by Trina M. Lee
I couldn’t be sure how long my magic would keep the dogs going, but already I felt the draw. The blood magic always left me drained.
The timer on my phone went off, a small chime and vibration from my back pocket to let me know that I had to get gone now. Before Rayne or anybody else could come along.
Surrounding myself in an energy circle, I channeled the rest of my magic into making it a sturdy barrier to protect me as I ran for it. I turned to go and caught sight of a woman leaning against the front of the SUV. A dark-haired werewolf, this had to be Agent Juliet O’Brien. I’d wondered when our paths would cross.
She never moved. Arms crossed, she watched me retreat, leaving her crew to flee a pack of magical demon dogs. Across the distance, twenty feet or more, our eyes met. Her expression revealed nothing. No reaction to the attack on her colleagues and no attempt to come after me. What was up with that?
I didn’t stick around to find out. I bolted down the street and over several blocks before I paused in someone’s backyard long enough to call Rayne. While I waited for him to pick me up, I turned the thumb drive over and over in my bloodstained hands.
If The Circle of the Veil didn’t find what they wanted on this drive, would they still kill me? Would they do it just to punish Nova? I couldn’t help but feel that proving to them I could get in and out of that building was a mistake I would pay for later.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Stretching out in my bed felt amazing after the last few nights of mayhem. Spending a solid twenty-four hours in my room was a treat to myself. A little self-care. Luckily, I didn’t spend them alone. Dalyn sat on one side of me, propped against the headboard, blankets drawn up. On my other side Corr relaxed with one arm beneath his head. Rayne sprawled across the foot of the bed on his stomach, clutching a pillow, a small bite visible on his neck from last night when he’d so generously donated to help me bounce back. We were a few hours into a Lord of the Rings movie marathon.
My bedroom smelled of werewolves, satsuma perfume, and popcorn. Mostly popcorn. That shit had a way of overtaking every other aroma.
Since making it back to the house relatively unscathed last night, I’d cycled through a mix of emotions: Satisfied that I’d done what The Circle hadn’t expected me to pull off. Terrified that they’d hate me for it. Not to mention the worry that they knew Nova and I were involved. They would use it against us.
My current mood was content, but being snuggled in with the people I cared most about made me worry for them too. Tavi had slipped out alone tonight. She’d been her usual surly self, telling Dalyn and me to mind our damn business when we asked where she was going. It led to a few snarky jokes from Ghost after she’d left about her being the spy. But he’d left on his own personal outing too, so who was he to talk?
Nova had promised us a few nights of down time while the watchdog crew reviewed the thumb drive. We all needed it. I’d hoped to see him tonight, but since retrieving the thumb drive from me last night, he hadn’t been around. There were so many things I needed to discuss with him.
“Fuck this ring.” Rayne threw popcorn at the TV mounted on the wall, which only succeeded in scattering popcorn on the floor. “They need to lock that thing in a box and bury it in the middle of nowhere. Salt the earth and forget about it.”
“You can’t do that, numb nuts,” Dalyn scoffed, biting the head off a gummy worm. “It’s a magic ring. It would find a way out. Trust me, you can’t fuck with magic rings.”
“Sounds like you have a good story.” Corr’s lazy observation invited her to share, but she shook her head.
Waving a hand, Dalyn laughed, but it was secretive as hell. “A story I promised to take to the grave. Don’t even ask.”
This girl just kept getting better and better. I didn’t think there was a person in this house who wasn’t a complex tangle of quirks and darkness. A mysterious bunch, I adored them far more than I’d ever intended.
“Don’t even ask?” Rayne echoed, pushing himself into a half sitting position. “You can’t make claims about magic rings without backing it up. Start talking, Christina.”
Rayne’s joking reference to her young, Christina Aguilera-ish appearance did it for Dalyn. She paused the movie before throwing the remote at him. He laughed when it fell short, landing on the bed.
“And on that note, I need some real food,” she said, climbing out of the bed. “I’m going down to the kitchen to make some mac n’ cheese.”
“Take your garbage with you.” I gathered her popcorn bag and chocolate bar wrapper, shoving it at her.
Dalyn clambered over me and Corr before hopping down to the floor. Accepting the trash with a grimace, she shuffled out of the room. Left alone with the two werewolves, I was more than ready to get cuddly with both of them. Well, Corr and I shared an attraction, but it hadn’t yet reached that point. So when all he did was hold my hand, that was enough for me.
“I’m gonna hit the pool for a swim.” Rayne rolled off the bed, waggling both brows at me. “It doesn’t look like I can convince you to join me, so let me know when you guys start the movie back up.”
“I’ll be sure to shout out the window at you,” I joked with a wink, settling into the blankets a little deeper at the thought of the cold pool water.
Rayne paused in the doorway. “And I’ll be sure you get a hell of a view when you do.” Then he was gone, the sound of his feet thumping down the stairs followed.
“Do you need a break too?” I rolled onto my side to better face Corr. “You could probably get in on Dalyn’s mac n’ cheese. Or squeeze in a few chapters on whatever book you’re reading now.”
“Actually, I was hoping to get some time alone with you.” Corr followed my lead and burrowed deeper under the blankets. “I didn’t get a chance to answer your question. Back in the cemetery. About why I’m here.”
Other than our joined hands we didn’t touch, but he was close enough for me to feel the heat rolling off him. Selfishly, I wanted to know why everyone was in this house. Who wouldn’t? I didn’t want him to feel any obligation to open up, but I sensed that maybe he needed to unburden himself.
“I’m all ears, handsome.” I gave his hand an encouraging squeeze.
Corr readjusted his pillow so we were face to face, a few inches between us. At this distance his dark lashes, enviously long and full, beautifully framed his gray-blue eyes. I could so easily fall into them.
“The wolf who turned me was from the gym I trained at. He was part of an underground fight ring. Werewolves against humans who had no idea they were fighting wolves. Of course they could never beat us. Rich assholes came to bet on the fights, having no idea what was going on. The guys running the thing took a cut and made a fuck ton. They made sure every wolf got their fair share too, so long as we kept showing up to fight.” He paused, uncertainty skipping over his face before he added, “I kept showing up. Even when shit got crazy and people started dying. Death fights make a killing, you know.”
His voice broke. He swallowed hard but didn’t look away, like he needed to see whatever might show in my eyes, my initial reaction to his admission. If he expected judgment, then he didn’t realize how many deaths an almost century old vampire had on their hands.
“So you were a willing turn,” I prodded, gently urging him to continue. When we’d first met I’d assumed that he’d been attacked. He hadn’t corrected me. “How did The Circle find you?”
“Someone on the inside leaked it to the FPA, of all things.” Corr laughed as a memory stole over his face. “The Circle found out through the watchdog team’s close eye on the Feds. The night the Feds came to raid the place, The Circle sent Nova and a few others to chase them off. Most of the wolves ran or were hunted by the elites. Those who stayed were given a choice.”
“Same choice I was given. Come here or die.” I nodded knowingly. “How many of you were there?”
“Nine. It wasn’t a large organization, but it drew a large enough crowd. I’m the only one who came willi
ngly.” Corr’s tone hollowed with a sadness he hadn’t let himself feel yet. He pushed it aside again as a small half smile curved his lips. “I didn’t want to be here, but I wasn’t ready to die. I’m glad I came though. It broke me out of a life I shouldn’t have been living. Too many years on the streets after my parents died, too many bad decisions. It’s a miracle I’m still alive.”
No way could I imagine everything Corr had lived through, just like he could never really know what I’d faced. All we could do was listen to each other, and that seemed to be enough.
“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you came too.” When a lock of hair flopped onto his forehead, I reached to brush it away without thinking.
His pupils dilated, and the steady thud of his pulse picked up tempo. “You’re really easy to talk to, Blaze, and as much as I’m dying to kiss you right now, I don’t want to step on another wolf’s toes. So to speak.” The wolf peered out of Corr, reminding me that I cozied up next to a wild beast. “Not that I think you belong to him or any misogynistic shit like that, but it’s no secret how much time you spend together.”
It baffled me how a guy as intelligent and respectful as Corr had waged underground death fights. Though most people would never believe half the shit I’d done either. Do monsters ever really look like monsters? No, that would make life far too easy.
“We’ve grown close,” I confirmed, touching his socked foot with mine. “But let’s just say that Rayne’s pretty good at sharing. None of us are in the position for dating and finding our happy ever after. Not in this place. So why not enjoy whatever we find within these walls?”
Corr’s eyes took on a gray hue that was almost silver as the edges of his iris seeped slowly into wolf. The beat of his heart thudded faster. “I’m not good at this stuff. I’ve never been in anything serious, and I definitely have not been in a situation like this.”
“Just follow your instinct and do what feels right. We’re not getting out of here alive, so we might as well live in the mo—”
He cut me off with a kiss, careful at first, like he didn’t want to rush it. Corr didn’t open up quickly. I’d discovered that myself. I expected it to be the same with physical affection, and that was fine with me. Good things were worth waiting for.
The cool, sporty cologne he wore mixed with the scent of wolf to create an aroma that was just Corr. It teamed up with his heartbeat to make me wonder what he tasted like. I could hear the blood rushing through his veins, begging to be set free. There may have been a possibility that I’d taken too much blood from Rayne recently. It was starting to get to my head.
Corr’s kiss grew more intense. His tongue slipped between my lips, and I welcomed it. When he touched the side of my face before slipping a hand into my loose tendrils, I melted against him.
The quiet wolf claimed my mouth with a calm but commanding kiss that ended with me momentarily disoriented. I stared at him like a moron while trying to make words happen.
Corr beat me to it, snuggling in closer. “I get to ask the next question.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“So it turns out that the thumb drive Blaze stole is completely useless.” Standing at the heading of the dining room table, Nova waited for that to sink in. “It doesn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know. Agent names, addresses, former locations. Useless shit.”
My stomach twisted itself into a pretzel of knots. All that had been for nothing. The Circle of the Veil had no reason to keep me around. Not if they already thought I was a liability. And if they didn’t think so due to my blood magic, they surely would because of Nova’s obvious attachment to me.
“However,” Nova continued, his crimson gaze slashing over me and away, “I’m not one to accept defeat so easily. I did get the information I wanted, although I’m not about to share exactly how, and I do know which one of you is our spy.”
I hadn’t wanted to believe there was a spy in the house, but there was no other way to account for the Feds knowing how to find us so easily on recent outings. Everyone waited for Nova to make the big reveal.
Next to me Ghost stretched and leaned back in his chair, not in the least worried. Not that I’d ever have pegged him for a spy. Heartbeats were loud in the silence, especially the human hearts. Dalyn sat stiff, staring at Nova. But it was Ira’s erratic heart rate that tipped me off before Nova outed him.
“Ira, would you care to tell us why you went to the FPA and volunteered to be an informant? I’m especially interested in how you thought you’d get away with it.” The hooded sleeveless tunic Nova wore showed off his sculpted arms. He crossed them, wings flared out behind him, and ambled slowly around the table toward the older witch.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ira stayed calm on the outside, but his thumping heartbeat sounded worrisome.
Nova’s chuckle was so sinister, it made the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and he wasn’t even looking at me. “I’m going to kill you either way. This is your only chance to explain why you sold out your team.”
The air seemed to get sucked out of the room. Tavi, who sat next to Ira, got up and rounded the table to stand on the opposite side. Couldn’t blame her, I’d have cleared out too.
Ira watched the demon draw closer, and his pulse pounded harder. It echoed in my head. The stink of fear that surrounded him made him nothing but prey to my bloodlust. Not a great time to be reminded that I needed a good kill.
“After I got shot,” Ira shouted, voice raised in panic. “I have a family. They have nothing without me. The Circle doesn’t care about them, but the Feds promised them protection and enough money to get by. If any of you were in my position, you’d have done the same.”
Not one of us could argue, but we weren’t in Ira’s place. Wouldn’t we all do what we felt we had to for those we loved? I had never had that life. A family. Not really.
Nova’s voice dripped venom when he said, “I sincerely hope for your sake that the FPA honors your arrangement.”
No waiting. No dragging it out or making the man beg. Nova was quick about killing Ira, although he wasn’t friendly about how he delivered the blow.
A snap of Nova’s fingers and fire engulfed Ira’s body. The witch’s shrieks were horrific. Magical fire didn’t burn the table or the chair, just the man. Heat filled the room, forcing a few of the others from their chairs. Ghost and I stayed put, waiting for it to be over.
The ear-piercing wails cut off seconds before he slumped over and hit the floor. When Nova waved a hand and the flames went out, the body was a charred, unrecognizable mess. He scowled at the remains before pulling his phone out and firing off a quick message.
Tucking the phone in a back pocket, Nova turned to address our group. “This is what happens to traitors. It doesn’t matter what your reason. The Feds know where the house is now. We’ll be adding higher security and recruiting more rogues. They’ll be set up across town. It’s too risky to bring new people here. I’d advise all of you to let this be a lesson you’ll never have to learn the hard way if you learn it now.
“One more thing. The Circle of the Veil is more insistent than ever that I get someone on the inside posing as an agent. I’d prefer volunteers. Take a few nights to think about it.” Nova dismissed everyone with a wave but pointed a finger at me. “I’d like a word alone with you.”
“Good,” I quipped, wrinkling my nose at the stench of burnt flesh. “I’d like a word with you as well. Can it be anywhere but here?”
He led me into the adjoined sitting room and slid the pocket door closed behind us. Much smaller than the living room, it was filled with stiff furniture that didn’t invite one to sit down. Aside from Corr who sometimes came to read, I never saw anyone in here.
Unable to sit after what I’d just witnessed, I stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Nova to start, even though I had a dozen questions ready to burst out. When I couldn’t wait any longer, I blurted, “If the thumb drive was useless, how did you find out abo
ut Ira?”
Nova stood just inside the closed door, keeping his distance. Good thing because just the sight of him started a fire beneath my skin. It was the first time we’d been alone since our multi-orgasmic encounter a few nights ago. I’d left his talisman on my dresser, afraid to carry it. Afraid I’d use it for the wrong reasons.
“Once I cornered one of their agents, it didn’t take much to get her talking.” An evil grin lit up his gorgeous face, taunting the gentle throb of want between my legs. “Under my thrall she told me about Ira. She also told me that they set you and Dalyn up. The bachelor party. They prescreened the girls, knew every face. They knew who you were the second you walked in the door.”
The image he painted of himself seducing a Federal agent made me uneasy. And dare I say, jealous? Ick. That was gross and not at all me. The gravity of what he’d learned settled in to leave a bitter taste in my mouth.
“Because of Ira,” I concluded, wishing I could have killed the guy myself. The desire to spill blood was almost as strong as the desire Nova’s presence ignited. “So seducing the Fed for information, was that sanctioned by The Circle, or were you running rogue with that one?”
We both knew he’d only done it for me. The thumb drive had failed to save me from the chopping block, so Nova had pulled his own strings behind the scenes. I didn’t want it to mean as much to me as it did, but standing in that room, gazing into the scarlet depths of his eyes, it meant everything.
This was incredibly not good. I couldn’t have feelings for a demon. An incubus demon who’d gotten me hooked on the rush of him and who’d used me as bait. Used me as bait! All the internal screaming at myself made no difference to the first blooms of feelings that sprang up. Curse them.
“It was barely a seduction, more of a flirtation. I did what I had to do to get the information we needed.” Nova shrugged. “The Circle wanted to know who the spy was, and I took care of it. Don’t worry about them, cherry bomb. I won’t let them touch you.”