by Jo Palmer
“Haven’t you had Glitterbug jabbering in your ear?” Nate asked, surprised.
Bonded, Ace and Ruine could speak to one another telepathically.
“He’s holed up researching.”
That meant Ace closed himself up in a room with no distractions and no noise coming in from the outside. Ruine left him to it and did his own thing.
“Right, what’s next?”
“We could go to some of the mansions outside town, see if anything turns up,” Nate suggested.
“Nah, been there, done that. Grydern’s not here.”
“Where else did Ace suggest?”
“Monte Carlo and a place called Watervale.”
“I get Monte Carlo, but where the hell is Watervale, and what’s the attraction?”
“Watervale, Australia. And no damn idea. Where’s Nico?”
Nate was beginning to wonder that also and took out his phone. After hitting speed dial, he listened to the ring tone. Nico was renowned for not answering calls when the mood struck or if he was in the middle of something, so Nate wasn’t bothered or concerned.
“How ’bout you and I do a trip to Monte Carlo, spawn?”
“Let’s go.”
Placing a hand on Nate’s shoulder, Ruine shifted them from Vegas to Monte Carlo. There in a blink, they searched the city and outer mansions. There were a few spots the dark sorcerer could hole up in, which Ruine sneaked into while Nate stood guard.
It felt like they were on a wild goose chase wasting valuable time. But they had to do whatever they could, even check out places like this. Time was ticking down for Remi the imp; Nate couldn’t see Grydern hanging onto her for long. And, unfortunately, if Grydern was replicating the ceremonial power bowl, he may be experimenting, and she was there for easy use.
Damn, that pissed him off. Nate bristled, hating what the psycho bastard might do. He’d liked the imp, from what he recalled of her, but besides that, it was damn wrong to be experimented on. His brownie was holding it together well, remaining focused on the hunt, becoming a lawyer for the council and the land dispute, anything to distract from the awful truth.
Remika Alberts could very well be dead by now.
Nate climbed from the high brick wall up into a tall tree to get a better view of the back of the mansion Ruine was searching and noticed something unusual. In the very far corner of the large property set on a hillside there looked to be a cave. Hidden behind trees and large rocks, he wouldn’t have noticed it if light hadn’t caught on a tiny crystal at the entrance.
This may be it. He scrambled down from the tree, careful not to make any noise, keeping his guard up. Once down he took out his phone and texted Nico, telling the vampire his and Ruine’s location and that he was going to look in the cave. Next he texted Ruine.
Not awaiting a response from either, Nate used his supernatural speed to reach the cave. Cautiously, he studied all of it. Ruine appeared behind a boulder to his left and shifted so he was beside Nate.
“Feel any magic barriers?” Nate asked.
“A powerful one, immortal magic mixed with…” Ruine frowned. “Bad fairy magic.”
“Bad fairy magic?” Nate didn’t know there was such a thing.
Fairies just weren’t that bad. Sure, they got up to mischief, but it was usually harmless and without any malicious intent. Basically, they were the good guys of the paranormal world, the do-gooders, as they had no harmful tendencies. Sure, you got a few miscreants, but on the whole, they were just mischievous, a few petty criminals, but no one really bad.
“It’s uncommon, and difficult to detect. The sultan made sure we learned about them.”
“Must be a reason why he’d go to the trouble if they’re so uncommon.”
Ruine’s dark brows rose. “Blood wrath, wolf, the brownie’s rubbing off on you to be questioning things.”
Nate grinned. “She gets me thinking, demon, gotta like that.”
Nodding, Ruine turned his attention back to the cave entrance. “I like this brownie of yours. She is fearless and smart, and her tongue lashes like a whip. It is a trait I have always admired about the brownies—they take no shit.”
Chuckling, Nate grinned. “Yeah, those brownies. For disloyal, thieving creatures, they sure have an abundance of courage. Does surprise me why we don’t have any sentinel brownies. They’re short, yeah, and don’t move as quick as others, but they’re fearless and tough, and imps tend to be short buggers too.”
“True. The sultan feels the brownies purposefully despise us, as they enjoy whining and complaining about being downtrodden, but now I’m not so sure. Your brownie sure doesn’t complain, she frigging tells us to our faces.” Ruine’s eyes lit up. “I enjoy this. I would like a brownie mate if they were all like Ada.”
Stunned, Nate’s stared at the big war demon. “Mate? Hell, guess we all want one of those. If I can get the uptight creatures on side, maybe we can get some sentinels out of them and see if there is one for you. I would have thought you’d want a demon.”
Ruine’s top lip curled. “Chase will accept nothing less than a demon mate. I find them docile or downright difficult in a way that is unpleasant. He likes to deal and negotiate, I like to…”
“Trample and fight. I get it.”
“Let us rescue this imp—”
“Hey, any hints about what’s up with Divij and the imps?”
Ruine shrugged. “He is immortal and doesn’t talk of things that can cause rifts, too much a diplomat. Chase has been investigating for the last few years, he is close to discovering. Now, Carlos came across bad fairy magic once, said it almost killed him because he went charging in blind. A demon never makes the same mistake twice and makes sure family spawn learn the lesson too. This magic doesn’t feel good—”
“I can smell something familiar…” Nate rose, his nose twitching, hackles rising. “It’s the imp!”
“Hold up there, buddy, don’t go jumping in there before I’ve figured this out.”
“Not a lot of time; he’s had her over twenty-four hours.”
“You’re right, I’ll get Ace here.”
“You can’t do a little demon dark magic to break through?” Nate asked surprised. Ruine was up for anything, it wasn’t like him to be too cautious.
“I learned my lessons from Uncle Carlos real well. He advised us not to touch bad fairy magic if we could help it, not fucking worth it. It can strip ya of every molecule that makes you a species.”
“Right, gotcha. Call Glitterbug.” Nate shuddered at the thought of losing what made him a werewolf. He checked his phone, beginning to wonder why Nico hadn’t called him back after all this time. Generally the temperamental vamp would get back to him by now. This left him with a bad feeling. “I need to call Lucio.”
Ruine didn’t comment, obviously contacting Ace through their bond. Nate waited the ten or so times Lucio’s phone rang. It went to voice mail. Damn vamps and never answering their phones! This time he called his cousin Blaine, who, like a damn good wolf, answered on the third ring.
“What’s up, cuz?”
“You in Galdo?”
“Yeah, why?” Blaine caught onto Nate’s serious tone. “Brownie OK? You find a lead?”
“We may have. I need you to contact either Lucio or the vamp queen and have them speak to Nico. Bastard ain’t returning any of my calls, and I’m getting a bad feeling.”
“Luc’s here, hang on.” Blaine filled Lucio in.
Ace the Glitterbug fairy sparkled into view before them and glanced curiously around, eyes widening on the cave.
“Fairy Goddess, that’s bad sparkle juice.”
“Can you remove it?”
“Give me a minute.” Ace waved Ruine to silence and walked closer to the cave, staring at it intently.
“Cuz, Lucio said Nico’s not responding. Where did you last see him, we’ll head there and search.”
“Fates damnation!” Nate growled. “They’re in Las Vegas. Grydern probably set all this up by dumping the
crystal and having our cops chase the demon kid.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re going to Vegas. I can track Nico. Luc’s calling Chase and Divij to join us, and we’ll have your vamp back in two shakes of a werewolf’s tail.” Blaine hung up leaving Nate frustrated, edgy, and worried.
“Go sort out the silent vamp,” Ruine said quietly. “Glitterbug and I can handle this.”
“I can’t.” Nate bit back the frustration. He had a job to do and could rely on his cousin and friends. And Nico. The vamp may be suave and cool, but he was more than just a dynamo in the business and political arenas. He was also a brilliant, deadly fighter. “I vowed I’d follow every lead to the imp. I won’t go back on my word.”
Demons understood all about honor, and Ruine didn’t urge or question him further.
After five minutes of torturous waiting, Dare appeared and stood beside his younger brother.
Nate figured it must be difficult if Ace had to call in reinforcements. The Glitterbug may be all sparkle and cheerful splash, but he was far from a slouch in the magic department. In fact, he was frigging scary amazing. Without a word between them—fairies could speak via their minds to other fairies and blood bonds—they each took a side of the cave entrance and waved Ruine and Nate back.
Impatient to get in there to the imp he’d scented, Nate bit down on his impatience and stayed out of the fairies’ way while he guarded their backs.
Fates and damnation! He should have had an instinct’s flair there was trap against Nico, yet he’d felt nothing, not one disturbance. Where the hell was Nico, and why wasn’t the snobby vamp answering his phone?
The next moment, the cave exploded. Dare thrust Ace out of the way and threw his hands up, halting the spew of rocks and dirt and bad magic headed their way. Recovering quickly, Ace and Ruine jumped in to assist, but it was over, the rocks and debris turning to dust and any remnants of magic floating away.
“Goddess wings, Dareios! Don’t toss me out of the way.” Glitterbug threw his hands up and muttered to himself as he strode into the cave and disappeared into the darkness. Instantly the cave shone brightly. “Well, come on.”
Not needing to be told twice, Nate hurried in with Dare following and Ruine covering them from behind. The cave was a labyrinth of tunnels. He followed the imp’s scent to a large cavern that looked like it had once held more than just the big-ass golden cage in the center. It was a frigging oversize birdcage!
“Thank the Goddess!” The imp in the cage stood with hands on hips, her clothes torn, hair a mess, cuts and scratches half healed. “Oh, wow, the big guns to the rescue! I feel sooo honored!” She grinned tiredly.
“Are you injured?” Nate asked, circling the contraption the cage was placed upon and studying the rope hanging from the roof that was twirled through the top of the cage.
“Starving, thirsty, a bit battered and bruised, and ego a tad dented, but overall, OK. I wouldn’t step there, o hunky demon; Grydern set a few traps.” The imp crouched, smiling at Ruine flirtatiously. “Thanks for coming to my rescue, let me know how I can show my appreciation.”
Ace laughed and produced a bag of cookies from thin air. “My demon buddy is already thinking of hundreds of ways, imp. You are Remika Alberts, right?”
“Yep, that’s me. And you’re the fairy prince, Ace. I’m honored royalty came to my rescue. Oh, not a good idea, the bars are wired.” Remika advised when Ace attempted to pass the bag of cookies through the cage bars. “If I try to reach out or use my magic, I’m fried. Same goes if you guys try to reach in. It’s a bit of a dilemma. Any ideas? I’ve been here five hours and come up with zilch.”
“Only five hours?” Nate asked, still circling, studying the contraption. “Where’s Grydern and his minions?”
“Gone, all gone.” She sighed. “He’s a bit of a fruitloop, old Grydern. Kept going on about how I wasn’t meant to be in this cage and how he’d had to make adjustments, and why in fate’s lovely name wouldn’t she come to him? Honestly, he was beginning to give me a complex! I know I don’t look my best at the moment, but blood oath, I’m not that repulsive!”
Nate grinned, momentarily distracted. “Nah, you’re still hot, imp. Ada is gonna be mighty happy, and grateful, that you’re safe…” He shrugged. “Once we get you out of that cage.”
“Ada! She’s OK? He threatened her, I heard him. The brownie’s got smarts, but he’s a wacko and damn unpredictable.” Remika reached out a hand toward the bar, possibly to pull herself up.
“Don’t touch the bar, imp,” Ruine warned. “When did Grydern leave? And where were you kept before five hours ago?”
“Easy, hunky demon.” Glitterbug glided over to the cage. “Not all that well, huh? Head hurting? Grydern clobber you?”
“No, though he wasn’t exactly a gentleman. I may have let my mouth run away with me, and his partner hit me with something. Next thing I knew, I was in this cage, she was yelling at him, and before they left, he warned me about the bars.” The imp glared. “Warned, as in gleefully told me what would happen if I touched the bars or tried to get out. He’s a sick fuck, I’ll tell you that much.”
“A partner?” Dare, who had been investigating the rope above the cage, now gave them his full attention. “Who?”
“Don’t know, never saw her face. She was nasty, though, toward him too. They didn’t like each other much; he bad mouthed her, she bad mouthed him, and lordy, they argued! It was like being home with my parents again, except of course they weren’t threatening dismemberment, cursing creatures, and experimenting on them.” She shivered, rubbing her arms and suddenly looking less than cheerful. “I’m not going to make it out of here, am I? It’s cool, give it to me straight, I’ve never been one to hide behind a pretty lie, and I’d rather go down knowing, not taken by surprise again. Do you know Ada?” She asked Nate. “I saw your interest in her. She’s real tough to get close to, but if I’m right, and that was a mate connection you experienced, she’s so worth it. I couldn’t have made it in the mortal world without her. She set me up financially when my parents scoffed and didn’t think I’d amount to much besides a bit of fun—which, let me tell you, they were sooo wrong!” She smiled. “They’re kinda stupid, but I love them. Just take care of her, OK? And be damn respectful, she deserves it.”
“We’ll get you out of there, imp. It’s a snap.” Ace snapped his fingers, and the rope fell from the ceiling. “See—uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good.”
The entire cave shuddered and groaned, the ground rumbling beneath their feet, the cage beginning to sway back and forth.
“What the fuck did you do, Glitterbug?” Nate swore. “Imp, glue yourself to the floor of that cage, and do not touch the bars! I’ve come this far, we’re not gonna leave you here. You’re coming out of this alive.” He flashed a grin. “My brownie will murder me in my sleep if I let you die.”
“Yeah, that’s true. Sneaky ass brownies.” The imp winced. “That was the last of my magic. I’m glued to the floor and can’t protect myself further than that; it’s up to you guys now. I have to ask. Prince Ace, what did I ever do to you other than drool over your bond demon and have illicit dreams of the pair of you and me together?”
Ruine paused. “TMI, imp. Ace, don’t move, and don’t use any magic. Dare, what have you got?”
“An urge to strangle my brother.” Dare was calmly swinging a rope he’d materialized. “I’m going to loop this through that hook in the ceiling. We can’t magically touch the cage, but that doesn’t mean we can’t destroy it.”
Nate clued in quick. “Let’s get it done. Ruine, can you control the rocks and debris falling? Ace, keep the cave exit clear.”
“On it.” Ace took off.
“What are you planning? And did he do that on purpose?” The imp was a little anxious.
“Yes, and we are going to knock the cage over. You’ve glued yourself to the bottom of it; keep yourself straight and don’t move an inch.” Dare advised. “Ready, Nate?”
�
�Go.”
Dare flew up and looped the rope through the ceiling hook, dropping it down for Nate to catch. With supernatural speed he raced toward the cage, catching the rope at the last minute to lift himself up and smash into the top of the cage with his feet. The instant his feet connected, the cage toppled over, parts of it shattering, magic of the powerful kind splintering the air and stinging all of them. Ruine was doing his best to dampen the effects while keeping the cavern from falling down on top of them, and Dare worked at counteracting the magic. It was up to Nate to use brute strength to save the imp.
Tangling the rope around his ankles and turning himself upside down, he punched the already damaged bars, cracking two and bending three. He did this again and again in fast succession until there was enough room for him to lower himself inside, grab hold of the imp and pull her up.
“Pull us back up, Dareios. Sorry, Remi, this may hurt a bit.” It was sure hurting him, and he felt for the imp, but it was the only way.
“I’m good, pull us up.” The tough imp unglued herself.
It was quick but painful for both of them. Nate did his best to navigate away from the broken bars he’d smashed, and Dare had damped the magic over, but it was tricky going. The magic was a mix of bad and blood so it took more than a wave of a Dare’s hand this time. Nate knew his old friend had taken a few hits from the mix and if it weren’t for him, they would have been burned alive.
Once out and dangling, Ruine guided them down onto the ground, the imp and Nate both panting.
“No time to waste, this cave is coming down.” Ruine grabbed the imp and began running.
Dare wasn’t in a much better state than Nate. They stumbled after the demon and out of the cave that Ace was holding up, and a hundred meters away they collapsed on the ground, Nate groaning. Ace checked them all over, looking a mite pale also.
“That was a lot of magic mixed together. Do you think Grydern has managed to replicate the bowl?”
“That butt-ugly burned red thing that looks more like a saucer than a bowl?” Remi groaned and touched her arm. “He was always casting spells and babbling, sometimes cutting up his minions…”