Through his teeth, Sean snarled, “You ever hear of nail clippers? You look like a frickin’ woman.”
Dagin’s brown eyes flipped to yellow and the pupils went flat. “Oh, the bitches love my hands; especially yours.”
He dragged one claw lightly around his left eye socket, resting the tip in the corner of his eye. It watered profusely in protest. A little more pressure and warm blood trickled down Sean’s cheek.
Turning to the rapt soldiers, he spoke like a professor giving a lecture. “This is a prime example of the Primani fight response. Notice the eyes. The eyes are your biggest clue. When you’re in the field, you want to watch for the change.” He dragged a claw down the side of Sean’s bare arm and tapped at it. “See the glow? This is the source of their power. Their saol.”
“Would you like to see the size of my di--“ His smartass comment was cut off by Jordan’s abrupt return.
“Enough, Dagin! Get back to work.” Turning to Sean, he clasped his hands behind him and said politely, “I appreciate your being such a good sport about this. It’s not every day we have a live Primani with us. You’ve provided Dagin with an invaluable teachable moment.” He cocked his head and added, “I’m sure you understand my need to verify your story. We can’t have you spying, now can we?”
Oh sure, he understood. Fucking Jordan was going down.
“My loyalty’s with you, Commander. I have nothing left in the holy world. Michael betrayed me.”
After what he hoped was a convincing lie, Sean just stared blandly at his new boss and resisted the urge to say something that would get him killed.
Muuuuch harder than it sounded.
Why question him now? He’d been here for weeks...what made him suspicious?
Instead of mouthing off, he studied Jordan. The traitor was calmer now and had been healed. Did he have that power or had someone else done it? The bloody clothes were gone too. Back to his normal impeccably-tailored suits, he was confident and in control again. The nice threads couldn’t fix his skanky hair and skin though. Talk about gross...No amount of soap and water could cure the ugliness of pure evil. He was rotting from the inside and didn’t even sense it. He was too drunk on the power to see the corruption. That’s what evil did...it lured you until you were too far gone to stop. Once it got its hooks in you, it took over like a cancer that you never feel until you drop dead.
How long did Jordan have left? His body was already a shell of what it was before. The holy glow of angel blood was gone, replaced by the corruption of Satan. His eyes didn’t shine with the light of Heaven; their light was sickly and putrid.
How long could he hold on? Who would fill the void? Dagin?
His crazy boss lifted his hand again and Sean dropped to the floor in a lurching crouch. At least he didn’t fall on his face. Rising quickly to his full height, he flexed his shoulders and arms and threw a look of challenge to the soldiers.
“None of that. For Satan’s sake, go shave and get a haircut. You look like a bear. You’re going out in the real world today. We can’t have you looking like that; now can we?”
One minute later, Sean was back inside the dorm room underneath the lab. One of the demons had shimmered him from the underworld and dumped him in the hallway. With a look of pure hatred, he glared at Sean and bared his fangs.
“I should rip your head off and eat your soul!” The gravelly voice matched the ugly mug.
Without even thinking about it, Sean snatched him by his chest and slammed him into the wall with enough force to crack it. The demon hissed and snapped at his face. Sean glanced up and down the corridor and pulled out his Primani blade. One quick thrust in the chest and the sonofabitch was ash.
Whatever.
God, that felt good! He was soooo sick of this Evil Sean act. His blood was fired up with the need to destroy his enemies. It wasn’t natural to live like this. He was Primani--he killed demons for a living. The smell of evil was getting to him, making him edgy. He needed to get this mission done before he got himself scattered again. Shit. That would suck. Big time.
Okay, maybe he could scrape up a little more patience.
Raphael? Something’s happened to J. Do you know what?
A minute or two passed without an answer. Sean stripped out of his reeking clothes and turned on the shower as hot as it would go. Stepping in, he closed his eyes and let the water wash away the blood and sweat. The cut by his eye was still bleeding, so he healed the tiny wound. He flexed his shoulder and realized it hurt like hell. Having done this a million times in the past two millennia, he let the energy heal the torn ligaments and then let it flow through the rest of him. The slight buzz of electricity made him feel better.
Sean? Still there?
Yeah, boss. What’s up?
Good news. Killian retrieved his weapon at great cost to J.
Well, that explains the insanity...
He’s not taking it well.
Are you hurt?
Not anymore.
Care for some news?
Is there more?
Mica’s having triplets. Three boys. Killian fainted. I’m told it was very amusing.
You knew this would happen, didn’t you? You’re more devious than you look, Afriel.
How many times have I asked you not to call me that?
More times than I can count. Give them greetings from me. I have to go.
Triplets? Niiiice! Man, he’d give anything to see the tough guy faint! That was classic! Someone better have pictures. He plugged in his iPod and cranked up the Godsmack. As “Voodoo” thrummed inside his eardrums, he shaved off the heavy beard in prep for going topside. His hair was way too long; it hung to his shoulders in a heavy black disaster. He grimaced at his own reflection; he looked like a savage, a demon. His teeth gleamed whitely through the darkness as he smiled ruefully. He’d scare people. Can’t have that, now can we?
Beijing, China:
This was a bad idea, he told himself for the thousandth time. He knew he was repeating himself, but couldn’t help it. This was definitely a bad idea. He melted deeper into the shadows as a police patrol strolled past. The two men, both in their 20s, were smoking cigarettes and walking without urgency. Probably taking a break. He’d gone ghost as soon as he rematerialized but still felt exposed.
It was guilt. The guilt he was trying to silence was nagging at him like a fish wife. Shut up, already, he snapped at his own conscience.
Dimming his eyes, he studied the map of the temple complex, again, and identified his route, again. He was stalling and he knew it. No way he could front himself. He didn’t want to do this.
It was a simple op, really. In and out. Should take ten minutes to set the fuses and then bolt before it blew.
Simple.
Yeaaahh...not so much.
Tian Tan, aka the Temple of Heaven, rose up in great majesty in front of him. It was a breathtaking example of a Taoist temple built back in the early 1400s. It was peaceful and beloved by millions of Chinese for centuries. The artwork was priceless. He’d come to this beautiful temple a hundred times over the years. He loved it, had always felt at peace on the grounds. Now?
Again, this was not a good idea. It was bad with a capital B.
It was his assignment. Damn Jordan.
He stared at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the circular building that most non-Chinese citizens of the world recognized from tourism ads.
He was still stalling. After 20 more minutes of staring at the peaceful building, he sighed and shouldered his backpack in the darkness. At least it was night.
No one would be inside.
Dear God, forgive me for what I’m about to do.
Chapter 23: House Arrest Sucks
SPRING IN ENGLAND WAS WET. Of course, it was. Was there a season that wasn’t? The country was beautiful but enough with the rain already. Domino moaned in disgust and wiped dog snot on the windowpane. The glass fogged with her breath and she sat with a sulky huff.
“I’m right th
ere with you, pup. This bites.”
‘Stir-crazy’ didn’t begin to describe our current level of restlessness. It had been drizzling and chilly for more days than I could count. Dec had launched into full-on overprotective nanny mode and wouldn’t let me outside in case I caught a cold. God forbid, I get a runny nose! It was making me mental. He’d been such an angel though, no pun intended.
I couldn’t ask for a better bodyguard or friend. After the first few rocky weeks, we’d settled into a routine that kept us both sane. When the weather was nice, we went exploring around England and spent days trudging around monuments, parks, and tourist sites. We took the demon dog as often as we could since she sulked like a two-year old if we left her behind. Besides, it gave Dec an excuse to talk without looking like a crazy person. I was still cloaked outside of the safe house.
I wiped a little spot and peered through the glass. Dec was running errands and Killian was in Switzerland with Rivin. Where was Sean? I traced little hearts in the condensation and worried. He’d been undercover for months without any contact with us. We got some news from Raphael. The tracer was working and he’d talked to him every few days. He let us know Sean was alive.
Alive.
That five-letter word wasn’t comforting. Alive was straight up better than ‘dead,’ but didn’t mean ‘okay.’ For example, I was technically alive when Dagin tortured me. The pain and fear only made me wish that I was dead.
Yeah, you could live without enjoying it. I hoped and prayed Sean wasn’t being tortured. He had to come back from this; he had to. Our little cell wasn’t complete without him. Our family wasn’t complete. Everyone missed him. The stress was wearing on me as the little parasites sucked all my energy. I patted my stomach with affection and smiled at the image. Yep, I was going to be a great mother.
“Michael, please protect your Primani Sean. Bring him home to us unbroken and sane,” I prayed softly with eyes lowered.
Domino leaned against my leg and I cuddled her close. She prodded at the blanket with her nose and I lifted it so she could curl underneath my bent knees. The window seat wasn’t roomy, but we managed. After all, it was just us girls. I leaned back and closed my eyes. I was so tired. Maybe a short nap?
Domino shifted her head so she could lay her chin on the nursery, aka my belly. She seemed oddly interested in the sounds and movements coming from inside. Anytime she could, she rested her chin there. I was most definitely showing now. I rested my palm on the pile of tangled triplets and sighed. I was already huge. I closed my eyes and listened to the wind rushing through the new leaves in the garden and drifted off.
The sound of the garage door opening woke me just in time to see the sun sinking in the sky. Glancing at my phone, I jerked upright. I did not just sleep for six hours! Groaning about all the things I didn’t get done, I nudged the pooch and we both climbed down from our perch.
“Hey, little momma! I’m back!” Dec tapped once and cracked open the door. He beamed at me and held out a bag of something yeasty and still warm.
Inhaling deeply, I said, “Is that bread? I’m starving!”
Playfully pulling it behind his back, he winked and helped me up by the elbow. “This is for dinner with the stew I got from The Devil’s Hangman. We’re having company and I don’t want you to cook. I also grabbed dessert because I am just that good!”
“Spotted Dick?”
His eyes narrowed dramatically and he said, “You don’t even like it. You just like to say it, don’t you?”
Giggling at his expression, I said, “That is so not true! I love it, but yes, I like saying the name. Happy now?” Spotted Dick was one of the few English foods I loved. It was soooo good. All spongy cake and sticky syrup...and some kind of creamy vanilla sauce...yum on a plate!
He kissed my cheek and asked seriously, his brows dipping low, “How are you feeling? Okay?”
My stomach growled at the thought of the pub’s beef stew and fresh bread. It was perfect. “I’m fine, big brother. You’re too good to me, you know that? I hope you did something fun today?” He’d been acting like a caged tiger all week so I finally shoved him outside and made him go do Primani things.
“I killed two demons over near Worchester Common apartments and one near the park on Abbey Road.” He held out his hands and turned so I could see his back. “And look! Not a single scratch or piece of ash on me. Man, it felt so good to get out and fight again. I love you, darlin’, but I can’t let my energy build too much. Bad things might happen.”
“Like what? Could you explode?”
He shrugged. “It’s possible. You never know.”
Yeah, we wouldn’t want that! I didn’t know if I could bend over to clean the floor.
We headed for the kitchen with Domino on our heels. He held my elbow and I shrugged out of his grip, saying patiently, “You’re doing it again, angel. I’m not going to fall down--yet. Give me a couple more months though, and I’ll look like a whale. THEN you can help me!”
“Ah, come on now, you’re beautiful, darlin’. You’re like the Madonna right now. All radiant and peaceful. I like helping you and my nephews.”
Even though we’d had this conversation 100 times, he just couldn’t help himself and I’d given up getting mad about it. He looked a little sheepish but raised his hand to tuck my hair behind my ear. So gentle, he tucked the strand and let his fingers linger. Their warmth filled me with light and happiness and I couldn’t resist him. The smell of fresh leaves filled my senses. I breathed deeply and smiled. So peaceful, so warm...Before I knew it, I was resting on the couch with my feet propped up on a pillow and a cup of hot chocolate at my side. Three marshmallows floated on top.
Ooooh! He did it again! Damn, er, darn him!
He poked his head out of the itty bitty kitchen and flashed both dimples my way. “Gotcha! The twins are on their way so don’t freak.”
That’s our company? Cool. Dimitri and Alexandyr were endlessly entertaining. They were assigned to the Western European special ops div and stopped to visit whenever they could. Dimitri and Dec went way back and conquered many a killer wave with Rivin. Rivin was still sulking because he was banned from being anywhere near me.
“Do you want to Skype Rivin tonight? He’s feeling left out. I can sense him driving past the house. He’s pretty unhappy. I think he misses you, Dec.”
Dec just laughed. “He’s always unhappy, love. That’s just him. But sure, let’s call him later.”
With a sharp bark, Domino alerted and stared intently at the foyer.
Incoming.
A slight shift in air pressure and Dimitri and Alexandyr rematerialized together. Even though their bodies and faces were absolutely identical, they couldn’t be more different. They had completely different styles and personalities. Alexandyr wouldn’t be caught dead with long hair or braids. His golden blond hair was always impeccably trimmed in a conservative GQ cut. Short, slightly layered, and lightly gelled for a wee bit of lift on top. He dressed in clothes right out of GQ too. Metrosexual? Nah, definitely not. He was waaaay too bad ass to be metro. He did, however, look damn good in Armani.
Both Primani stooped to pat the watch dog. Dimitri grinned and sauntered into the living room. He walked in a way that could stop traffic (if the drivers were all women). There was something about his confident swagger and long muscular legs. He was just sexy, period.
His twin reminded me strongly of Killian, the Killian that had scared the bejesus out of me when we first met. He glided into the room like a mountain lion stalking a hiker. His intense blue eyes alert for the barest hint of a threat, he surveyed the house around him as he moved. His eyes missed nothing, ever. That’s where the similarities ended. Unlike my ultra-controlled Zen-loving husband, Alexandyr had the temper of an irritated bull shark. Where Dimitri was light, he was darkness. He gave me chills.
Coming straight to me, Dimitri bent and kissed the top of my head respectfully. His warm eyes glowed a soft blue as his body recovered from traveling. Ignoring my
personal space as usual, he splayed his palm over my belly and closed his eyes.
“They’re fine, Legolas. You worry too much!” I said, exasperated.
Crouching to look me in the face, he smiled oddly and said, “There is no such thing as too much worry. You carry more than babies inside of you, little one.”
Before I could press him for more, my phone buzzed on the table. Killian.
“Hey, babe, I’m on my way home.” His voice was low and urgent in my ear.
Was he driving? It sounded like he was in a car.
Turning away from the avid eyes of the three Primani behind me, I said quietly, “Are you driving?”
His soft tone sent shivers of apprehension crawling over my skin. “Long story.”
He totally didn’t answer my question.
Alexandyr observed blandly from the doorway and lifted an eyebrow in question.
“Killian’s on his way.”
We’d just finished eating and the guys were clearing the table. I was wiping it down when a loud knock practically took out the front door. Now what?
Alexandyr grabbed my arm and hissed, “Stay here!” Then he was gone. Poof.
Dec and Dimitri vanished.
Domino looked up at me and seemed to shrug. She wasn’t worried.
The pounding came again.
I sent my vision out to search for threats and came back with nothing but two life forms standing on the porch.
Not human, but not demons either. They tended not to knock.
Primani. And one of them was mine.
Ignoring Alexandyr’s order, I came into the living room and announced to Dec, who had rematerialized in the foyer, “It’s only Killian. Open the door for crying out loud!”
Dec huffed at my tone and reached for the door handle just as it opened on its own.
Well, hell.
Heck.
Shoot.
Never in a million years did I expect to see this.
Killian stood there with a black-haired toddler cradled in his arms. The boy was pale and tiny. His little feet were bare but clean. He was dressed in Killian’s shirt which swallowed him up. His eyes were closed in exhaustion. Purple smudges brought my eyes to his sunken cheeks.
The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) Page 104