by Zoe Winters
She thought Cain was taking the witch thing too far. If the witch was mated to another demon, she was on their side.
“We do know a pretty strong sorcerer, Dayne Wickham. He might help…”
“No! A sorcerer is worse.”
“It was just a suggestion.”
Cain ripped open the tent and Jane followed him inside. Luc looked up, startled, and the female looked scared. This was the witch the demon was so freaked out about?
“Well, hello to you, brother. You know, we could have been in the middle of something,” Luc said.
“Nothing I haven’t seen,” Cain shot back. “I need your help. And Anna’s.”
Luc’s hand tightened on the woman’s. “What do you need Anna for?”
“She’s a witch.”
“I’m not,” she protested.
“Do you or do you not remember how to do magic?” Cain asked, losing patience.
“Yes, but…”
“Then you’re a witch. We need you.”
Jane put a hand on Cain’s arm. “Why don’t I take her outside and talk to her, and you can talk with Luc.” The woman looked like she was about to step out of her skin, and Jane, though also a demon, could pull off the nonthreatening vibe much better than Cain. The demon leader wasn’t subtle.
“Fine.”
Jane held out a hand, trying to look as encouraging as possible. Anna didn’t take her hand, but she went with her, taking as wide a path around Cain to get out of the tent as she could.
When they were outside, Anna said, “I’m never going to feel safe around him. He says I’m one of you guys, but…”
Jane reached out to touch the woman’s arm in a comforting gesture, ready to reassure her that Cain was just tense right now and probably meant her no harm, but her hand went right through the other woman. “What the…”
Anna looked down to see Jane’s hand passing through. “Oh, yeah. This is one of the side effects of becoming mated to an incubus. Fun, fun.”
Jane looked horrified. “So, you’re a ghost forever? How do you and he…” she gestured wildly, trying not to say anything too crass. Sometimes it was a hard habit to break. Even after the way her life had changed, sometimes she was in pink-hair, punk-girl mode with all its attendant lack of tact.
“Oh, yeah. No, we’re fine for that. I’m solid if he’s touching me. And I’ll be able to be solid on my own eventually. Over time, I’ll absorb a lot of his powers.”
“That is so fucked up.”
“Yeah, well. What can you do?”
Jane took a deep breath and launched into her plea for help, telling Anna all about Anthony and how he had her pup. She ended with, “We’d be unstoppable if not for the fact that he has magic users.” She couldn’t imagine what Luc had done to make that woman lock him in a house for half a century. That was pretty hardcore, even in Jane’s book. And she’d seen a lot of shit.
Anna bit her lip. “Well, I’m out of practice. I mean, I remember my time as a witch, but I’m not sure how useful it would be. Tam is who we need.”
“Who’s Tam?”
“Only the most badass super-witch I know. She’s in Golatha Falls. I bet, if you explained your situation to her, she’d help.”
Jane glanced toward the tent. Cain and Luc were in a heated argument. Should she mention Tam to him? She poked her head in.
“What?!” they both shouted in unison.
Okay, that would be a no. “Um, Anna’s on board. I’m just taking her back to the camp. Meet you there?”
“Fine,” Cain said. It was his new favorite word.
Jane hoped the demon leader wouldn’t blow his top when she showed up with an extra witch, but they needed somebody strong, and this Tam chick seemed to fit the bill. He couldn’t be too mad about it, could he?
***
Cain was sullen as he walked in uncomfortable silence next to Luc. At least his brother was helping. Cain had played the I took care of you for fifty years while you couldn’t feed yourself card. He wasn’t sure how much more mileage he was going to get out of it, but he’d use the card as long as it worked.
Luc hadn’t wanted Anna involved, which he could understand, but this was war and they needed a witch. Anna was the closest thing they had.
“If I’d flat out refused, would you have imprisoned me in the cave?” Luc asked.
“What? No. Of course not. You’re my brother. Why would I ever …?”
“Oh, I don’t know. You killed me that one time.”
“That was eight thousand years ago when we were both human.”
“Whatever.”
Cain was never going to be able to make it up to him. That single betrayal had cursed him. He’d thought the curse was only for his human life, then it would be over, but the Hebrew god had more in store for him, making him the first incubus and giving him this world to rule over.
Since then he’d been on a mission to prove he could be loyal to something or someone. Watching the god spit out all his rejects, turning them into demons, and leaving them without any means to understand their new state, Cain had taken it upon himself to protect them and make sure they had a good life. Inside his dimension, they’d created their own hedonistic paradise—their own sanctuary.
As far as Cain was concerned, it was better than heaven, which was a point of pride for him. But the soured relationship that had started it all still wasn’t completely healed.
“Lucien… Abel…”
Luc rounded on him. “Don’t call me that. If you think reminding me of that time makes any of this better…”
“It was so long ago, can’t we just move on?”
“We could have moved on, until you fucked with Anna.”
“The curse was her fault!” Cain growled in frustration, then took a breath. “I know I have no right to ask for either of your help. I know none of this is your fight, but I care about my people. Jane is one of mine now. Her problems are our problems.”
“I said I’d help. I just don’t want you to think this means I’m finished being mad. Anna is terrified of you.”
Cain shrugged. “I don’t trust her. She’s a witch.”
“Was a witch.”
“Whatever. I still don’t trust her.”
They were getting close to the camp of werewolves now, and Luc stopped walking. “And how will that turn out for her?”
“I’m not going to hurt her.”
“You do and we are done. I don’t care if you’re the leader or what power you have to lock me up. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” Cain said.
They started walking again, and as they got closer, his eyes narrowed at the new and unexpected addition.
Tam smiled brightly at him. “Hi Cain, long time, no kicking your ass. I’ve missed it.”
The growl rumbled out from deep within his chest. It was the only warning he was giving her. So she’d thrown that one energy ball at him. Big deal. Anybody could be caught off guard once. He still wasn’t sure why he’d just left after that. He could have retaliated with fire, but he’d wanted out of that house.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“She can help us,” Jane said. “She’s a strong witch. If we’re getting my pup back, we need a strong witch.”
Tam moved closer to Luc, lowering her voice. “I need to do a small spell with you.”
“No,” Cain said.
She shot him a dirty look. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
“What do you need?” Luc asked, ignoring his brother.
“I want to make Anna solid temporarily. I need to be able to do what you do with her. If we’re going to be able to chant and shield you guys while you fight, I’ll need her solid.”
“How are you going to do that?” He sounded intrigued.
Cain wanted to throttle him. This was why Luc got trapped in houses.
“I’m going to borrow a tiny part of your essence so the bond thinks I’m you.”
“I forbid it,” Cain said.
> “Okay,” Luc said, “whatever you need.”
Tam shot Cain an annoyed look, and just for that, he sent her a naughty image of the two of them together: both naked in his tent, him taking her from behind, his hand wrapping around her throat in a darkly possessive manner. He was betting with her focus split so many different ways, she wasn’t shielding from demon mojo right now. He bet right.
Her face flushed, and she grabbed onto Luc’s arm to steady herself. Cain felt how hot the suggestion made her, and in spite of himself, in spite of the illusory nature of the whole thing, for a moment, he did want her. Until she fought through the hypnosis and produced a glowing ball of purple energy.
Cain sailed backward several yards and landed on his ass. If he hadn’t been so wrapped up in the fantasy himself, he would have remembered to go noncorporeal.
“Don’t ever do that again,” Tam said. There was another energy ball ready in her hand. He’d never met a witch who could regroup that fast. It shouldn’t be possible.
He stood, glowering at her as he brushed himself off. That was it. He didn’t have time to break out the fire power now, but when this was over, he was killing her. This was the second time she’d dropped him like a baby demon.
“Whoa,” Jane said, impressed.
Cain glared at her. It wasn’t just Jane or the pack or the panther who had seen it. It was Daria, and the two demons she’d brought on board: Jackson and Mace. Though Jackson had already seen this show the first time Tam had done it back at Luc and Anna’s house.
Rather than look weak again, he said, “This is why we don’t associate with magic users. Is the threat real enough for you all now?”
There was a mumble of assent from his people and a lot of eye contact avoidance.
Cain gave Tam a look that promised death, but she smiled sweetly in reply. He moved the rescue party away from the rest of the pack. Those who weren’t going didn’t need to hear all of this. Cole stood to the side, looking like he was itching to lead. Tough. The demon had to regain control of things now that Tam had started throwing magic at him.
“Go do your ritual with Luc. I’ll brief everyone else, and then Jane can fill you guys in on the way.”
He expected her to resist him, but the witch nodded and took Luc away from the group to do her magic. Cain shook his head, unable to believe his brother would trust another witch, or that he was mated to one. Cain was just glad it wasn’t him.
The demon turned back to the assembled warriors. Daria had gotten plenty of guns with wooden bullets and was busy passing them out.
“Okay, here’s the plan. All the demons are going in invisible. Nobody goes visible until I say. That includes you, Jane. We have no reason to think Anthony knows you’re alive. Only the witches and the therians will be visible. The witches are going to protect us from magic so we can ride through on brute force. We will not be telling Anthony the location of the hive. We will fight until we win.”
Chapter Thirteen
Cole led his group of wolves, and the witches through the portal, glad it was still a day until the full moon, making it possible for everyone to control the change. The wolves and panther were in human form and would stay in human form until Cole gave the signal. After all, there might be a talking part before the fighting part.
The demons followed, all invisible, including Jane. She hadn’t loved the plan of being off the grid like this. She wanted to confront and tell Anthony off, but this plan was better.
The address on the slip of paper Z had given them was a big warehouse close to the border of Cary Town. Cole reached for the door, but an invisible hand grabbed his.
“Jane?”
“Yeah. Cain said I should stay with you in case you need me for something. I just wanted you to know I’m right here so I don’t freak you out.”
He chuckled. “Good plan.”
Inside the warehouse, there was a platform up on a second level on one end, with doors that looked like they led to offices. On the main level stood large several large crates.
“Send the demons to check the inside perimeter. Make sure nobody is hiding and waiting to ambush us. If anybody is there, see if they can quietly take them out,” Cole whispered.
“Okay,” Jane whispered back.
A spotlight came on over the platform, a door opened, and out filed ten vampires, heavily armed, followed by Anthony, who was also armed. Then a couple of sorcerers.
“Cole! Nice to see you. How are things?”
“Shut up, Anthony.”
“Hmmm, should I consider that a treasonous offense?”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Cole said. His voice was a low growl, but he knew with the acoustics that it was carrying just fine to the vampire king. “You do not own my wolves.”
“I own Cary Town. Are you not in Cary Town?”
“Not often.”
“Ah yes. And that’s the problem. You see, therians aren’t allowed to leave Cary Town without permission from the border patrol, and yet, your wolves move in and out of the city. That’s a problem for me.”
Cole was startled by that bit of intel. He’d thought he’d been clear with the pack about not going into town. With Blake left in charge, things must have gotten lax. He wiped any evidence of surprise at the revelation off his face.
“Boo-hoo,” he said. He needed to stall for Jane and the others to get a chance to see what was what on the ground floor, though riling Anthony was always fun. “Maybe we’ll just move out of Cary Town altogether.”
“I’m afraid I can’t authorize that action. Besides, there’s only so far you can move. Do you think I’m stopping with Cary Town?”
“Well, now I don’t.” Though Cole had always suspected the power hungry vampire had dreams of world domination while others dreamed of sugarplum fairies.
Anthony held something in his hand that looked like a detonator. Cole fought to remain in control and keep the rage inside. His eyes panned up to the vampire’s bland expression. Anthony stretched his hand out and pressed the button.
“NO!” Cole lurched forward, his hand outstretched as if he could magically stop whatever Anthony had just set into motion.
But nothing exploded. Instead a large screen lit the back of the warehouse. It was Fiona in a well-furnished room with the pup. Cole’s eyes filled with tears, seeing his pup for the first time. Both of them looked healthy. The woman was throwing a ball for him.
“I am so sick of seeing our pup on a screen,” Jane whispered from beside him.
The screen captured a couple of vampires standing guard off to the side. Fiona appeared to be talking to someone who wasn’t visible onscreen, but Cole couldn’t make out her words.
Anthony clicked the button again and the screen went black. “Now,” he said. “You see that they are unharmed. I have no burning urge to hurt anyone. All I want is to know the location of the hive. That’s it. Tell me where you live and how you get past my border patrol, and everybody gets to go home tonight.”
Z growled and shifted, not content to wait for a signal. Seeing Fiona under lockdown had been all the signal he needed.
Anthony laughed. “I take it that’s the boyfriend?”
Cole pressed on. “And if we don’t tell you? What will you do to them?”
“What do you think? Werewolf blood is strong and delicious, and so is witch blood. Both will make fine meals. It’s a very simple choice. What’s more important, your child or your pack?”
“And if the question were reversed? Your coven or your mate?”
“My mate. Always my mate without question,” he answered. “The coven could go fuck themselves.” A few of the vampires on the platform raised eyebrows, but that was all. They must be low enough on the totem pole for him to get away with saying that without an uprising. Or maybe they were his inner circle, his trusted advisers. Whoever they were, Cole wanted to stake them all out in the grass and wait for the sun to rise.
“I need to talk to you,” Jane whispered. “Buy us a few minu
tes.”
Cole kept his eyes straight ahead toward Anthony so as not to give her presence away. “Do you mind if I confer with my pack for a moment?”
“Not at all,” Anthony said. “I’ve got all night.”
The alpha turned toward the pack and motioned them all to gather around as if they were in a football huddle to shield who he was speaking with.
Jane kept her tone low. “The perimeter down here is clear. He’s got his whole group up there on the platform with him, which means he thinks it’s just a bunch of therians, not demons. The magic users may sniff us out soon, which is why I need you to distract them so I can slip out the back door. I know where he’s keeping Fiona and the pup. That’s his penthouse. I recognize it from the weird little windows. I stayed in that building during the coven tournament. If I go in invisible, I can take them out and get Fiona and the pup to safety.”
“No, I think it’s a bad idea,” Cole said.
“And what do you suggest?” Cain’s voice.
“It’s too dangerous,” the alpha growled.
“I’m not human anymore, Cole. I’m immortal. The worst that can happen to me is being locked up somewhere by a spell. If I don’t show up, you guys will come after me.”
“Don’t downplay that risk,” Cain said.
“Hey, I’m trying to get him on my side, here.”
Cole wasn’t convinced that was the worst that could happen, but having a conversation with invisible people was giving him a headache, so he growled and said, “I’ll stall. Be careful. I love you.”
“Wait. Take a portal charm. It’ll be safer to get them back to the demon dimension than looking for a portal point,” Cain said.
There was some fumbling around as one invisible demon handed a charm off to the other invisible demon, then Cole felt warm lips against his mouth, and she was gone.
He turned back to Anthony. “How do I know you’ll release Fiona and the pup if I tell you where the hive is?”
“Well, your other option is to fight, and we outnumber you. We’re up here on this platform, you’re down there on the ground. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. And oh look, we have guns.”