He opened his fist. Cradled in the palm of his leather glove, the enchanted orb pulsed with a soft blue light that pointed east. It would lead him to her. When the empress had faced the dark-haired witch in her throne room, she’d cast a spell on her, one that was supposed to make her sleep. It hadn’t worked. Somehow the witch had escaped. Still, the empress’s magic could be traced by the use of the orb. The witch had been here once, although judging by the muted glow of the blue light, he suspected it had been some time ago. Aborella, sorceress to the crown, had explained that the orb was but a tool to move him in the right direction. Finding the girl would fall on his shoulders, on his training as an assassin.
Hungry and weary, he staggered toward a collection of lights. The twisting branches of strange trees curled under a single yellow moon. He slipped through the darkness toward what must be a road, the headlights of oddly designed carriages speeding past him, and strode at a fast clip, drawing on the magic of the cat’s-eye stone in his ring to translate the street signs.
Magazine Street. The orb pulsed faster, its light continuing to point in the same direction. When he neared a small, brightly painted cottage with a sign that read The Three Sisters, the orb stopped pulsing, its steady blue glow still muted but unbroken. The girl had definitely been here once, although the dull thrum in his palm suggested she wasn’t anymore. He slid the sphere into his bag and crossed the street.
Inside the pub, Scoria finally gave in to the fatigue waging war on his muscles and sat down at one of the tables. The place reminded him of the Silver Sunset in Paragon, and he hoped he could sup here before carrying on his search.
And then she was there, at his table! Dark hair, eyes the color of lapis, olive skin, and a graceful neck he could snap with little effort. But no, when he looked again, he could see it wasn’t her. This woman was heavier, and the orb in his bag remained cold to the touch when he reached for it.
“Can I get you started with something to drink?” the woman asked. Her name tag read Avery.
“Is there another one who looks like you?” Scoria asked.
The female laughed. “Oh, you’re thinking of my sister, Raven. She doesn’t work here anymore.”
“Where is she now?”
The woman made a sound like a snort and ignored his question. She thrust a menu into his hands. “We have Tanglewood jambalaya on special tonight. If you haven’t had it before, ours is made with duck and andouille and tends to run spicy. The locals love it.”
Scoria’s stomach growled. He wasn’t sure what the dish was, but if humans could eat it, surely he could as well. “I would like that dish and a glass of…” He scanned the bar, his eyes falling on a large mug of dark, thick ale. “That.”
“A Guinness. Good choice. I’ll bring you water too.”
The female turned to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist. “Where is Raven?”
She cast him a pointed look, tearing her arm from his grip. “Look, dude, I’m not sure what you want with my sister, but you should know she’s engaged to be married. She’s with her fiancé right now.”
He leaned back in his chair, trying to remember the lessons in human culture he’d studied before leaving Paragon. “You have misinterpreted my intentions. I simply need to speak with her about a misunderstanding between her and my… employer.”
Looking confused, Avery said, “Does this have something to do with Blakemore’s?”
Scoria had no idea what she was talking about, but he nodded evenly.
“Well, Raven and Gabriel are out of town for a few weeks, but the shop is still open. I’m sure Richard or Agnes can help you.”
Scoria had to concentrate to keep his expression impassive. “You say Gabriel is out of town with Raven?”
She laughed. “Uh, yeah. He’s her fiancé. I’ll get you that beer and the jambalaya.”
Scoria stared at his ring, his mind reeling. The light at the center glowed, and he brought it close to his lips under the guise of rubbing his chin. “You were right, Empress. The girl is in league with the Treasure of Paragon. She is with your eldest son at this very moment.”
The cat’s-eye blinked at him, and then her voice came, soft as a whisper from somewhere deep inside the stone. “Find them, Scoria, and bring them to me, dead or alive. Do not return to Paragon without them.”
Chapter Eight
Chicago
“This, Artemis, is a litter box.” Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Raven stroked the cat’s fur and pointed toward the fresh litter she’d made available in the room Tobias had given them to stay in. It was clear the feline refused to use the one he’d set up for her in the basement of the brownstone, but then it was cold and drafty down there. Raven thought the cat might need a new box in a more welcoming location, and it didn’t hurt that Tobias’s scent was weaker here. Artemis, she’d discovered, did not seem to enjoy Tobias’s company.
“Wouldn’t it be better to set that thing up in the mudroom?” Gabriel’s nose wrinkled in distaste.
“Back up. You’re making her nervous. She needs to feel safe.” The cat arched her back beneath Raven’s scratching nails. “I don’t think she likes dragons. Or maybe it’s men in general.”
“Nothing safer than a room at the humane society,” Gabriel mumbled.
Raven gasped and covered the cat’s ears. “She can hear you, Grumpy Gus. Stop being so negative. This is going to work.”
The Wonder Woman theme song blared from Raven’s phone, and she swept it off the carpet behind her to bring it to her ear.
“You’ll never believe the dress I found to wear in your wedding,” Avery blared in her ear. “It’s navy blue and strapless. It makes me look like a princess.”
“Sounds perfect.” Raven glanced at Gabriel and mouthed, Avery. He smirked and left the room.
“I also reserved the church for October thirteenth. I know you haven’t set a date yet, but it’s hard to get Saint Patrick’s. We can cancel the date if it doesn’t work out.”
Raven raised an eyebrow. What would Father Ian think of her if he knew she was a witch? She supposed he didn’t need to know. Then again, Marie Laveau was a voodoo priestess and a lifelong Catholic. Perhaps it wouldn’t be an issue.
“Thank you, Avery. I appreciate your doing this.”
“How are things in Chicago? When will you be back?”
“I’m not sure yet. Gabriel and Tobias haven’t seen each other in a long time. I want to give them a chance to reconnect.”
“Why can’t they reconnect here? Invite him to New Orleans.”
“He’s a doctor. A pediatric cardiologist, actually. He’s needed here.”
There was a stretch of silence and then a giggle. “A doctor, huh? When can I meet him?”
Raven groaned. “He’s not your type.”
“He might be my type.”
“He’s ultraconservative, likes things meticulously clean and orderly, and almost always follows the rules.”
“You’re right. He’s not my type.”
“Thought not. How’s Mom?”
“She’s good, but oh, some weird guy stopped by the bar looking for you yesterday. He was very persistent. He said something about needing to talk to you… I think it was about the antique store maybe? Something about a misunderstanding with his boss?”
Raven narrowed her eyes. “I never worked on the floor at Blakemore’s, Avery. That doesn’t make sense. What did he look like?”
“A big guy. Like Gabriel’s size big; you know, the type of big you notice. He had this tattoo around his eye—a double crescent. Long, scraggly hair. Dark… not dark skinned but like dark hair and eyes. You know. His clothes were bizarre, even for here. Expensive looking, but like from another country. Oh, and the weirdest part, he paid for his dinner with a diamond. I thought he’d stiffed me, but Mom took it to a pawnshop and it was worth nine hundred bucks.”
Raven bristled. There were two physical traits that distinguished Paragonians from humans. One was a double crescent-shaped discoloration
around the right eye. The other was three vee-shaped ridges at the base of the skull. New Orleans was brimming with people who loved to celebrate their individuality, often augmenting their physical forms in a number of ways from piercings to silicon injections, but she doubted it was coincidence this visitor resembled a Paragonian. Not when he’d paid the bill with a jewel.
“What did you tell him, Avery?”
“Do you know him? I told him you were out of town with Gabriel and he should go to Blakemore’s and talk to Richard or Agnes.”
Raven closed her eyes and cursed under her breath. “If he comes back, don’t give him any information about me or Gabriel or anything else. Whatever you do, don’t tell him where we are. And if you can, get one of the other employees to serve him. He’s dangerous.”
“O-okay. Did I do something wrong? Who is this guy? Why is he looking for you?”
“He’s a…” Raven looked down at Artemis whose tail was flicking left then right in annoyance. “He’s a disgruntled ex-employee of Gabriel’s. He’s got a history of violence, so be careful.”
“Oh my gosh, really? That’s so scary. I’ll tell Mom too, in case he comes in again. He might. He loved the jambalaya. Ate every last bite, and you know we serve enough for four.”
“If he knows you’re my sister, he might try to get more information out of you. Protect yourself, Avery. This guy is trouble.”
“I have a gun behind the bar and the cops on speed dial.”
“Good girl.” Raven wished she were there to place a protective ward on the Three Sisters, but it would have to wait. “I’ll call you when I know more about our return date.” Raven exchanged goodbyes with her sister and hung up the phone. Seeming to pick up on Raven’s energy, Artemis let out a disgruntled meow.
Raven climbed to her feet and scrambled into the hall. “Gabriel?”
She found him in the kitchen and relayed everything Avery had told her.
“Based on her description, it sounds like Scoria,” Gabriel said. “My mother and Brynhoff have not given up on finding you. This is bad, Raven. If a member of the Obsidian Guard is here, they will stop at nothing. They are lethal hunters.”
“But how did he find me?”
“I’m not sure.” Gabriel frowned. “But I’ll keep you safe.”
“My sister told him I was with you. She didn’t know any better.”
He inhaled through his teeth.
Raven frowned. “We need to tell Tobias.”
“We will when he gets home. He doesn’t like me to disturb him at the hospital.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’ll call Richard and Agnes and give them a heads-up.”
Raven slid into his arms. “I’m scared, Gabriel.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Scoria doesn’t know where we are. No one has this address. You’ll be safe here.”
She pulled back and looked up at him, a wave of fear passing through her. “But what about them? We’re not there to protect them.”
He rubbed her shoulder but didn’t respond. Richard had answered his call, and Gabriel was already barking orders into his phone.
The next day Sabrina couldn’t get Tobias out of her head. She couldn’t wait to see him again, to feel the way she always felt in his presence, like she belonged there and was valued by him. It made her shift at the hospital downright painful. Patient after patient, she had to check herself to stay focused on the task at hand.
Although she tried not to think about it, her thoughts of Tobias circled back to her coven. She understood why her father had executed the three werewolves the way he had. This was war. A good leader had to think about the morale of the coven. Vampires bonded over a shared win.
But it also made her worried for Tobias. The execution was meant to send a message to the other supernatural creatures in surrounding areas to stay out of the city. Stories about the brutal fall of the Racine shifters would undoubtedly reach other shifter packs, a clear message that Chicago belonged to the Lamia vampires. Outsiders would not be tolerated.
There was nothing more outsider than a dragon.
Still, she’d worked with him for years and had never known he was supernatural. If they were going to be together, she needed to make him understand that his safety depended on them keeping his secret. It could be done, if they were careful.
She prayed to the goddess that he would understand her need for discretion. The memory of his lips, the taste of his blood—it sent shivers of pleasure down her spine. For years she’d assumed he was a stoic and reserved human. Now everything about him intrigued her. When he’d blocked that bullet for her, she’d seen who he really was, a male with a heart as big and broad as that chest she couldn’t get off her mind. He was warm and far more generous than any of her kind. And when she was with him, she didn’t feel quite so alone.
“Hey!” Katelyn yelled.
Sabrina snapped back into the moment. She’d been drawing blood from the young patient. The tube was full, but she’d been so distracted she hadn’t withdrawn the needle.
“Sorry.” She pressed a piece of gauze over the hole the needle left behind and taped it into place. “That’s it. I’ll send this to the lab.”
“No one can believe I’m getting better. They’re afraid to send me home,” Katelyn said.
“Yeah. The doctors need to do a few more tests.” She tapped the girl on the nose. The doctors thought the recovery was temporary, but Sabrina kept that part to herself. “No more oxygen tube though. Your body is incredible. A miracle.”
“It wasn’t a miracle. It was Dr. Toby.” The girl covered her mouth with both hands and giggled.
“Dr. Toby made you better?”
Katelyn whispered behind her cupped hand, “He put a mermaid scale around my neck and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. When he took it off, I started getting better.”
“A mermaid scale, huh?” That was cute. It seemed like it was always mermaids or princesses with this age. And she loved that Tobias allowed his young patients to call him Dr. Toby. So much more personable than the formal Dr. Winthrop.
“He told me I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone, but I can tell you, right? You won’t tell.”
Sabrina paused. “Dr. Toby told you not to tell anyone?”
“He put it on me in the middle of the night. He said the necklace was our secret and that I shouldn’t tell anyone about it, not even my parents.”
She nodded even as her stomach clenched. “Um. I see. Well, Dr. Toby is a good doctor, and if he asks you to do something, you should do it. I’ll keep this a secret, but please don’t tell anyone else, okay?”
“Okay.”
She forced a smile and squeezed the girl’s hand. “I’ll send your parents back in.”
As Sabrina left the room and told Katelyn’s parents that she was done, all she could think about was Tobias. He’d become quite the hero of late. Mermaid scale, her ass. This was exactly the type of thing that could draw attention to him and scrutiny from her coven over what he was. She needed to talk to him soon. One slip could ruin everything.
Sabrina swore to herself that she’d ask Tobias right away about Katelyn and the mermaid scale. She couldn’t put off telling him about the werewolves being executed or about her tenuous position as the heir to the Lamia Coven any longer. But when she met him outside the Field Museum that afternoon, her mouth couldn’t form the words.
I’m not just a vampire but also a vampire princess whose father is known for executing werewolves and other shifters, she thought. But the words never left her head. She didn’t want to ruin this. A real date with the sexy, mysterious doctor. Her promise to herself dissolved into a distant thought, a shadow cast out by the light of his smile. Not today. Today she’d enjoy being with him.
“When you said you wanted to show me something, I wasn’t expecting dinosaur bones,” Sabrina said.
Tobias offered her his hand and she took it, threading her fingers into his. “I like it here. Learning about the past has always made me feel
hopeful, a reminder of all the things this planet has overcome.” Tobias moved closer as they strolled toward the gigantic skeleton of a titanosaur in the main hall.
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s an interesting way to look at it considering we’re standing beside a creature that is now extinct.”
He laughed. “You have a point.” He gestured toward the stairs. “The rest of the dinosaurs are on the upper level.”
“Is that what you wanted to show me? The dinosaurs?” It tickled her soul that he did. He was like an eight-year-old boy, excited about the adventure of an archeological dig. Unexpected. His blue eyes flashed in her direction, playful and flirtatious. He squeezed her hand. She breathed deeply as the scent of almonds and cinnamon grew stronger.
“The other day, when you were taking care of my shoulder, you asked about where I come from.”
“You told me. Paragon,” she offered. “Although I’m still trying to get my head around the idea of that land being in a different dimension.”
“Harder to believe than the existence of vampires and dragons in the Midwest?”
“Touché.” She followed him up the worn marble stairs. “What do dinosaurs have to do with where you come from?”
He grinned mischievously. “Patience is a virtue, Ms. Bishop.”
“So is perseverance.” She bit her lip and tugged on his hand. “Why can’t you tell me now?”
“It’s easier to show you.”
He led her to an exhibit entrance labeled Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet. Sabrina followed him into a room filled with monster-sized skeletons. The hollow, dark holes that were once a triceratops’s eyes gave her pause. She felt tiny and oddly like she was standing in a cemetery. She’d been here before, of course, but it had been years ago. The world-class museums of Chicago were something she had taken for granted for decades. She was wrong to do that. This exhibit was breathtaking, and she loved that an immortal like Tobias was still interested in its charms.
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