Gran snorted. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
Milo laughed, but one look at me, and they both fell silent.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
“I knew your mother was safe,” Gran said firmly. “And that’s what mattered.”
My temper flared at that. “Honesty matters too. Or maybe that’s just my own personal opinion. Seems this family is divided on that one.”
“Uh-oh, here we go,” Milo muttered.
“Gem,” my mother said.
“Whatever,” I said, shoving past the whole argument. “At this point, we’re wasting valuable time. The important thing is that Selaphiel will realize Rourke has failed, and she’ll send someone else. Or come herself. Now, Mom may be protected,” I said, putting up a hand to silence her argument. “But in the meantime, Selaphiel isn’t going to stop.” I looked at Adrik. “Is she?”
He shook his head. “No. Once she sets a course, she doesn’t give up.”
“Well, I think we should give her what she wants.”
My mom’s eyes widened.
“Uh, Gem,” Milo said. “I know you’re frustrated here, but that’s no excuse to sacrifice your mom’s life.”
“I meant Rourke.”
Jax leaned forward. “Absolutely not. We are not letting that asshole go.” He glanced at my mom. “Pardon my French.”
“Are you kidding? Have you met my mother-in-law?” she said.
He chuckled.
“My vocabulary is creative and colorful,” Gran protested. “Like my soul.”
“As I was saying.” I pinched the bridge of my nose to ward off the headache blooming. Stress headaches were in the front, right? Pounding temples? “She’ll expect Rourke to return, and I think we should use that to our advantage.”
Gran stared at me, and even from here, I could see her bug eyes gleaming. “You want to wear the fuckstick’s face, dontcha?”
I didn’t answer.
Jax’s eyes widened, and Adrik shook his head as if already resigned to the fact that I’d come up with this plan. Milo sat forward, sliding the recliner’s footrest away. He looked up at me.
“You’re going to shapeshift into that loser warlock and go see the enemy. That’s what you were concentrating on earlier when you were staring him down.”
“Yes.”
“You’re insane,” Adrik muttered.
“And possibly a moron,” Jax added.
“Or a genius,” Gran said.
It was getting harder and harder to stay mad at her when she’d placed herself firmly in “Camp Gem.”
“It’s risky,” I admitted.
“It’s a death wish,” Jax grumbled.
“You really do want to die,” Adrik said.
“That’s silly. I don’t want to die, but it’s not like the threat of death goes away if I ignore it,” I told him.
“You could let me handle it,” Adrik said, and everyone paused, considering.
I crossed my arms. “Handle it how?”
His expression darkened. “Don’t worry about how.”
“Sounds good to me,” Jax said.
“Adrik, I can’t ask you to kill your sister in cold blood.”
“You aren’t asking,” he said. “I’m offering.”
I shook my head, but he pushed to his feet and stepped forward, surprising me into silence. Adrik’s presence alone filled a room, but here, in my family home, his closeness unsettled me in a way that had nothing to do with Neph magic.
“Can we talk?” he asked in a low voice. “Alone?”
“I… sure.” Flustered, I glanced first toward the front door and then the hallway that led to the bedrooms—which flustered me even more.
“Why don’t you two step into your father’s office?” my mom suggested.
“Good idea,” I said gratefully and led the way to the end of the hall—past the bedrooms. With beds.
The last room on the right had been remodeled when we’d moved in. For as long as I could remember, the wood-paneled walls had smelled like books, dust, and just a bit of ozone thanks to the magical items my father had used as décor.
Trophies from battle, he’d called them.
A wand that had been spelled to only cast curses involving toads.
Runes that only read death fortunes.
A jar of magic beans that grew . . . beans, only faster.
My mother’s idea of trophies was the throwing knives my great-grandmother had stolen off a dead elf—back before elves were extinct. And a spear tipped in demon blood she’d hung over the front door as a “home defense” system. She’d taught me how to throw it when I was ten.
The “trophies” in this room were harmless by comparison, but the sight and smell of them now made my eyes water.
“It smells like him in here,” Adrik said as he closed the door behind us. He looked around, scanning the built-in shelves and their contents.
“Mom won’t touch it,” I said as he wandered closer, head tilted as he read the book titles. “She rarely comes in here and says it’s best left alone, especially until his killer is brought to justice. I think she doesn’t want to admit it’s still too painful to see his things.”
“I understand. Loss, no matter how long or short your life, will always hurt like a fresh wound.”
“You’re talking about your parents.”
He turned to me. “It never gets easier. That is why I can’t allow you to go to Selaphiel.”
I tried not to bristle. “Good thing I’m not asking your permission.”
“Gem.” His voice was gentle, and that undid me.
My temper leaked away.
He closed the distance, running his hand along my cheek.
At his touch, I forgot what I’d ever been angry about in the first place.
Magic. And lust. Or maybe the lust was the magic.
I couldn’t think straight.
My knees wobbled.
“It’s getting worse,” he observed quietly.
“My need to get laid?”
His lips twitched. “Something like that.”
He dropped his hand, and I sucked in a ragged breath, trying to get my bearings.
“You want me to let you fight Selaphiel for me,” I said. “But I think you know by now that’s not how I roll.”
He nodded grudgingly. “Selaphiel is uniquely gifted with the ability to destroy the object of her attention. If not for that gift, I would have already gone to face her.”
“She killed my father, Adrik. And she wounded you.” I lifted my hand, pressing my fingertips to his chest. Then dropped it again. I couldn’t afford to let his lust-magic empty my head again. “If I thought you’d be safe, maybe I’d be tempted to let you run off and save me, to let myself become the damsel. But you’re no safer than I am against her. And because of that, I can’t let you fight my battle.”
“You could get hurt.”
“So could you.”
He scowled.
“Remember what you said to me before? That you can’t lose me?” I asked. “Well, I can’t lose you either.”
He stood silently, his gaze locked on mine.
I braced myself, waiting for another argument.
Finally, he said, “Your panther won’t like this.”
My…
“He’s not my panther.”
“That’s what you think.”
Something strange rippled through me. I decided to ignore it. Safer.
“Does that mean you agree with me?”
He exhaled, and I could see it in his expression. His dark eyes had lost their resistance. “You’re incredibly stubborn.”
I grinned. “Tenacity.”
Chapter Eight
By the time we re-emerged from my father’s office, Gran had returned to Betty Jane’s for “refreshments.” I informed the rest of them that Adrik and I had agreed taking Selaphiel down should be a group effort. Jax glared at Adrik and muttered something about Nephs being traitors to supes.
Adrik pretended not to hear and then promptly left, claiming he needed to check on Tony and the strength of the wards he’d put up around the townhouse.
Not a lie, but I knew a hasty exit when I saw one.
Ten minutes later, we stood in my mother’s backyard, Milo, Jax, and I—all of us making plans to head somewhere safe. Except for my mother. Who was apparently confident in Raphziel’s protection wards, which I preferred to pretend was not a euphemism for something else.
“Do you think we should back up or something?” Milo whispered to me now. “Give him some space? Take cover?”
Adrik had been almost right earlier. Jax didn’t just “not like” our plan. He was furious. Not that I blamed him. “Plan” seemed like a loose word. All I knew was that I could shapeshift into a copy of Rourke, and somehow we could use that to get close to Selaphiel. Not that I knew what we’d do when I got that close, but hey, it was a work-in-progress.
Currently, Jax paced the length of the grass from the patio to the shed where Rourke still lay bound and now gagged with a mouthful of spider web. Despite being on two legs, Jax looked every inch the predator that lived inside him.
“If he comes this way, we run,” I told Milo, my wary gaze locked on Jax.
“Deal,” Milo agreed. “I still think it’s cheating that Adrik bolted. When Selaphiel realizes Rourke isn’t returning, this is the first place she’ll look.”
“I already texted Adrik and told him to send word to Selaphiel that my mother is missing. That should buy us some time and keep her away from here,” I reminded him.
“Time for your genius plan to work,” Milo supplied.
I decided to ignore his sarcasm. “Yes.”
“The plan where you pretend to be Rourke the peniscork,” he said, citing Gran’s departing nickname for the guy, “and get close enough to stab Selaphiel in the—where again?” He tapped his chin, pretending to be in thought. “Oh yeah, doesn’t matter since she’s invincible.”
I elbowed him in the ribs. “Not invincible. Just harder to kill,” I corrected. Though I hadn’t shared what had happened to Adrik earlier. Or that I now knew Nephilim were vulnerable to one another. Still didn’t help me not get dead if I got too close and she discovered who I really was.
“I think the word you’re looking for is impossible.”
I cut him a glare. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
“I can’t help it. The plan is terrible.”
“Do you have a better one?” I challenged.
“No, but no plan is better than this plan,” he said. I scowled. “Look, I’m all for a good slaying. You know that. You trained with me. But she can’t be killed, Gem. As in, no way.”
“Actually, she can.”
I turned at the sound of a smooth, male voice. Jax stopped pacing and was at my side instantly. Milo pressed in against my other.
But I shook them off and stepped forward just as my mother emerged from the house.
“Raph,” she called, “I didn’t realize you were stopping by today.”
He beamed at her, but his smile faltered as he caught sight of Fergie on her hip. “I wasn’t aware you had guests—or that a threat had gotten through.”
I started for my mother, but Jax beat me to it. He slid in and took Fergie from my mother’s arms then retreated to where I stood. He angled his body beside mine protectively while still shielding Fergie.
“Gem, always a pleasure,” Raphziel said.
I watched as my mother went to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He slid an arm around her waist in casual affection, and my blood nearly boiled right out of my skin.
“I heard you warded the house,” I said flatly.
“Yes, I wanted to make sure your mother was safe while you . . . resolved your issues with the agency.”
My eyes narrowed.
His gaze flicked to Jax then Milo. “Mr. Mercer. I heard you abandoned your post. Cincinnati suffers without your protection.”
“It’s Toledo, actually.”
“Was it?” Raphziel frowned. “They all run together for me.” Milo snorted, and Raphziel shot Jax a tight smile. “Mr. McGuire, interesting to find you here.”
“Everyone here is under the protection of the McGuire pack,” Jax said.
“Noted.” Raphziel turned to my mother. “Cora, I heard you had a bit of excitement earlier. Everything all right?”
“An intruder tried kidnapping my mother,” I said.
Raph’s eyes narrowed fractionally as he looked past me to where Rourke’s body was visible through the open shed door. “I see he’s been dealt with.”
“Wouldn’t have happened in the first place if your wards worked correctly,” I said before she could answer.
“Gem,” my mother said. “Manners.”
But I ignored her. Good manners weren’t happening. Not now, not ever with this guy.
“Be that as it may, he would never have breached the house,” Raphziel said, unruffled by my tone. “And as you can see, his spells and magic cannot aid him while on the grounds. Hence the reason he remains your prisoner.”
“My friends’ gifts all work just fine,” I pointed out.
“Of course. I built a safeguard into the wards that anyone in your company is untouched.”
I huffed.
Well played—but I wasn’t about to thank him or anything.
“What did you mean?” I asked. “When Milo said she can’t be killed. You said she can.”
“All beings can be killed. Some are easier than others, but the fact remains.” He smiled, a gesture that was probably meant to be charming but really just made me want to stab him.
“This isn’t just any being,” Milo said wryly.
Raphziel didn’t hesitate. “You’re referring to Selaphiel, I presume?”
I stared back at him, studying. “And if I am?”
“That is your business, of course. And I’m sure you have your reasons.”
His words held a note of knowing, and my hands fisted. “I take it you know what those reasons are.”
“I have my suspicions.”
“You know she killed my father.” I took a step forward, but Jax and Milo grabbed me.
My mother turned to him, surprise and disappointment coloring her expression. “Why didn’t you tell me, Raph?”
“I didn’t want to upset you until I knew for sure. You’ve already been through so much pain.”
“Her pain is none of your damn concern,” I snapped.
Raph studied me, and I huffed, hating that he seemed to see me in a way I hadn’t offered or allowed.
When he spoke again, his voice was gentler. “A Nephilim’s mortality is tied to that which they care for most. Harm the object of her devotion, and you will harm her.”
“And if the object of a Nephilim’s devotion is herself?” I countered.
His eyes danced. “Therein lies the note of immortality that keeps us breathing. But, that’s not the case with Selaphiel. She carries affection for another, I can assure you that.”
“I don’t suppose you want to tell me who that is.”
“To give away a Nephilim’s weakness would only bring my own destruction.” He glanced at my mother then back to me. “You’re clever, Gem. I have no doubt you’ll uncover the answer.” Then to my mother, “I believe last time I was here, you promised me carafels.”
“I should have known you wouldn’t forget.” She laughed. “They’re in the fridge. Come on. I made a double batch.”
“I should hope so. A Nephilim’s appetite is as endless as our good humor, you know.”
“Selaphiel might come here looking for her,” I said, ignoring their banter.
Raphziel’s amusement fell away, replaced by steel resolve. “No harm will come to Cora here. You have my word.”
I nodded.
Despite my feelings toward him, I had no doubt he’d keep her safe.
My mother looked over as they headed for the house. “Gem, you’ll let me know how it goes? And c
lean up any mess you make in my shed.”
“I… Yeah.”
The door shut behind them, and I could only stare after them. Beside me, Jax exhaled.
“Your mom—” Milo began.
“We’re not going to talk about it,” I snapped.
Neither one said a word.
“What?” I demanded when I caught Jax’s expression.
“He did help us,” Jax said.
“After admitting he’d suspected Selaphiel of being my dad’s killer and kept that from me.”
“He didn’t bat an eye at Fergie,” Milo pointed out.
“He called her a threat,” I said.
“Yeah, but after that.” Milo shrugged. “He didn’t try to hurt her or anything.”
“He’s hitting on my mom,” I said.
“Your mom seems like she can take care of herself.”
I bared my teeth at that, and Milo shrank back.
“Just sayin’,” he muttered.
“If this is going to work, we need to do some digging into Selaphiel,” Jax said.
I stared at him in surprise. “Really? You’re not going to fight me on this?”
He sighed wearily. “I don’t have the stamina to fight you and protect you from all the danger you attract.”
Milo snorted.
“But we need to be smart,” Jax went on. “First, we need to figure out what Selaphiel’s weakness is. And then, we need to find a warlock who can help us with some basic magic. If you’re going to impersonate the warlock, you need to be able to sell it.”
“Why bother? If I can identify the thing she’s devoted to, we won’t need it.”
Jax shot me a look. “Like I said, we need to be smart. Cover our bases. Those are my terms.”
“Fine,” I grumbled. “I agree to your terms.”
“All right.” Milo rubbed his hands together. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s go torture a warlock.”
Chapter Nine
Jax swung the shed door wide open, revealing a rumpled-looking Rourke curled on the dirty wooden floor inside. At the sight of us, he went still and looked up from where he lay on his side, his eye already bruising and swollen where Adrik had punched him. Now, his clothes were coated in dirt, and his head lay dangerously close to the rack where my mother’s garden clippers hung. Both wrists were tied behind his back with twine I recognized from my mother’s tomato plant stash, and his ankles were bound together with a zip-tie.
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