Demon Hunt

by A. Blythe

  “Is there a way to destroy it?” he asked. “If not, the Enclave would gladly take it for safekeeping.”

  “Nice try.” I made the mistake of patting him on the shoulder and quickly tried to smooth the wrinkles I’d created.

  “You cannot return the ring to Mrs. Edwards. It’s too risky,” he said.

  “You’re preaching to the converted, Oscar.” I didn’t want to say anything more about Pinky’s mom. In all the chaos and confusion, no one else seemed to have put the pieces together. They seemed to share Pinky’s misguided belief that Dragon Mage had simply acted as a gun for hire.

  “Let’s get everyone back to the bus before sunrise.” I was physically and mentally exhausted, not to mention in a crap ton of pain.

  “I think Captain Reed is organizing everyone.”

  That sounded about right.

  We arrived in front of the zoo to see a single file line of Protectors and magicians, ready to board the bus. Farah stood off to the side with Luciano and Greer.

  “I think we’ve left the zoo cleaner than we found it,” Greer said, as we approached the school bus.

  “That makes you happy, doesn’t it Oscar?” I asked.

  “I’m going to join Pinky in the line so we can sit together,” he said.

  Farah came skipping over, still reveling in the post-battle glow. “Best field trip ever.” She raised her hand to slap mine and I responded limply.

  “We lost Rose tonight,” I said. “I think that automatically disqualifies this from ‘best field trip ever.’”

  Farah fell silent. “Your leg is a mess.” She seemed to register my battered appearance for the first time. “Someone needs to patch you up.”

  “It can wait,” I told her. “Right now I want to get everyone home safely.”

  Luciano urged the line to start moving. “Let’s go, boys and girls. We all need a stiff drink and a long night in the sack.”

  Farah playfully swatted his ass as they headed toward the bus. It occurred to me that those two were, in fact, perfectly suited for each other.

  Mix lingered at the end of the line, waiting for me. “Maybe I should stay with you tonight.”

  “Up to you,” I said. “But you might not want to leave Annie alone all night. Having a pet is a big responsibility.”

  Mix looked thoughtful. “Good point. I’ll check on you first thing in the morning then.”

  “Fine, but let me sleep in a little.” A full twenty-four hours and a bottle of ibuprofen should do the trick.

  18

  The next morning, I struggled to get out of bed. The world no longer made sense. First Jamie’s death. Now Rose. And I couldn’t forget the piece de resistance—Serena Edwards was the Dragon. Pinky’s mom was the ruthless leader of the crime syndicate in the Mid-Atlantic Colony. It was too much to take in.

  I’d promised to tell Detective Thompson if I ever discovered the Dragon’s identity. She’d been working to take down the Dragon for years. But how could I betray Pinky? She didn’t even know the truth about her mother. It wasn’t fair.

  “Alyse, are you awake?” Farah popped her head in the doorway. “Terrific, your eyes are open. Can we talk?”

  I pulled myself to a sitting position. “I don’t know that I’m up for talking.”

  Farah patted my hand. “I’m sorry about Rose. She was the sweetest mage I’ve ever known.”

  “She had homemade scones waiting for her. I asked her…” I choked on the rest of the words.

  “And she said yes. She knew the risks. She was a mage for the crime syndicate.”

  Rocco. How were we going to explain this to him? Between my relationship with Farah and my role in Rose’s death, I’d have another target on my back for sure.

  “Pinky will feel guilty,” I said. “She’s going to blame herself.”

  “Then we’ll make sure enough people talk to her so she stops blaming herself. If anyone deserves the blame, it’s the djinni who killed her.”

  I pulled my knees to my chest. “Do you think I’m weak for not wanting to kill Katrien?”

  “Alyse, you’re a lot of annoying things, but weak isn’t one of them.”

  I mustered a smile.

  “Can we talk about something else?”

  “Like what?”

  “I have a problem,” she said slowly.

  “Tell me about it.” I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. Or at least the colony.

  She settled on the edge of my bed. “I really like Luciano.”

  “So? That’s good, right?”

  She looked to the ceiling for help. “No, I mean I really like him. You know how I told Rocco I didn’t want to be serious with anyone.”

  “You’re a Hinn. It’s in your nature.”

  Farah faced me, her expression serious. “Something must be wrong with me then, because I want to be serious with Luciano. I don’t want to see anyone else and I sure as hell don’t want him to date anyone.” She clenched her fists, probably picturing the semi-clad girls who seemed far too comfortable in his penthouse.

  “Okay, so this is a problem because you think it’s odd?”

  “Well, you know me. It’s definitely odd. I mean, he’s human. He’s not slow aging like us. And what if he wants kids?”

  “I think you’re getting a little ahead of the game.”

  “Then there’s Rocco.” She plucked an imaginary thread. “If he finds out I’m serious with one of his own members, he’ll go through the roof. What if things get violent?”

  “Then you’ll be right at home.”

  She smacked my sore leg. “Alyse, I mean it.”

  “Do you know if Luciano feels the same about you? You may be worrying for nothing.”

  “Gee, thanks.” She hopped off my bed. “Now I have another reason to freak out.”

  I sighed. “Farah, wait.” She stopped and turned toward me. “I think you should find out if he feels the same. If he does, then you worry about Rocco. Or let Luciano worry about him. They’re crime buddies, not you.”

  She lingered in the doorway, a faint smile playing on her lips. “He was helpful at the zoo, wasn’t he?”

  “He was, actually. I was impressed.”

  “If you think his driving is impressive, you should see his…” I threw a pillow at her before she could finish the sentence.

  “TMI, Farah,” I called, as she scurried down the hallway.

  After I slept half the day, Mix brought me a bowl of soup and Lana came by at Reed’s request to patch me up. To my great relief, she only gave me a mild scolding for putting my human body through the ringer yet again.

  Before anyone could object, I snuck out of the apartment at twilight and took the train to Villanova to check on Pinky. She was already sound asleep when I arrived, apparently in good health, so I took the opportunity to have a word with her mother. Michael said she was on an errand but would be back soon.

  The clear night sky beckoned me. I sat down on a chaise lounge on the expansive terrace and waited for the Dragon to return to her lair. I didn’t need to wait long.

  “How many acres do you have?” I asked. I’d been formulating a guess while I waited.

  “Twenty.” Serena stepped onto the darkened terrace. Gently, she closed the French door behind her.

  “I can turn the outside light on,” she said.

  “No need,” I said. “I honestly can’t bear to look at you.”

  “That’s unfortunate. My hair looks amazing. My stylist did a French twist. Reminds me of Grace Kelly. She grew up not too far from here.”

  She took the chair beside me and kicked off her shoes. I immediately recognized the distinctive red soles of Christian Louboutin.

  “I wore a pair like that once,” I said. “They looked great, but they ripped apart my heels. It was a good thing my injuries were fleeting then.”

  Serena rubbed the back of her left foot. “They’re certainly not as comfortable as my Adidas.”

  I couldn’t picture Serena Edwards w
earing sneakers. The image didn’t compute.

  “Did you orchestrate the Colony Games coup against Prince Simdan?”

  “Ah,” she said lightly. “Straight to business.”

  “It’s kinda important. He is the leader of my caste in this colony.”

  She laughed. “And I believe you refer to him as His Royal Jackass. Isn’t that right?”

  “We have a strange relationship.”

  She tucked her feet to the side of her bottom. “I can neither confirm nor deny any involvement.”

  I didn’t really expect a straight answer. “Those Ghuls you tried to organize took innocent lives. Did you know that?”

  “Since when do you concern yourself with loss of life?” She clasped her hands behind her head and gazed up at the twinkling stars. “How many lives have you taken in the service of the Shadow Elite?”

  I suddenly had a terrifying realization. “Pinky’s coma during the Colony Games…Did you plan that?” Pinky missed out on the attempted coup because she was recovering from a serious injury during the Colony Games.

  “Really, Alyse. How much control do you think I have?”

  I struggled to hold my tongue. “You control a whole host of illegal activities. A drug trade, an organ trade, gambling. You destroy countless lives. Is that a life you’re proud of? Is that what your husband would have wanted for you?”

  “You know nothing about my husband,” she said, deadly calm.

  “Pinky’s told me quite a bit about him, actually. She confides in me.”

  “Can we not play this game, Alyse? It’s so tedious. We both want what’s best for my daughter. Let’s simply agree on that score.”

  “Yes, except we don’t agree on what exactly is best.”

  “And we’re not going to reach a consensus tonight, are we?”

  No, we weren’t.

  “I’m not the evil villain you think I am,” she said quietly.

  “On what planet could you be the hero?”

  “Must it be either/or?”

  I wanted to ask more questions about the ring—how she really acquired it—but I was afraid of the answer.

  “Ask me about the ring,” Serena said. “You know you want to.”

  Could she possibly be that in tune with me? “Are you taking telepathy lessons from Reed?” I snapped.

  “Captain Grayson Reed,” she said with a dramatic sigh. “An upstanding leader of the Protectorate. At your beck and call, it seems. I understand you two have gotten…close, shall we say?”

  Did Pinky talk to her mother about my relationship with Reed? Well, that would need to stop. Immediately.

  “Leave Reed out of this,” I said through gritted teeth.

  “Impossible,” she said. “He jumped on the Alyse bandwagon from your very first meeting. Do you honestly think he isn’t tied to you now? That idiot Katrien could have saved herself a lot of grief if she’d kidnapped Captain Reed instead of my daughter. A foolish choice.”

  And it had cost her dearly. Katrien’s final breath was still fresh in my mind.

  “It wasn’t foolish,” I said. “Reed is more powerful and experienced than Pinky.” I would’ve made the same choice in her shoes. No one could have known about Serena’s true identity.

  “Qiao likes you,” Serena said. “I can’t figure out why. You’re fairly disagreeable, you know.”

  “She’s not exactly a ray of sunshine,” I said.

  Serena laughed. “Fair enough. I hired her years ago, sight unseen. Can you imagine? But I knew instinctively she was the loyal lieutenant I’d been looking for.”

  “What does she get out of the relationship?” I asked. Dragon Mage struck me as someone who wanted more out of life than money.

  “That’s not your concern.” She didn’t elaborate and I didn’t push it. I was tired and upset.

  “I assume Oscar doesn’t know,” I said.

  “Of course not. He’s not smart enough.”

  “Is that the real reason you don’t like the idea of he and Pinky together? His lack of intelligence?”

  “Well, it certainly isn’t the age gap. My husband was a Marid. I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.” She inspected her fingernails. “My daughter is destined for greatness. Oscar is not. It’s that simple.”

  We sat in silence for a moment, staring into the vast darkness. There was occasional movement in the distance—most likely some of the rescued animals Serena was so fond of.

  “Are you going to tell Pinky the truth?” I asked.

  “Are you?”

  I’d been mulling it over and hadn’t reached a conclusion I was happy with. “She’s going to figure it out eventually and she’ll hate you for hiding it. To be honest, someone from the zoo still might piece it together.”

  “Katrien and Melania aren’t the only ones blessed with memory manipulation skills.”

  “You’re going to send someone to tweak the mind of everyone who was there?” I asked in disbelief.

  “If the situation requires it. Silly me, I seem to have forgotten my manners. Can I offer you a drink? Champagne to celebrate a successful rescue?”

  I ignored her. “It isn’t right to keep this from her. Your position endangers her.”

  “Which is one of the key reasons I usually dispense with anyone who discovers my identity.” I stiffened and Serena seemed to read my mind. Again. “Not to worry, Alyse. You’re safe. For now.”

  “Why?”

  “Seraphina is my pride and joy. I would never do anything to deliberately hurt her. I want to raise her to be strong enough to take over the family business one day.”

  “She would never want to run a business like yours,” I snapped. Pinky was sweet and kind and understood the damage that power could do.

  Serena smiled and the white of her teeth cut through the darkness. The effect was eerie. “We’ll see about that,” she said.

  There was something else I had to know. “Your mage told you about the fate of the ring?”

  She sighed. “Yes, the loss of the ring was unfortunate. She said it was angelfire that destroyed it. One of your Protector friends. I suppose it’s a fitting end. Regular fire wouldn’t have done the job.”

  “And was she punished for her failure to return it?”

  “Any punishment is between Qiao and me.”

  Ugh. I hoped she got to keep all her fingers and toes.

  “Anything else I should know before I go?” I asked.

  “I think enough secrets have been revealed today, don’t you?” Her tone was pleasant and casual, as though we’d been discussing our favorite baked goods.

  What other secrets could the woman have? Plenty, I supposed, now that she’d revealed herself to be the Dragon.

  “My driver will take you home.”

  “No thanks. I’ll take the train.” I didn’t care that it would take an hour longer. I didn’t want anything to do with Serena Edwards or her infinite wealth. It was dirty money as far as I was concerned. Pinky was smart to want to make her own way in the world. Smarter than she realized.

  It was a long walk to the train station and I managed to arrive just as a train pulled in. I boarded the train, relieved to see the car was empty.

  I sat down and cried.

  19

  There was one thing left to do and I enlisted the help of Reed to do it since, apparently, angelfire was required.

  He met me in the warehouse. Greer had returned to D.C., Pinky and I had just been called for a new case, and life was beginning to fall into a normal pattern again.

  “You’re looking well,” he told me. So did he.

  “Thanks. My rib and leg are better thanks to Lana. I also let Thompson fuss over me. I like her to feel useful every once in a while.”

  He grinned. “How considerate.”

  “And now I’m going to let you feel useful.”

  He quirked an eyebrow as I withdrew the ring from my pocket. “You still have it?”

  “I’ve been debating what to do with it.”


  “I thought you decided to get rid of it.”

  I stood in silence for a moment, debating whether to come clean. I chose honesty.

  “I considered trying to exchange it,” I admitted.

  He studied me. “Exchange it for what?”

  I held out my wrists. “My freedom. I figured I could find some talented supernatural to break my chains and, in return, they become the proud new owner of the power of angels.”

  Reed’s expression didn’t appear as judgmental as I expected. “What made you change your mind?”

  I placed the ring on the concrete floor and went over to stand next to Reed. “Scruples.”

  “And this is where I come in?”

  I nodded. “Burn it until it’s a gold blob.”

  “You could have asked anyone to help you with this.”

  “No, I couldn’t have.” I wanted Reed by my side for this and I wanted him to hear my confession.

  “You’re sure about this?” he asked.

  “You’re giving me a chance to back out? Do you want this ring to fall into the wrong hands?”

  He grasped my hand. “I understand why you would consider it. I know you think I’m this straight arrow who can’t possibly comprehend the gray areas of your brain, but I do. And I think you’re stronger because you don’t see everything in black and white, but you still make the honorable decision, even when it’s to your detriment.”

  A lump formed in my throat. “Do the honors, Reed,” I said, before I changed my mind.

  He rubbed his hands together and created a narrow beam of light, like a highly concentrated flashlight.

  “This is almost as impressive as Dragon Mage.” Except she didn’t harness angelfire.

  He remained focused on the task, aiming the white-hot fire at the small target on the floor. I watched it melt into the concrete and my heart ached. Another chance for freedom gone.

  When the deed was done, Reed guided me outside for fresh air.

  “Greer managed to track down more information about Lily,” Reed said. “Her name was Lily Murtagh. She and Katrien had been lovers. Lily was murdered by a human male in her office when he tried to enslave her and she fought back.”