“They’re here for Victor.”
14
Twelve winged, furious Adonis’s filled reception. Their wings were tucked away, invisible to our eyes, but even without them on display the Ghandarva were a force to be reckoned with, and we had something they wanted.
Murdoch had stayed behind to monitor Victor, but I’d insisted on coming down with Melody. They knew me. Maybe I could talk some sense into them?
Ajit and Rudi, the two Ghandarva who’d administered to their dying brother Dharma, stood ahead of the flock. They attention locked on us as we approached. Melody stopped at the barrier.
“How can we help you?” she asked.
Ajit ignored her and fixed his gaze on me. “You have the creature who killed our brother. Give him to us.”
“I’m sorry but we can’t do that.”
“You can, and you will. He has wronged us and we will have justice.”
I was sick of this. First Paimon and now him. “Really? You think you’re the only one that he’s wronged? What about me? Those creatures killed me. Tore me apart. Have you forgotten that?”
He blinked, taken aback.
“Oh, don’t give me that look. You found out we had the creature in custody so you obviously have contacts, there’s no way you didn’t know about the lab incident.”
He pressed his lips together. “So you wish to keep him for yourself? To exact justice?”
“No. I wish to find out who the fuck is really behind all this shit. Victor is merely a puppet, and I want to find out who’s pulling the strings.”
Rudi leaned in to whisper something in Ajit’s ear, and Ajit nodded.
“You have two days to find the puppeteer. After that we will—”
“Do nothing,” I interrupted, rage swelling in my chest as my dragon awoke. “You will let the IEPEU do their job and you will back the fuck off!”
Ajit’s face contorted with fury, but I was done giving a shit.
“If you want justice, get off your feathered arses and help us search for the person responsible, don’t just swan down here after we’ve done all the work and expect privileges. You want to live in this world, then you better damn follow the rules. Your wings and your fancy tower meant jack shit to this killer, so maybe you need to reassess how much power you actually have.”
The tension in the room had just ratcheted up a notch. Ajit took a step toward the barrier and I caught movement in my periphery. The Ghandarva paused, his gaze slipping over my head, and then he stepped back.
“Keep us informed on what you find,” he said.
I kept my gaze on him, even though the urge to glance over my shoulder was a burning pain between my shoulder blades.
“Now if that’s all, we have an investigation to get back to,” Melody said.
Ajit nodded curtly, and behind him Rudi’s eyes flashed dangerously. But they left, striding out into the street. Cries of awe filtered in through the partially open entrance as the flock took to the skies.
The adrenaline rush abated and my knees buckled. I made a grab for the barrier to steady myself. Had I just done that?
“You did great,” Melody said.
I turned to see what had given Ajit pause, and strange warmth infused my limbs at the sight of the IEPEU operatives behind me, weapons holstered but at the ready. They’d had my back, and for the first time since I’d started working here I felt like I belonged.
_____
Although I’d managed to smack down the Ghandarva’s ultimatum, Paimon’s still stood.
Two days to find the real culprit behind the djinn disappearances, and all I could think about was the way Paimon hadn’t looked at me. I was a desperate fool crushing on the unavailable guy. He’d sent Amon to save me, and come only when he’d known we had Victor in custody.
Victor was lying on his back on the floor of his cage, eyes closed. Two days to save his life, like he’d tried to save mine. Could we do it? I’d shown my face, told him I believed him and was doing everything in my power to get him out of this mess, but he’d kept his head down, as if ashamed to look me in the eyes.
My heart ached for him.
My fists ached to pummel the fucker who’d done this to us.
Victor’s friends were being questioned. So far it was a similar tale about losing time. If they’d spoken to each other about their experiences they may have realized something dodgy was going on. Victor would have made the connection sooner. He would have come to me. But rakshasa were loners. These three were friends, but not the kind that shared their fears. And someone had used that to their advantage, banking on them not talking about the blackouts.
We were getting close, so close to finding out just who that person was, because right now Melody was picking up the reports that may hand us the missing pieces of the puzzle.
She strode into the room, her eyes bright. “We got the results of the diagnostics the tech team ran on the machines. Those results, coupled with what we know about the apsaras’ memory loss and the details in the manual we found in the lab, mean it’s safe to conclude that the rakshasa were under the influence of the protsaahan taken from the apsara.”
“So someone used the apsaras’ persuasion to control them? Wait. That doesn’t make sense. The rakshasa kidnapped the apsara so the mastermind could extract the protsaahan. How would he have controlled them to do that?”
Melody riffled through a sheaf of papers and pulled out a statement. “This is the statement of the first apsara who went missing. Her account differs from the rest. She didn’t describe a vibrating black mass. She claims she was attacked by a masked figure.” Melody laid the paper flat on the desk in front of me. “She drew this.”
It was a symbol. Like an eight on its side. Something niggled at the back of my mind. “I’ve seen this before.”
“It’s the symbol for infinity.”
“Yeah, but I …” An arm … I’d seen it on an arm. “Shukra. He has this symbol on his arm.”
Melody went still. “He’s also one of the three people who knew about the feather.”
My heart was pounding. “It’s not enough evidence though, is it?”
“No.”
“We need Urvashi. We need her to hear his voice.”
15
The bathroom lights flickered. I turned off the taps and stared at my reflection. The word exhausted came to mind. Tomorrow was a big day, and if we were wrong then it would be the last time I’d see Victor and his friends alive, because Paimon would be as good as his word and take them from under our noses.
Parker and Murdoch had it all set up. A ploy to get Shukra into the building, to get him in a room with me under controlled conditions. Shukra was a sage, responsible for the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the asuras. It was his duty to provide them with guidance and support in times of crisis. For the purpose of this entrapment, I was the asura in crisis—struggling with my identity—or so Parker had told him over the phone. It was, apparently, affecting my performance, and Shukra was coming into the office to speak to me tomorrow. Urvashi would be in the adjoining room, listening in, and as soon as she gave the word the IEPEU would move in. But if we were wrong, if we couldn’t tie Shukra to the case with this final piece of evidence, then it was over. We’d be out of time.
Stripping down to my knickers, I pulled on my favorite bedtime T-shirt. The necklace Banner had gifted me got caught on my hair and I freed it, allowing it to settle back against my collar bone. I hadn’t dare wear this T-shirt when bound to Paimon.
Paimon.
A breeze trickled in through the partially open window, got caught by the desk fan and blasted around the room. The cuff on my wrist winked tauntingly at me in the lamplight. Accepting it had saved my life, but now it was time to let him go. Now, how did this clasp work?
My fingers fumbled then froze as a shiver skipped up my spine and gooseflesh broke out up my thighs.
“Carmella?”
He was here, standing behind me, and my mouth was suddenly as ari
d as the bloody desert. Licking my lips and swallowing a couple of times to moisten my throat, I turned to face him.
His fancy clothes were gone. Instead he was dressed in loose dark pants and an unbuttoned billowy cream shirt. It looked butter yellow in the light of the lamp.
I lifted my chin. “What are you doing here? Did you have more threats to make?”
“I’m sorry.”
Okay, I hadn’t been expecting that. “Look, I get that you’re in an awkward position with your council wanting justice. I get you’re trying to prevent a war. But your attitude sucked.”
He took a step toward me and the atoms in the air were suddenly charged with electricity.
“I’m not sorry about what I said, or about my attitude.”
Huh?
“I’m sorry for not coming when you called.”
Oh. The pulse at my throat skipped. “No big deal. You’re not obligated. Mira explained that when she gave me the cuff.” I took a deep breath. “In fact, I think you should have it back.” I made to unclasp it.
He bridged the gap between us and wrapped his hand around my wrist, covering the cuff. “Please. Don’t.”
He was touching me and strange things were happening—unwanted fluttering and yearnings.
He moved closer, his cool breath fanning across my fevered brow. “I wanted to come. I wanted to.” He pressed his forehead to mine and our breath mingled.
“Then why didn’t you?”
He pulled back slightly, tipping my chin upward with the crook of his index finger to look down into my face. My lungs grew tight at the proximity, the otherworldness of him, the cosmic stars in his eyes as his gaze lingered on my lips. He bridged that gap too, stealing my breath with a brush of his lips, claiming my mouth with a sweep of his sweet tongue. I opened to him with a gasp, my body instantly on fire with need. His chest rumbled and then his tight control snapped. His hands twined in my hair and he deepened the kiss, branding me with tongue and teeth. We swayed, falling back onto the sofa-bed. His thighs slipped between mine, his torso covered me. His shirt, so soft yet unnecessary, fell prey to my eager hands. His skin beneath, like velvet silk, begged to be caressed and tasted. Peaches, he tasted like peaches. I was drowning in him, senses intoxicated, heart aching to burst from my chest with a tumult of emotions. His arousal rubbed up against my wet knickers, sending electric heat coursing through my veins. He pushed my shirt out of the way, fingers dancing across my hips and slipping into my knickers. Lean long fingers. Almost there. Oh please.
My dragon stirred in confusion, shaking herself awake to assess the situation. I wanted this man in ways I’d never wanted anyone before. I wanted him inside my body, inside my soul, but he belonged to another.
“Carmella …” Paimon raised his head, locking gazes with me. His voice was a tortured rasp of desperate desire.
I cupped his jaw, pressing kisses to his face. My eyes burned because, as much as we both wanted it, this couldn’t happen. He wasn’t mine to have.
He closed his eyes. “I wanted to be there, but I couldn’t, because I was with Alara.”
I’d known. Deep down, I’d known. Alara was his betrothed—the key to an important alliance.
He carefully pulled my shirt down to cover me and climbed off the bed. “Alara awoke and I was duty-bound to tend to her. She remembered nothing of import though.”
I swung my legs off the bed. “You need to stay away from me.” It wasn’t a demand, just a statement of fact.
“I know.”
“This was wrong. So wrong.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, anger flaring in my chest at the injustice of it all—at my stupidity in almost becoming the other woman. Unclasping the cuff, I slipped it off and held it out. “Please. Take it.”
Paimon stared at the golden bracelet, his expression tortured. “Without it I will not be able to find you so easily.”
I swallowed the dastardly lump in my throat. “I know.”
He didn’t take it.
“You’re marrying another woman, Paimon. I can’t do this. I can’t have you in my life if you can’t be mine.” There, I’d said it. The weight that should have lifted grew heavier, grabbing me by the throat and squeezing until tears leaked from the corners of my eyes. “Your heart can’t be compromised either.”
His nostrils flared. “It already is.”
Fucking hell. He was going to break me. My vision blurred. “Please … take it and go. I can’t …” a sob caught in my throat.
His mouth twisted in agony. “Don’t. Please, I do not want to cause you pain.”
“Then take the damn cuff.”
He plucked it from my fingers and turned it over in his hands. “I had this specially crafted for you. Look at it, so tiny, so delicate, and yet forged of indestructible material. Just like you.” His expression smoothed out. “There’s something you need to know. It’s the other reason I found you tonight.”
Dread reared its head. “What is it?”
“Earlier, while I was with you, the council met again. It has been decided that only the head of the person responsible for the djinn abductions and concrete evidence of the fate of our missing djinn, or their safe return, will suffice.”
“Wait. What does that mean?”
“It means that if you cannot hand over the mastermind of the scheme and provide us with answers as to the fate of our missing djinn, then our armies will invade your world to eliminate any further possible threats to ours.” He delivered the lines dispassionately.
The ticking clock sped up. “I’ll let the IEPEU know. You should leave now.”
He inclined his head and took a step back, taking my heart with him. “Carmella, you should also know … if I were free to choose …” He vanished.
“Damn it, you’re not supposed to say shit like that!” I was crying openly now. My power bloomed, sending a comforting heat through me and rocking me in its armored embrace.
Stronger than this.
Harder than this.
Asura.
_____
My sleep was interrupted by a knock at the door. Tugging on a pair of leggings, I answered to the tummy-grumbling smell of my favorite kind of food.
Banner held the take-out bag of Chinese food up as an offering. “Can I come in?”
I stepped back to allow him to enter.
He popped the food on the kitchen counter and began rummaging for plates.
I sighed. “I’ll do it.”
“No. Just sit down and let me.”
I was too tired to argue with him, it was just kinda nice to have someone take care of me. A hard kick and firm shove had the bed folding back into its alternate personality—the sofa. The coffee table was shoved up against the wall and it took less than a second to drag it forward.
Banner joined me with two plates piled high with food.
We ate in silence for about five minutes and after a while, even though the ache in my heart remained, the one in my stomach dissipated.
Banner set his plate on the table. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“What?”
“You were attacked at the aerial tram station.”
I dropped my fork onto my plate. “Things happened so fast afterward. I didn’t think. How did you find out?”
“The supernatural grapevine.”
No idea what that was, but hey. “I would have called you. It’s just things are delicate right now, there’s stuff that needs to be sorted, and we’re on a clock.” That damned lump was back in my throat. The one you get when you know you’ve failed, or lost something really important and you know things will never be the same again. I fucking hated that lump.
“Carmella, talk to me.”
So I did. I told him about Paimon, about the overlap and the djinn. I told him about the binding and how it was all connected to the missing apsara and how we were finally on the cusp of catching our man.
His eyes darkened. “Who is it? Who’s the bastard behind this?”
I couldn’t give h
im our suspect’s identity, not without breaking protocol. “That’s classified. But I can tell you this: if he turns out to be the wrong guy then we’re out of time. The djinn will attack our world as vengeance. They’ll annihilate us just to make sure we can never harm them again.”
Banner turned away, his face pale. “A war?”
I snorted. “You could call it that. But more likely it’ll be an extermination. The guy who organized the abductions of the ascendant djinn got lucky. He caught them one at a time, unawares. They couldn’t track the creature because the signature it left behind was too weak. And because every djinn taken was alone at the time of their abduction, there were no witnesses—no description of the attacker. The djinn didn’t understand our world, didn’t have the scent of all the creatures living in it. But now they do. They know what they’re hunting, and if they come we don’t have a chance. They don’t need the skein to do magick. They can travel from one location to another in the blink of an eye. I think they may be more powerful than our gods.”
“If they declare us hostile then we’re fucked,” Banner surmised.
“Pretty much.”
“Suddenly I’m not that hungry anymore.”
“Yeah, neither am I, but if this is gonna be one of my last days on earth then I’m damned if I’m letting good food go to waste.”
Banner watched me for a few beats and then picked up his fork. “You know, Carmella, every time I think I have you figured out, you just go and do an about-face on me.”
He wasn’t the only one trying to figure me out. I still had a long way to go, and all the crap that kept happening didn’t leave me much time to do much figuring of anything. Hopefully tomorrow would bring closure to the case, and it would be time for some introspection.
16
The room we’d chosen for the entrapment was on the fifth floor of the IEPEU. A windowless space used for training courses in administrative type stuff. A smart screen and rows of desks fitted with touch-screen monitors made up the interior. The lights were the horrible anemic kind. You’d think with the kind of funds this place had, they’d invest in better illumination.
Defying Magick: an Urban Fantasy Novel (The Witch Blood Chronicles Book 2) Page 10