by Brenda Trim
Dante touched her thigh. “What did he do to you once he had you?”
Ty interrupted. “Fuck that. Where has he set up shop? We need to eradicate him as soon as the sun sets.”
Dante shot narrowed eyes and a snarl at the vampire. “We need to understand his actions, as well as his location. Unless you no longer care to know what they are planning.”
Chloe thought that was rather obvious. “They get off on torturing others. He was having fun.”
Dante shook his head. “I have a feeling that wasn’t this one’s intention.”
“What makes you say that? What aren’t you telling me?” Chloe hadn’t wanted to believe there was a bigger motive at play.
Dante took a deep breath and brushed dirt from his pants. “Have you heard what happened in New Orleans last month?”
“No. I tend to keep my head down and stay away from politics of any kind. There have been rumors that something went down in the Tehrex Realm not long ago, but I never heard what.” Chloe wanted to kick her own ass for burying her head in the sand. It was coming back to bite her in a painful way.
“The archdemon there conducted rituals in an attempt to open a portal for Lucifer to cross through to Earth. Several humans were sacrificed in the process.”
Chloe rubbed the ache that started in her chest. The training she received when she became a Warrior Angel came back to her in bits and pieces. “That isn’t possible. They can’t garner enough power to open something and break his bonds at the same time.”
One of Dante’s eyebrows lifted to his hairline. “You’re right. That’s why they used a house that has hidden more bloodshed than anywhere else in New Orleans. All that dark energy was stored in the wood and stone and fed the spell.”
Chloe gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “I never considered that. I assume you standing here telling me about this means you and the Dark Warriors stopped them.”
“The Alliance leaders and the warriors together with a human cop, Araton, Abraxos and Ayil stopped the ritual. But they were close to succeeding. Lucifer managed to possess the cop.”
“And, you think they’re trying again. Here in New York. Just because they took me?” Chloe’s blood iced over as she recalled the Daeva’s words. “You’ve obviously discovered a way to break your bond with the Underworld. And that little lamb, is what makes you perfect.”
“What did he do to you? Did he say anything that would tip you off to his plans?” Dante angled his body, so he was facing her more and bent his knee on the cushion next to her.
The move made his leg brush her thigh. He was gorgeous and suddenly she wanted to take him to bed and have her wicked way with him. She didn’t want to think about this for another second. None of this had anything to do with her. She had no desire to get in the middle of another battle involving Lucifer. That didn’t go so well for her the first time.
“He told me I was perfect before he kicked me and broke three of my ribs. Then he threw me down some stairs and one of those ribs punctured my heart. Later he took a knife and carved into my spleen. Or maybe it was my liver. Not really sure because I lost consciousness. What do you think his plans were? I kept waiting for his proposal, but it never came.” She waved her hand through the air and sucked in a breath.
Her injuries weren’t healing fast thanks to the demon’s use of a dark blade. She was certain her internal organs wouldn’t stop bleeding for hours to come. Adrenaline could only take her so far. Like in the subway, she felt it running out leaving her sore and exhausted.
Dante cupped her cheek briefly before letting go. “I will kill him the second I find him. And, I’ll call in the Demonator if I have to in order to ensure he doesn’t get a new body. I know this is difficult for you, but did you see any sigils or runes?”
“Who’s the Demonator? Is it a Warrior Angel? Is that how they deal out a true death?”
All the warriors shifted in their seats and shared pensive glances. Jett shook his head while Ty pursed his lips. Dante finally broke away and met Chloe’s gaze. “All I’m able to tell you is that this being is not a Warrior Angel. I hope you understand why we are keeping this information to ourselves. We can’t risk any harm to come to them.”
Anger burned hot through Chloe before dying as fast as it sprang up. She respected them protecting a being, especially one as powerful as this Demonator sounded. “I get it. To answer your other question, no I didn’t see any markings in the basement where he held me.”
“How long did he have you?”
Chloe smiled then. “Not long. I cut off one of his balls making him retreat while he healed. I knew I had to do major damage for him to leave me alone. I was too weak from being beaten and had dropped my blade, so I couldn’t kill him and went for the next best thing.”
Lucas laughed. “Should be easy to find one ball Barry. He’ll be the demon limping around the city.”
“We can hope it’ll be that easy.” Dante brushed a hand through his hair. He looked as tired as she felt. There were dark circles under his eyes and his cheeks were sunken. In fact, they were getting worse by the second. “Do you know where he kept you, little evergreen? Do you think you could take us there?”
Bile rose to the back of her throat and she fought the urge to curl into a ball. The last thing she wanted was to go back to that dank, smelly basement. “I have no idea where we were. Somewhere along the subway lines because I found a door that let me out in one of the unused tunnels.”
“What station did he take you down?” Jett interjected. He no longer looked like he’d sucked on a lemon. He wasn’t propositioning her or anything, but the glower was gone.
“He didn’t take me into the subway. We went down some alley that smelled like urine and decay, but most of all brimstone. There were metal shelves full of odds and ends but nothing to tell me exactly where we were.”
Dante got up, grabbed his glass and crossed to the bar. He poured more amber liquid into his tumbler. “What street were you on when he grabbed you?”
Chloe picked up her glass and waved it at Dante. He smiled and took it from her hand. “I was on Park Avenue close to Fifty-Eighth Street. He carried and dragged me so long I doubt it was anywhere near where we started. I remember using a picture window to kick off and try to get him off me, but I can’t give you more than that without taking you there.”
Dante handed her the Grey Goose and sat next to her. His heat beckoned her to lay her head on his shoulder and close her eyes. “We will find this asshole, but we are going to need your help.”
Chloe sighed and took a big drink, enjoying the burn of the alcohol. “I’m sick and fucking tired of people saying they need my help. I just want this day to end so I can go to sleep and forget this ever happened.”
That was wishful thinking. Seems as if life hadn’t burned all of her angelic attributes away. She should have known she couldn’t stay neutral forever. Her kind were immensely powerful which made them a target. She was in a far more precarious position without her connections to the Underworld or Heaven. Yep. She was fucked.
Dante stood and offered his hand. “Let me show you to a room where you can get some rest, little evergreen. We can discuss how we will proceed after we all sleep.”
Chloe took his hand and let him pull her up. Her legs were jelly and her spine felt like it had been beaten to a pulp. “You look like you should go find a female or two to fuck if you plan on doing anything tomorrow. You look like shit.”
The warriors laughed while Dante growled and snarled at them. She was all out of fucks to give. All she wanted was a soft mattress. And, maybe a shower.
Chapter 6
Dante closed the distance between him and Chloe. “If you so much as make a move toward the Princess I will take you over my knee.”
Chloe fought a shiver as she listened to his threat. “More foreplay, Cambion Lord? For a second there I wondered if you really were part incubus after all.”
Dante’s lips twitched and she lifted one eyebrow. “Some
thing about you makes it impossible to truly threaten you.”
“I have no problem informing you that if I even think you are aiming for our Princess, I will rip your head from your shoulders before you can blink.” Ty promised as he pinned her with his intense brown eyes.
“If you are so worried for her safety why bring her here?” Chloe kept her eyes on the five handsome males in the house. She didn’t know what to make of the Dark Warriors or Dante.
Rumor in the realm was that they were overall good guys. She’d heard some were cold, but efficient in their attack on demons. In her mind that wasn’t a bad thing. When you didn’t get overly involved or too attached to others it was easier to do your job.
When she had been a Warrior Angel she killed without remorse and did so quickly and efficiently. It lessened the likelihood of collateral damage. Shit went sideways when you allowed yourself to get involved and care. She learned that lesson firsthand.
Dante ran his gaze up and down her body. The heat burned her all the way to her soul and awakened her body for the first time in thousands of years. It had been so long since she’d felt desire that it took her by surprise. It didn’t help that his sensual scent was all around her.
“I called her father in for help with this problem. Zander and Evzen have spent countless hours researching Lucifer and archdemons. I’m hoping he will have some information.” There was more that Dante wasn’t telling her, but she’d let it go for now.
Tugging the collar of the t-shirt Dante had given her, she considered removing it and meeting Zander and his daughter naked. It would be easier than being distracted by arousal she didn’t have time to entertain.
“Zander must be the Vampire King if his daughter is a Princess.” Chloe’s mind worked through who she was about to face in order to distract herself. She refused to go into another meeting unprepared. Waking up to Dante after being kidnapped and tortured by a demon had been enough for one lifetime. As a warrior, she didn’t care for surprise meetings.
Jett narrowed his eyes and scowled at her. “I see you’re aware of who he is. Know that Ty isn’t the only one that will stop you.”
Chloe titled her head wondering why they were so protective of Zander and his daughter. She’d heard demons talking about searching for a Princess but hadn’t paid much attention. Now she wished she had. Having the information now would give her a leg up on these guys.
Chloe dipped her head in acknowledgment. “I have no intentions of harming anyone. I merely want to go home. I’ve had a shitty night and am exhausted.”
Dante moved to the entrance of the room she’d woken up in an hour ago. “I know you need rest. But before you retire for the day, we need to get an idea of what we are facing here, little evergreen. I don’t think it’s a coincidence the archdemon selected you.”
Energy crackled through the air stalling the conversation. Dante and Jett stood together in the threshold. Beyond them Chloe had a perfect view of the entryway to the house. Blue, green and purple lights swirled to life as electricity made the hair on her arms stand on end.
While Dante and Jett watched the lights form into a large oval, the other warriors kept their gazes locked on Chloe. She wanted to laugh. She had no desire to hurt these supes. She only wanted to go home. At the moment she was too injured to make it far, so she had decided to stay. No fucking way was she going to give the Daeva an easy target.
The lights intensified then cleared right before a new room became visible on the other side. They’d opened a portal. The scent of food drifted to her nose. Garlic, ginger, anise and fish sauce. It smelled delicious. Her stomach rumbled at that moment, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since before her shift at the bar.
A male with shoulder length black hair, Sapphire blue eyes and a glower stepped through followed by a young female with long, curly brown hair and the same eyes. Where her father had a glower, she held deep sadness in her gaze. It made Chloe want to reach out and hug her.
“Dante, Jett.” The male greeted with an extended hand. Dante shook it followed by Jett. The male lifted his head and nodded at the males behind Chloe. “Ty, Lucas, Axel. Good to see you all. You must be Chloe. I’m Zander. The Vampire King and this is my daughter Isobel.” He gestured to the female that accompanied him.
Chloe nodded her head, surprised at the power the king exuded. It was rare in her experience for any being to have such strength. His daughter had her fair share, as well. “I wish I could say it is good to meet you.”
Isobel handed the bag in her hands to Dante without ever shifting her gaze. “My mom sent some of her Vietnamese burgers and key lime pie.” That was an odd combination. What the heck were Vietnamese burgers?
Dante took the handles and peered into the sack. “She’s the best. Those are my favorite. And, Chloe here is hungry, so it’s perfect timing. Let’s take this to the kitchen.”
Zander eyed her and wrapped an arm around his daughter’s shoulder. Chloe knew no one would move until she did, so she started for the door. “I’m going to leave this here.” She set her angelic blade on a bureau set off to the side. “I trust no one will touch it. Now, lead the way,” she informed Dante with a wave of her hand.
When she moved to pass the vampire king, she suddenly felt more than naked. She had no way of defending herself should this meeting go to shit, but she was making a gesture of goodwill. Otherwise they’d get nowhere. She had no stake in this game and didn’t want one. This was the only way she knew how to prove that to them.
“So you really are a Fallen Angel,” Isobel said, breaking the silence.
Chloe turned and glanced over her shoulder before she entered a large kitchen. The brownstone was enormous. The warriors had to have combined two homes to give it so much space inside. “You could say that. Are you familiar with my kind?”
Isobel bobbed her head up and down. “My Guardian Angel Ramiel married a Fallen Angel and Zakara got her wings back.” Chloe should have known these warriors knew Zakara. It brought forth a rumor years ago about a young Vampire Princess being called the Demonator because she gave demons a true death. “Did you know her?”
Chloe took a seat on a stool at the large island. “I haven’t seen her since the Great War. Although I work at her old bar now.”
Zander ran a hand through his hair while Dante removed items from the bag and set them on the island. “Dante was right about you. You aren’t what you seem. Why is that?”
Chloe sighed and fought the urge to lay her head on the marble countertop. “What does it matter? I am not here on a demon’s orders and I mean you no harm. I just want to be left alone to live my life.”
Dante popped open a plastic container. The aroma that escaped made her mouth water. Whatever was in those burgers smelled delicious. “We need to understand what the demon is after. You didn’t see any runes or dark symbols which tells me he isn’t trying to free Lucifer, but that doesn’t make any sense. They’re all after that.”
“It makes as much sense as a Fallen Angel that isn’t really a true fallen.” Isobel leaned against one of the walls and had her arms crossed over her chest. Her words were spoken in a monotone and her gaze was hollow.
Zander tucked hair behind one of her ears. “You don’t have to be here, nighean. I can take you home.”
Every single one of the warriors had furrowed brows and pinched mouths as they watched the exchange. Even Dante had shifted his gaze from Chloe to the Princess. These males were worried about her well-being. Why was that?
It wasn’t as if she was incapable of protecting herself. If the rumors were accurate, this girl could kill Chloe, soul and all, with one touch of her hand. That wasn’t someone they needed to worry about. Their concern and protectiveness reminded Chloe that not all males were cold-hearted bastards. Just ninety-nine percent of them.
“I’m not going home.”
Zander nodded. “Okay. Why do you say she isna a true fallen?”
Isobel’s eyes landed on Chloe and stopped her mid-grab. She had a pla
te with a bun and a patty hovering in the air in her hand. Something probed her. It was as if there was some device running over Chloe’s body and taking her measure.
Isobel approached the island and grabbed a soda Axel had gotten from the fridge. “Because she’s never been in the Underworld. She doesn’t carry dark energy.”
Dante’s head snapped in Chloe’s direction. Chloe lowered her eyes and focused on putting the patty on her bun. She grabbed lettuce next and picked up a container of a white sauce and brought it to her nose. Lime, cilantro and mint. Figuring it was meant for the burger, she spread some carefully on her bun.
Dante held out some cucumber and fresh jalapeno slices. “You have to add these, too. They take it to the next level. So, is Izzy right? Have you never been in the Underworld?”
Chloe placed the veggies on her patty then lifted the burger and took a bite. Flavor exploded on her tongue and she moaned in delight. “So good.” She chewed and swallowed thinking these burgers were worth staying in the house for. Chloe considered what she should tell them. Izzy had hit too close to home for her liking. In her experience everyone would use you for their own purposes. It was best to keep to yourself and never share too much.
Finally deciding on a middle ground, Chloe nodded. “Isobel is right. I have never been in the Underworld.”
All of the males started speaking at once. Each tried to talk over the other without anyone listening to one another. It was Zander that ordered them to stop in a voice that made Chloe cringe.
Zander braced his hands on the island and waited until everyone fell silent. “If you’ve never been in the Underworld how are you a Fallen? It’s my understanding that when an angel decides against Heaven they are sent to Hell where their wings are stripped from them.”
Chloe took another bite of her burger as she gathered her thoughts. This was getting too close for her comfort. “I didn’t choose sides in the Great War and that left me abandoned here on Earth. Over the years my wings died and fell from my body.”