where Ronan’s intensity made my heart beat wildly, Lucifer just made my skin crawl. He was a level of crazy that the rumors didn’t do justice.

  “You,” he said, turning to the alpha. The man swallowed hard and pointed at himself as if in question. Lucifer rolled his eyes. “Yes, you. I find myself in need of another guard. Congratulations. You’re hired.”

  “But I—” the alpha started.

  “But you what?” Lucifer said, his voice going quiet as a hiss.

  “I need clothes,” the man finished. While it wasn’t all that uncommon to see naked people in New Chicago because of the large shifter population, most at least had the common decency to cover it.

  “Anders, get the man some clothes. New guard, grab her,” he pointed at Nathalie.

  She backed away, lifting her hand. Winds started to whip again, the careful calm she’d emulated before now gone.

  The alpha looked between her and Lucifer.

  The demon groaned. “Do I have to do everything myself?” he asked to no one in particular. I was starting to wonder if he was talking to a voice in his head.

  Lucifer gave Nathalie a sharp glare, his eyes glowing once more. “Stop scaring him with the show. Put your hands behind your back.”