by Karen Lynch
Her green eyes sparkled with amusement. “The one and only, but I prefer Sara.” She turned to Mason. “And you must be Mason Young.”
He took her hand, looking a little awed. I had to bite back a grin because I knew exactly what was going through his mind. Wherever Sara Grey went, so did her mate.
Lord Tristan wasn’t the only reason Mason had wanted to go to Westhorne. It was also the home of Nikolas Danshov. Every new warrior, including me, dreamed of fighting alongside him. But I had my reasons for not wanting to go to Westhorne, and not even the chance to work with Nikolas could override those.
When we’d learned about the new command center in Los Angeles, Mason and I had immediately requested to be placed there. It was a great opportunity to work with seasoned warriors in the field, and the city was a hotbed of demon activity. We hadn’t heard who would be running the center, and the last person either of us had expected to find here was Nikolas.
Sara waved at the house. “Come inside, and I’ll give you the grand tour.”
We grabbed our stuff and followed Sara into the house. The wide foyer opened into a spacious living area with floor-to-ceiling windows at the back that looked out over a courtyard and a large pool.
Leaving our bags near the door, we walked to the nearest end of the U-shaped house that had been converted into a busy control room. I looked around the room, taking in the computers and banks of monitors at the various workstations set up around the room. On the wall was the largest computer screen I’d ever seen, displaying a map of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Tiny colored dots moved on the screen, and it took me several seconds to realize they were locators for our warriors out in the city.
I’d been to the security center at Longstone a few times, but that was nothing compared to this. I was more than a little impressed by the size of it all as Sara walked us around, introducing us to the people there.
“This is the weapons room.” Sara opened a door to a store room filled with shelves of weapons and other gear. “If you need anything, you’ll probably find it in here. If not, let Raoul know, and he’ll commission it for you.”
She closed the door, and we moved on to the next one.
“And this is the gym.”
We entered the room where two men were fighting, their movements so fast it was hard to follow them even when I used my demon sight. They stopped, and one of the men turned to smile at Sara. I didn’t need to hear Mason’s sharp intake of breath to know who we were about to meet.
“Beth and Mason, this is Nikolas and Raoul. Nikolas runs the command center, and Raoul is his second.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, proud of how confident I sounded despite the nervous flutter in my stomach.
Mason muttered a hello.
The men walked over to shake our hands. They were the same height with black hair, but that was where the similarities ended. Raoul had an easy manner about him. Nikolas was friendly, but there was an edge to him, an aura of strength in every movement.
“This is your first field assignment?” Nikolas asked.
“Yes,” I answered for both of us. “We’ve been assigned to Longstone since we finished training last year.”
“I read your files. Top of your training class, and Teresa Fuller personally recommended you for this placement.”
“Thanks,” Mason and I said together.
I felt my face flush from the praise. I hadn’t known the Longstone leader had spoken to Nikolas about us. This whole day had a surreal quality to it, and I was half expecting to wake up and find myself back in my old bedroom.
“Take today to settle in, and we’ll meet tomorrow morning to discuss duties and team assignments,” Nikolas said.
We nodded, and he and Raoul went back to sparring. I would have loved to stay and watch, but Sara was already leaving. Reluctantly, I followed, tugging Mason with me.
At the end of the hallway, Sara turned to us with a knowing smile.
“He has that effect on most people. It’ll pass once you get to know him.”
Mason smiled sheepishly. “I haven’t acted that stupid since I was fourteen.”
“Was it like that for you when you met him?” I asked Sara.
Sara laughed. “Not quite. But we’ll save that story for another time. Let me show you the rest of the house.”
Leading us into a gorgeous kitchen that was a perfect blend of old-world charm and modern appliances, she pointed to a door on the other side of the room.
“The previous owner must have had a big car collection because he added on a huge garage. You can get to it through here or through the control room.”
We left the kitchen and walked through the rest of the house. Sara explained that most of the warriors working out of the command center lived at the three safe houses in the city. That way this place wasn’t too crowded.
“We have four bedrooms in here, and there is a guesthouse with two bedrooms out back. One of you can take the last room, or you can both stay in the guesthouse. It’s up to you.”
“The guesthouse will work.” I liked the idea of Mason and me having our own space.
Sara led us back to the living room and through a set of French doors to the backyard. The guesthouse was a much smaller one-story structure nestled in the trees a hundred or so feet from the house. It had a small living room, kitchen, and two bedrooms, each with their own bathroom.
Mason let me have the larger bedroom, and I set my things down on the queen-size bed, eager to unpack and settle in.
“Let me know if you need anything,” Sara said from the bedroom doorway. “I’m the unofficial den mother until we get everything sorted out.”
“You don’t have to take care of us.”
She waved a hand. “I like doing it, and the others don’t complain unless I try to cook. Raoul says he’s counting down the days until Chris gets here. Apparently, my omelet skills need some work.”
The bottom fell out of my stomach. “Chris Kent?”
I mentally kicked myself for not putting it together sooner. Chris and Nikolas were best friends, and everyone knew they worked together. If Nikolas was here, then chances were Chris was around, too. My mind conjured an image of his green eyes and dimpled smile, and the old hurt pricked my chest.
“Yes. I figured you must know him since you’re both from Longstone.”
“It’s been a while,” I said a lot more casually than I felt. “So, he’s coming here, too?”
She shrugged. “He’s in Germany now, but I expect he’ll turn up here eventually. Do you know him well?”
I swallowed. “I knew him when I was younger, but I haven’t seen him in years.”
Sara smiled. “Well, maybe you’ll catch up again when he comes back.”
“Maybe.”
“Okay. I’ll get out of your hair and let you unpack.” She walked to the door and turned back to me. “Come inside when you’re done, and we’ll scrounge up some lunch.”
As soon as the front door closed, Mason entered my bedroom. The concern in his eyes told me he’d overheard our conversation.
“We don’t have to stay here.”
I fingered the strap of my duffle bag. “We can’t just pick up and leave. We asked to come here, and it’ll look bad if we change our minds after one day.”
“I don’t care about that.”
He was such a bad liar. Being a warrior meant everything to him, and like me, he wanted to make a good impression on his first assignment. And I’d seen the excitement in his eyes when he found out he’d be working with Nikolas. He’d already passed on Westhorne for me. No way was I letting him give up this opportunity.
“We’re not leaving. He might never even show up here.”
“And if he does?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Then I’ll put on my big girl panties and deal with it. It’s not the end of the world.”
Mason scowled. “He hurt you.”
“He didn’t do anything to me. He just…” Didn’t want me.
“That was four years ago, and I’m over it. He’s probably forgotten all about me anyway.”
I bit my lip as my chest squeezed, hating that it hurt after all this time. Why did I still care? Chris didn’t. He’d made that clear when he left and never came back.
I unzipped my duffle bag and pulled out my small toiletry case and a change of clothes.
“I’m going to shower before lunch,” I said, putting an end to the conversation.
Mason stood. “Give me your keys, and I’ll move our bikes. I want to check out the garage.”
I tossed my keys to him. “Thanks.”
Half an hour later, freshly showered and changed, I unpacked my things and hung my clothes in the closet. I smiled at my sparse wardrobe. I loved clothes, but there was only so much you could carry on a bike, and I’d give up my shoes before my Harley. Besides, now I had a good excuse to go shopping in LA.
I threw my empty bag into the closet, and a glint of silver on the bedspread caught my eye. Pressing my lips together, I stared at the silver chain for a long moment before I picked it up. I sat on the bed, letting the delicate chain wrap loosely around my fingers so the small silver dove pendant dangled from my hand.
I’d thrown the necklace into the back of my closet years ago, not wanting to look at it but unable to part with it. Seeing it now brought back memories of a time I wished I could forget – and the person who I’d thought had cared for me before he’d walked out of my life.
Of all the places in the world I could have gone, I’d chosen the command center run by Chris’s best friend. I’d lied when I told Mason I could deal with it if Chris showed up here. The truth was my stomach clenched painfully at the mere thought of seeing him again. If I had any sense of self-preservation, I’d ride away from here today and not look back.
I flopped back on the bed with a groan. This was so stupid. Why was I still letting him get to me? It wasn’t like we’d ever been together. All I’d been to Chris was the little girl he liked to indulge whenever he came to visit.
Until he never came again.
A knock came at my door, and I called for Mason to come in. His hair was damp, and he’d changed his clothes.
“Get the bikes moved?” I asked, sitting up.
He tossed me my keys. “Yeah. Wait’ll you see the garage. You can fit two dozen bikes in there.”
“I didn’t expect you back so soon. I figured you’d be fawning over Nikolas’s Ducati for at least half an hour.”
“Ha-ha.” He looked around my room. “You unpacked?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Let’s go get some lunch.”
I grinned. “Yeah. I bet Nikolas eats around this time.”
He snorted, but I noticed he didn’t try to deny that was why he was eager to go to the main house. I was going to have so much fun watching my normally cool best friend get all tongue-tied around his hero.
I opened the drawer to the night table and dropped the chain inside. Then I waved at Mason.
“Lead the way.”
* * *
I pulled into the parking spot next to Mason and shut off the Harley. Dismounting, I removed my helmet and watched as a black Jeep parked two spots away. The front doors of the Jeep opened, and Raoul and Brock got out.
My stomach fluttered, and I fought to keep the foolish grin off my face as the two men walked over to us. Mason and I had been in Los Angeles for three days, and most of that time had been spent being briefed on protocols and procedures and getting to know the other warriors. I was all for being prepared, but I was itching to get out and do what I’d been training for my whole life.
For the last two weeks, a tana demon had been at work in the city. Cousins to Incubi, tana demons lived on human energy, but unlike Incubi, they didn’t feed off sexual energy only. A tana demon could be male or female, and they only fed from the opposite sex. And what they left behind was nothing more than a husk of dried skin and bones. Since all the victims had been women, we knew we were looking for a male demon.
Another team was hunting him, but Nikolas thought it would be good experience for Mason and me to ride along with Raoul and check out a tip from an informant. According to the informant, a succubus named Adele, the tana demon might hit one of two places tonight. The other team was checking out the first club a block away, and we got the second one, a club called Suave.
“When we get inside, spread out,” Raoul said. “If you spot the target, keep him in sight and let the team know where you are. Any questions?”
He looked at Mason and me. We shook our heads, and the four of us walked toward the club, where a line of about fifty people stood outside the door. Instead of getting into line, Raoul headed for the door where a burly man stood guard. I didn’t hear the exchange between them, but the bouncer smiled and waved us in amid complaints from the crowd.
Loud music and a wave of warm air hit me as we walked down the short hallway to the main section of the club. The interior was one big room with a round bar in the center, surrounded by a sea of undulating bodies. How did you find someone in all this, especially when you only had a vague description to go by? The only way to recognize a tana demon was by their unique odor, which could most aptly be described as rotting oranges. Humans couldn’t smell it, but we could. The problem was that you had to get close enough to pick it up.
I waved to Mason and set off around the edge of the dancers, my eyes scanning every male face as my nose tried to detect the tana’s presence. According to Adele, the demon was tall and blond, which wasn’t a whole lot to go on and fit the description of half the men here. More than one of them caught me looking, prompting them to approach me and slowing my search. I brushed them off as politely as I could and continued on my way. Of course, there’s always that one guy who is more persistent than the others.
“One drink,” he called over the music.
“No, thanks. I’m looking for someone.”
I continued to search the faces around us. When he spoke again, he was inches from me, and I could smell alcohol on his breath. I’d seen intoxicated humans in movies and on TV, but this was my first encounter with one. The alcohol fumes made me want to cover my nose and mouth. It was a good thing humans didn’t have our sense of smell, or they’d probably never date.
“I’m someone,” he drawled silkily.
I nudged away the hand he’d laid on my shoulder. He was good-looking, and I was sure any number of girls here would love him to be their someone. I wasn’t one of them.
“Excuse me. I think I see my friend.”
I plunged into the crowd, letting it swallow me up. My new direction took me toward the bar, and I had to push through the mass of bodies. A hand cupped my ass, and I swiped it away in annoyance. When a different hand groped my breast, I wasn’t as forgiving. I squeezed the fingers until the faceless man yelped in pain.
My mood was darker by the time I reached the bar, and the excitement of my first job had dimmed. I wondered how Mason and the others were faring. I hadn’t heard from them, so I assumed they weren’t having any luck either.
A bartender stopped in front of me and asked what I wanted. I ordered a ginger ale and sipped it as I resumed my task of studying the face of every blond male around me. I soon came to the realization that hunting wasn’t all chases and combat. It could be downright boring.
On the opposite side of the circular bar, a couple caught my eye. I’d seen them during my first scan of the people around the bar, but I’d dismissed the man because he was dark-haired, not blond. I noticed them this time because the girl, who had seemed alert a few minutes ago, now looked drunk. Or drugged, if her glassy eyes and slack mouth were any indication.
I looked at her companion and found him watching her with an expression that was more hunger than concern. I knew how easy it was for someone to slip you a drug in one of these places. I also knew predators didn’t always come in demon form.
The girl got off her stool
and would have fallen if the man hadn’t grabbed her. She smiled at him with unfocused eyes as he led her away from the bar. I set my glass on the bar and followed.
I lost them in the crowd several times, but I managed to catch sight of them walking down a dark hallway toward the back exit of the club. I debated whether or not to alert my team and decided not to pull them away from the job for this. If it came down to it, I could easily handle a human male.
The metal door squeaked when I opened it and slipped outside into a loading area used for deliveries. At the bottom of a concrete ramp, I spotted the man carrying the girl, who appeared to be unconscious. He stopped walking and looked up at me.
“Well, this isn’t the right door.” I bit my lip, pretending to be embarrassed.
His gaze moved over my body before resting on my face. “You shouldn’t be out here alone, sweetheart.”
I jiggled the doorknob that had locked behind me. “Damn it. Now I’ll have to walk all the way around to the front again.”
“Come. I’ll walk with you.” He adjusted the girl’s weight in his arms. “I was just leaving anyway. My girl had a bit too much to drink.”
“Oh, thanks,” I said with exaggerated relief as I started toward them. “Is she okay?”
“She just needs to sleep it off.” He glanced down at the girl’s face. When he looked up again, there was no mistaking the hungry gleam in his dark eyes.
I took another two steps, and my nose twitched as the unmistakable smell of rotten oranges filled my nostrils.
My mind raced as I evaluated the situation. Tana demons were strong, but so was I. I didn’t have the speed or strength of a warrior like Raoul, but I could hold my own against a lone demon. My main concern was for the girl, who could be badly injured in a fight. And there was no way this guy was going down without one.
I had the element of surprise on my side. He wouldn’t be this calm if he knew what I was. If I alerted the team, he’d know, and he could hurt the girl before backup arrived.
“You coming?”
I started when I realized I’d stopped halfway down the ramp. I gnawed the inside of my cheek as I began walking again. What do I do?