“Telepaths turn man against man, animals against man. The kinetic can crack the planet in half,” Astarte told him as she pulled out of the parking lot.
“Terrific,” Trinity muttered.
“We’ll need a look at the damage, or rather, you will,” Kirkyn said. “It’s the only way to tell what he is.”
“I’ll call Ennis.”
As he made his call, Kirkyn stared out the window, the demon inside quiet, all struggles ceasing. He would do his job, and then, he’d end things with his mate once and for all.
He couldn’t let Baylee go, and Kirkyn wasn’t prepared to live without him. Gray spade shadows didn’t know how to make it past that barrier easily. It was a traumatic break, humans would call it, and it could be deadly to both the mate and the demon himself.
“You okay?” Astarte asked.
“Fine.”
He knew she wasn’t yet aware of who Baylee was to him, and Kirkyn wasn’t going to let on, because she’d spend too much time watching him, waiting to stop him from doing harm to Baylee and his family.
Not only that, she’d probably call his uncle, and Kirkyn wouldn’t know when the man would be waiting to subdue him and drag him home.
“What’s with you and Baylee? You seem into him,” Astarte said.
He was wrong. She knew.
“Nothing, actually. He’s cute and all, but he’s a little nosy.”
Astarte snorted. “At least he’s not a sneaky little bitch like his grandmother, or is he?”
“I wouldn’t know,” he said. “But you can find out if he’s your type.”
She laughed. “Dude, I’m not into gay boys,” she said. “I like my men straight and willing to fuck.”
He laughed and so did Trinity.
Baylee was something. He wasn’t just adventurous, though he kept that a well-guarded secret. He was sweet fire in bed and out. He had a fighter’s spirit and a lover’s heart.
Baylee was the kind of man a demon could make a real life with and be perfectly content with no need to cheat.
Things were so good for a whole year, and then they’d started to fall apart slowly until Baylee left him. In a way, it broke him not just because they were mates. He’d put so much of himself into the relationship knowing Baylee was his.
“You haven’t known this Baylee long?” Trinity asked.
“We just met him,” Kirkyn said. “And with any luck we’ll clean this mess up quickly so I can get on back home.”
“Where’s home?”
“Texas. I’m eager to shed this life of a hunter and get to work on the family farm.”
“So, there’s no one in your life? I sort of got the impression you and Baylee knew each other more intimately.”
“I bet you did, but I don’t,” Kirkyn said. He allowed the demon’s chill to fill his heart.
Demons didn’t love as a matter of course. They existed, formed bonds, made friends, but they didn’t love.
Love was akin to goodness, to humanity. However, those demons who’d been cast to this realm had learned emotion.
“Just feels like a lie, that’s all. I was thinking, though, that your family wouldn’t just let you get this close to the guy knowing you’d kill him for running.”
Kirkyn sighed and threw him a bored look. “Man, you’ve got too much imagination,” he said. “Get a hobby to go with that mate.”
“He’s a water sprite like your Baylee,” Trinity said.
“Good for you,” Kirkyn said, staring out the window, turning off the reasoning center Trinity was trying to touch inside him.
Trinity was part human. He could smell it like he could smell a bull from a mile away. As such, he was trying to trigger emotion, which wasn’t going to happen today.
“Astarte, slow down,” Kirkyn ordered.
She did just that. “What am I looking for?”
“Stop.”
She obeyed, and he climbed out, followed by Trinity. Trinity was close on his heels as he moved slowly along the road. His senses were wide open now, picking up the softest scent of what was called the colina plant.
He walked off the road to find a vine wound around a pine tree. The tree’s needles were still a vibrant green.
“What’s going on?” Trinity asked.
“It’s started.” Kirkyn bent to touch the soil. “Get back, Trinity, and get my pack from the truck.”
“What, am I your servant?”
“You want to die, come on in a little closer,” he said. “It would save me the trouble of ripping your fucking tongue out later today.”
“What is up with you, dude?”
Kirkyn straightened. “You talk too much.” He gave him a hard look. “Touch it if you want to, go in for a closer look even though you have no clue what you’re looking for.”
He stepped out of the brush to find Astarte smacking around a shorter figure and rushed to the truck.
“Let me go, you overgrown—” He broke off when her fist connected with his mouth.
“Subdue him and bring him back with us,” Kirkyn said. “We need a place. Tell Baraq to find us something more private to rent. It’ll get us out of that hotel and away from those sprites.”
“Nosy little bastards, but Payten isn’t going to go for it,” she said. Then, she slammed the gnome’s head into the side of the truck, knocking him out. “There were five of them out here.”
“Trinity, get out here,” Kirkyn ordered. “Now!” He reached into the truck for his bag. When Trinity didn’t materialize, he growled and headed back the way he’d come to find Trinity facing off with a demon wielding a vine whip.
Shit!
Kirkyn slung his pack over his back and moved in. The demon laughed and flicked his wrist, sending the whip out toward Trinity.
“Trinity, don’t let it touch you. Back up.”
Trinity ducked, and Kirkyn moved in to jerk him back.
The demon grinned. “He may as well be human,” he said. “He’ll be easy for even a gnome to kill.”
“Don’t bet on that,” Trinity muttered.
Kirkyn widened his stance in preparation for the fight even as he heard the rustle of leaves behind him. “Astarte, I need you, baby.”
The demon frowned. “That rapid dog?”
“Your gnome buddy will like getting to know her.” Kirkyn threw an energy ball at the demon, and he dived.
He used that time to spin around. A gnome was lunging for Trinity with thorns filling his palm.
Kirkyn threw an energy ball, but it went offline when the vine of colina curled around his neck. The thorns in it pierced his skin, drawing a cry from Kirkyn.
He was immune to the poison, but it irritated and hurt like hell.
His nails grew to the claws of his demon hand, and Kirkyn sliced the vine but held onto part of it. He turned and tugged, pulling the demon off balance.
The demon stumbled into him, and Kirkyn punched him in the nose before gripping his shoulder and slamming his knee into the demon’s inner thigh, where his genitals were located. The demon let out a scream that sounded like a squealing pig.
Kirkyn wrapped the vine around the demon’s neck and stepped on the other end before driving a punch into his face. The demon tripped and landed on his back head near a rock.
He made another inhuman noise, and Kirkyn put his knee in the demon’s stomach. “Who’s here?” he demanded.
“Grog—”
He grabbed the demon’s nuts, and he squealed again. “Who?”
“Bancoo and Lenno,” he said, tears welling in his eyes. “Creta is arriving with an execution squad in two hours to hunt the demon in Bossier.”
“He’s still alive?”
“Yes, but part of the team will hunt the sprite crones and wise men there to break their hold on the land.”
“What is so important about this town?”
“The water will irrigate the crops, and we’ll be able to turn the alcove into a cave portal into the other demon realms.”
“Why
would Bancoo want to do that?” he asked curiously.
“Meeshim. His arrival will cement our control of this realm in days, not centuries.”
The demon struggled, and Kirkyn slipped a hand into his pocket and removed one of the crystals. It glowed purple between his fingers, and the rush of power slammed into the demon, and within seconds, he was dead, lips blue and a hint of moisture ran from his nose.
The soft scent of water lily wafted up from his slightly parted lips.
Chapter Nine
Kirkyn got to his feet and opened his pack. He removed his kit taking samples of the soil and then cut the vine to bag it before looking around the area to see if more of the vine had been planted.
He wasn’t surprised they’d brought it with them, it was the best way to begin the transformation. Most of the plants they’d use to poison the land proliferated quickly. Besides that, they were poisonous to humans and some incubi sub-breeds, like the death stalker and the half-human gray spade, which Trinity was.
“What’s going on?” Trinity demanded from the right of him.
“You find something besides uninvited guests?” Astarte asked coming up behind Trinity.
“Colina and possibly rosette.” He indicated the small flowering plant with fragrant blooms that only opened in sunlight. They closed at dusk. In spring, they spewed seeds for a week, which allowed the plant to reproduce.
“What kind?” she asked.
“This looks like the spring variety, which will produce a good crop for next year and bring down the area’s temperatures as well as harden the soil,” Kirkyn replied.
“Weed killer,” Trinity said.
“Won’t work,” Kirkyn told him grimly. “We’ll have to dig this one up and pray they haven’t infested Bossier with them.”
“I’ll get you a list of the plant life and vegetation to look for,” Astarte told him.
“Let’s get back,” Kirkyn said. “We’ll have to let the sprites do their job and scour the land for plants that don’t belong. They’ll know it better than us.”
“I’ll print up a copy for them, too, but I’ll just bet that old sprite won’t be so cooperative until Payten gets here,” Astarte muttered. “What a freaking waste of good time.”
Kirkyn couldn’t agree more, but he didn’t bother voicing his concerns.
“Maybe Baylee will be willing to help out,” Trinity suggested.
Kirkyn gave the man an amused look. “I’ll be in my room. You can find out or head on back home and get the sprites in your area to work checking things out.”
“And with luck, every water sprite in this state has already gotten the word,” Astarte commented as they headed back to the truck.
“Damn,” Kirkyn said peering into the truck. “The gnome’s dead.” Kirkyn jerked the short demon from the front seat and reached into his back and removed a small leather bag.
He sprinkled a gold powder and the body began to vanish.
“That’s cool,” Trinity said. “We might need some of that to clean up before this is all done.”
“I’ll give you some,” Kirkyn assured him.
* * * *
“Hey, Dandelion.” He turned in the reception area where he was waiting for his cousin to finally emerge from her quarters. Her cabin was connected to the hotel via a short walkway just off the hotel’s sunroom.
“Have you seen my cousin or Alisa?” she asked.
“No.” He frowned. “I thought they were in their quarters.”
“We were supposed to be on the road twenty minutes ago, but I can’t find them,” she said. “Neither of them is in their cabin. Their bags are packed and next to the door, but there is no sign of them.”
“Maybe they went down to the pond,” he suggested. “Gram headed that way.”
“I’ve sent Lance down there to check,” she said.
“I’ll give Alisa a call,” he replied and reached for his cell phone on the end table.
“I tried, but she wasn’t answering. Did she change her mind?” Dandelion asked.
“Not that I’m aware of. I’m sure it’s nothing.” Baylee rose, dialing Alisa’s number as he started walking to the cabin. She had to be around here someplace. With only one demon afoot, and he had gone out to patrol.
He could get to the cabin easily from outside.
Baylee took off at a run, his heart thumping in fear as he ended the unanswered call and shoved the phone into his pocket. That bastard wouldn’t have asked another agent to do the job—more importantly, would the agent do it?
When he reached the cabin, he found it empty, with the air plants that hung from the ceiling near the window knocked down and trampled.
“No,” Baylee whispered. “I can’t believe it. Alisa!” he screamed.
“Baylee. Talk to me,” Dandelion demanded. “What is going on?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “Alisa!” He ran for the bedroom, finding blood droplets on the wall and the floor.
“Someone attacked,” Dandelion called from the kitchen. “Where are those demons!”
He emerged to find her in the kitchen. “There’s blood on the carpet near the bedroom, too. Not a lot. Just enough.”
“Same in the kitchen. Alisa must have been attacked in there. Tea’s all over the floor.”
Baylee covered his face with his hands as he struggled to get his emotions under control. When he was calm, he stalked back to the reception area to wait for that demon.
He didn’t have to wait long, because the trio was just coming back in.
“Where’s my cousin, Kirkyn?” Baylee demanded as Kirkyn removed his pack.
Kirkyn frowned, though the look on his face was a bland mask. Baylee punched him in the jaw, and Kirkyn continued to regard him with eyes that gave nothing away.
“I don’t know, and frankly, Baylee, it’s not my concern,” he said. “As I told you earlier, a sprite was coming down to take over command here. She’ll demote me to what she thinks I do best, answer to her. So, you’ll have to wait.”
“You bastard,” he shouted and took another swing, but this time Kirkyn blocked and grabbed him by the lapels of his work shirt, lifting him off his feet.
“Look, you little shit, I have work to do, so get off my ass,” he said and threw Baylee in the general direction of the sofa.
“Kirkyn,” Astarte exclaimed. “What is wrong with you?”
“Get Snevil to look for her while you take his place on post.”
“I—”
“Or don’t,” Kirkyn cut in with a shrug. “I could care less where she is.” He picked up his pack and strode away.
Baylee peeled himself off the floor, ignoring the aching in his leg and ass. He ran at Kirkyn, but Astarte grabbed the back of his shirt.
“Let it go,” she muttered.
“He said he was going to kill her. You know he will.”
“He didn’t touch her. He was with us,” Astarte protested. “And why would he say that?”
“Because he’s pissed I won’t take him back,” he snapped. “Do something, Trinity. Can’t you make him tell you where he put her until he can kill her?”
Trinity sighed. “No. I don’t mind going toe-to-toe with an enemy, but I have a mate to go home to. I don’t want to make him a widower.”
“You coward,” Baylee screamed.
“I’m not free to help you,” Trinity retorted. “I’m attached to another demon’s family. I’m under his command. I can’t attack a shadow spade without provocation.”
“My cousin is pregnant!” Baylee struggled to get free of Astarte, who now had an arm around his waist.
“Stop it,” she ordered, jerking him against her front. “Let’s find Snevil and see if he’s seen anything. He was standing post near their cabin. Kirkyn was worried things were a little more complicated than they looked.”
“He did this. He told that demon to get them.”
“He wouldn’t do it,” Astarte said coolly. “Snevil is a company man.”
“Kir
kyn suspected Darth demons might still be on the premises despite the shield?” Trinity asked.
“Yep. We didn’t have time to check every nook and cranny. Besides that, we don’t even know this place like the sprites.”
The click of heels and the murmur of voices had them all turning around.
“Let my grandson go,” Clarity commanded.
Astarte released him, and he stumbled and would have fallen if not for Trinity.
“I told you those demons were trouble,” Clarity said. “You have to make them tell you where my granddaughter and her husband are.”
“Where’s Kirkyn?” the stranger asked. Her blond hair was swept back from her face, and her skirt suit was neat and pressed.
“He’s working,” Astarte told her frigidly. “I’m going to do the same. He’s in his room if you want a report.”
“You’ll give me the respect of treating me—”
“You’re a grown sprite, do your own job,” she cut in and strode from the room.
Baylee didn’t wait to find out who the woman was, he ran after Astarte.
“Baylee.” Trinity was hard on his heels. “Wait. You can’t make her talk. Besides, unless Kirkyn got to her before you went to his room, he didn’t have time.”
“But that other demon could have. You have no idea what he’s like. He terrorized me for three years, and now that he’s found me, it’s going to start all over again.”
“No. I do know that things are going to get rough after the job’s over. If he’s anything like my boss, he’s not fixated on anything but work right now.”
“He said he’d kill her,” he insisted.
“What else did he say?” Trinity asked.
“If I ran, he’d kill my family,” Baylee told him. “And I believe him. He’s already killed at least three people that I know of who tried to help me.”
Baylee walked faster to keep up with Astarte as she rounded the cabin, moving out of their sight-line. When he’d rounded the cabin, she was gone, and he looked around.
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