Julius’ body jerked and he let out a low moan.
Kat pressed her face to Julius’. “Shh. Be still. I’m so sorry.” He seemed to calm under her touch. “Settle down, baby. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” She winced. What a stupid thing to say under the circumstances.
She stroked his face, feeling the wetness on the cloth. “Say something.” She leaned closer, but he didn’t make a sound. His whole body thrummed with restrained energy.
Over and over she tried to reassure him. But she wasn’t sure she could protect him. She couldn’t switch him with Julian, not now. Not without Magic. If Trina or Lilith saw him acting this way . . . His muscles twitched under her hands. “I need you to be still.”
Harrison walked over and cursed. “Hey, Scott, he’s breaking through the goddamn Plasticuffs again. I told you we should have used daemon-grade cuffs.”
She sat up. Deep lacerations cut into Julius wrists where he fought against the Plasticuffs. Though the rest of his body remained still, the muscles in his arms bulged and flexed and the plastic that secured the tie began to whiten as the Plasticuffs weakened.
“They’re supposed to be military grade.” Scott shook his head. “The DDC isn’t going to be effective if they’re going to keep giving us subpar equipment.”
“Keep him calm, Kat.” Duncan pulled his phone out. “Trina should be finishing up down at the court in Seattle. I’ll call and see what’s taking our ride so long.”
Harrison rolled Julius to his back, knocked him out with a punch to his face, and sat on his chest, making it harder for him to break free when he woke.
“You’re going to hurt him.”
He met her gaze, his face twisted, as if he’d smelled something rotten. “This is your mate? The one you told me about? You’ve been holed up here with him?”
She maintained steady, soothing strokes on Julius’ face, but her gaze narrowed on Harry. “You beat a male who wasn’t fighting back. You let words anger you to the point you couldn’t stop.”
“No, I didn’t. I fucked up. I looked him in the eye.” He had the grace to look away as his face colored. “But that beating he took, that wasn’t me. He got to me.” Harrison’s gaze shifted to Julius. He glanced back to the other two males, then lowered his voice. “In my head, he kept pushing me to hit him so the pain would stop.”
She closed her eyes. Proving her mate’s sanity wasn’t going to be easy.
After forty generations, when the angels emerged from the fiery lake, the goddess gave them two choices. They could repent by aiding daemon kind in maintaining the balance or they could return to the lake.
Most chose to return to the lake.
But five remained.
Chapter 26
Machon
There were too many daemons. Kat lifted onto her tiptoes to see over Scott and Harrison’s shoulders. Trina was here somewhere, she’d arrived at her home minutes after Duncan called and brought them straight to the front door of the Citadel. Duncan held open the doors and as soon as they entered, the daemons within had started yelling.
They all knew there was only one male whose face they’d need to cover and were furious they’d been tricked once before.
Some daemons shouted, “Let us see him!” Others, “We want proof it’s Crowley!” Several had taken out blades and looked ready to commit murder should the opportunity present itself.
“Trina!” Kat called out to her, but with all the other noise, she could barely hear herself.
Daemons pressed in from all sides, keeping her trapped behind Scott and Harrison. She couldn’t even see Julius. Gaia, please help me. Please, please give me time. I need ten minutes with Trina or Lilith before anything else happens.
Gaia wasn’t listening. Not tonight.
Someone shoved someone else. Bodies collided with their small group and Harrison and Scott pushed back, ordering the others to back off.
“Enough!” Trina’s voice rose above the din. “Clear the goddamned room.”
Uniformed daemons circled the mob, picking off daemons and shoving them toward the door. She got caught in a wave of bodies being herded out the building and had to fight her way upstream.
By the time she broke free, Scott and Harrison were talking to Trina. George had made himself at home, curling up on one of the thrones on the dais.
Julius sat in a chair between Scott and Harrison. His hands cuffed. Head hooded. Weren’t they going to treat his wounds?
She hurried over. Cupped his cheek in her hand. “I’m gonna fix this.” When she looked up, Trina was gone. As were the uniformed guards. She looked at Harrison. “Where’s Trina?”
“There’s a stray Nephilim out near the wayward Watcher’s tower. She and the coven are taking care of it. Just sit tight.”
Sit tight. What a stupid saying.
Julius apparently thought so too. He chuckled. “Is that what Adia did? Sit tight?”
Harrison’s jaw clenched. “Shut up, Crowley.” He paced away several steps and came back, skewering her with his gaze. “I don’t get what you see in that prick. I mean, Jesus, Kat.” He dug his fingers through his hair. “He’s . . . not right.”
“He’s fine. Just don’t say anything about him mesmerizing you, okay? I’m going to take care of everything.”
She turned to glance at Julius as he erupted out of the chair. He had his hands free once again.
No, no, no! Why wouldn’t he behave for five minutes!
The thought hadn’t even fully processed before he had Harrison. One of Julius’ arms snaked under one of Harrison’s and then threaded behind Harrison’s head. He grabbed Harrison’s knife with the other. Had it to his throat before Harrison had even gurgled out a warning.
Julius had complete control of Harrison—something about the way he had that one arm twisted back over his shoulder—and he kept Harrison between him and Scott. Interesting. Very little energy exerted and he had both men on the defense.
She tipped her head to the side. That was twice. He could end this now. He could’ve ended this back at her place when he’d been on top of Harrison. But he hadn’t.
“Now, this is better, isn’t it?” He turned, keeping Harrison between him and Scott. “This is just between me and the rest of you. No need to get Kat involved.”
“Damn.” He wasn’t trying to get away. He was being a pain in the ass to keep the attention on him. She shouldn’t have said she’d take care of everything. That’s what started this. He’d been sitting here behaving himself right up until she’d come over and tried to interfere.
Kat plopped down into the chair Julius had vacated. He was doing this to protect her. To draw attention from her. Maybe if she quit trying to save him, he’d settle down and quit goading them.
There wasn’t much she could do anyway. She was completely inept without her Magic. She felt like the damsel in distress in those old black-and-white movies and she hated it. As soon as all this was over, she was going to enroll in self-defense classes. Maybe some aikido, too. She’d learn to shoot a gun. Fight with a knife. Everything she could learn. She would never be this defenseless again.
Movement caught her attention from the corner of her eye. James, Lilith’s mate, was sneaking up behind Julius.
She sighed. “Jules.”
“I got this.”
“Jules!” He glanced her way.
She tipped her head toward James. The larger male was almost within striking distance. At first, she didn’t think Julius planned to do anything. He turned to stare at her through the hood. At the last second, he swung around with Harrison with enough force that Harrison’s legs shot out and slammed into James’ face, sending him sprawling. “Gotta do better than that, boss.”
James growled as he got to his feet. “You do not know who you’re fucking with, Crowley.”
“Oh, I know all about you. I know all about everything all of the sudden. Want to know about Roswell? Area 51? It wasn’t little green men, it was us. Witch’s fire crossed the sky, not a UFO.
Daemons in the lab, not aliens.” He shrugged as he danced out of Scott’s reach, dragging Harrison with him. “Though I guess it’s all the same in the end.” He froze. His head tipped to the side. “Why does that sound important?” He repeated himself, “It’s all the same in the end. . . .” He shook his head and when Scott made a move to grab him, he dodged. “How ’bout Kennedy? The grassy knoll? That was us, too. The fucker had found out about daemon kind. So we killed him, framed Lee Harvey Oswald, and wah-la.”
James stalked him, alert to his every move. “Shut up, already!”
“What do you want to know? Ask me anything. How ’bout our nuclear launch codes? BX8R43PXZ204G.”
Scott froze.
“Oh, wait, that’s supposed to be a secret. I know Russia’s, too. And France’s. The UK’s. How about Iran’s?”
Scott shook his head. “You’re fucked up; Iran doesn’t have any nukes.”
He grinned. “Wanna bet?”
Now Scott didn’t look so sure.
“How about Jack the Ripper? The Black Dahlia? The Lost Colony of Roanoke and the Clearances?” He lifted the blade from Harrison’s throat to spread his arm wide. “Well, now, that was me.”
Scott and James traded a speaking glance. They spread out, away from each other to come at Julius from opposite directions.
Julius scoffed. “Don’t know why I expected more from you lot. What do we have here? A excommunicated, defrocked priest, a sex-slave and . . . .” He turned, facing Scott. “A fucking choir boy. Got nothing much on you . . . except your wife divorced you ’cause your peter didn’t work.”
Scott didn’t even flinch.
Julius chuckled. “Maybe we should talk about why your peter didn’t work.”
Scott tackled Julius, taking Harrison down, too. The three men fell in a tangle of limbs. Harrison pulled free while Scott pummeled Julius, who did nothing in return except egg him on. At least, she thought he was egging him on, she couldn’t quite make out the words, muffled as they were by the hood and the sickening sound of flesh hitting flesh. Something about not asking . . . telling. Oh, dearest Gaia, Don’t ask, don’t tell.
James joined the fray. All of them punching and grabbing and wrestling for dominance. Somehow, Julius ended up with Scott in the same position he’d had Harry in a few minutes ago. He pressed his cheek to Scott’s as he maneuvered them back away from the other two. “You hit like the cock-sucker you are, Scotty-boy.”
Kat’s jaw dropped. That was going too far. “Jules!”
His hood-covered head jerked toward her and his whole body tensed. “Get the hell out of here. Why is she still in here?”
As if any of them were going to stop long enough to escort her out. “I’m staying. So you remember I’m watching. I’m listening.”
Harry lunged at Julius and it started all over again. Julius bobbed around the room, staying out of reach, spewing every miserable secret each of the men had. “How ’bout we talk about your mate?” He turned to James. “Wanna hear about Lilith’s first time in the sack?”
Duncan entered the room. “What in the hell is going on here?”
Julius turned to face the new threat, dragging Scott with him. “Don’t got nothing on Trina, but your first wife made the rounds while she was married to you. Want names? Positions?”
Duncan’s hands fisted. “I’m gonna kill the little prick.”
Kat jumped up and ran to him, pressing her hands against his chest as if she had a chance in hell of stopping him. Duncan was built like a pro-wrestler and looked as mean. “Duncan, please. He’s not hurting anyone, he’s trying to make them hurt him. He’s trying to keep everyone’s attention off of me.”
“That why he keeps looking over here? To see how much more he has to cock up before I get brassed off?” Duncan’s attention returned to the scene playing out in front of him. His eyes narrowed. “We’ll see about your bloody theory.” He jerked her around, pulling her back flush against his hard body and pressing his blade to her belly.
She sucked in a sharp breath as the blade pricked her flesh. Maybe honesty wasn’t always the best policy.
“No.” Julius released Scott and held up his arms in surrender.
Duncan grunted. “Way I see things, we got no reason to think your bit of fluff ain’t involved.”
Kat squeezed her eyes shut as the blade sank into her flesh a little deeper. She tried, but couldn’t stop her cry of pain.
“I’m thinking I can ash this traitor, don’t need to hand her over to the humans.”
“Jesus,” Julius said, “stop.”
She’d never expected Duncan to turn on her. This could get ugly quick. “Everyone needs to calm—”
Duncan gave her a rough shake.
“Shut it, luv.” Duncan’s harsh whisper rang in her ears. Then, to Julius, “Why should I stop?”
Julius sank down to his knees, dropping the blade. “I won’t fight if you let her go. Just get that fucking blade away from her.”
“That hood is leather.” Duncan’s grip lessened. “How do you know what I’m about?”
Julius’ Adam’s apple bobbed beneath the edge of the hood as he swallowed. “Just do.”
Duncan’s big hand covered her mouth. The knife bit into her a little more.
“No!” Julius held out his arms in a placating gesture. “I promised I won’t fight. What else do you want?”
“Get him down in the chokey.” Duncan nodded to Harrison and Scott. “Now. No more fucking about.”
“Take the blade off her,” Julius roared.
“Soon as you’re sorted, mate.”
Julius allowed the men to take him away, though he kept turning to check on her as they escorted him out. As soon as the door closed, Duncan’s whole demeanor changed. The blade disappeared and he turned her in his arms and engulfed her in a big hug. “Sorry ’bout that, luv. Wasn’t sure how else to gain his cooperation.”
She struggled against him for all about twenty seconds before his words sank in, until the genuine concern in his voice penetrated her fear.
“I think she’s in shock.” James’ voice was right behind her. “You okay, Kat?”
She pulled away from Duncan only to be engulfed in another hug.
“She’s shaking like a wet kitten.” James patted her back and released her. “I’d like to hang that boy from his balls for that little show.”
Duncan put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to a chair. Her gaze darted between the two men. Did they know Julius was her mate? That she’d had him in her house for the last week?
“Bloody ’ell, that lad’s as stubborn as they come, in’it? I’m sorry as hell for hurting you. One of the ladies will get you fixed up in no time.”
“Why?” She shook her head. “Why’d you cut me?”
“That lad wasn’t going to listen to reason. He doesn’t trust us. Hell, I’d wager he doesn’t even trust himself right now.”
“What does that have to do with you sticking me with a knife?”
Duncan pulled her down into a chair and knelt in front of her. “Well, I put myself in his place, yeah?” Duncan shrugged. “If it were me and I was ’ell bent on getting out or causing trouble, there’s nothing that would stop me.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Well, almost nothing. There’s only one thing that could bring me to my knees.” Trina rushed in and Duncan tipped his head toward her as if to say “And that’s her.” “I’m not saying I think he’s innocent.” Duncan couldn’t quite meet her eyes. “Just saying it’s obvious what his weakness is. You want to tell us how he’s seeing through that leather hood?”
“I don’t think he can see exactly. . . .”
“He reacted when I put the knife to you.”
“He talks about my colors changing. I think he can see my aura. Your aura. He probably didn’t know you specifically had a knife to me, just that I was scared and hurt.”
James’ eyebrows snapped down. “That’s how he was fighting? Dancing around Scott and Harrison? Because he see
s their colors?”
She shrugged. “He always kept his eyes covered at home, but he got around just fine. Never stumbled.”
Duncan leveled a look at James, who shrugged. “Whatever he was doing, I’ve never seen him do it before.”
As soon as Trina got close, she said, “James, Lilith’s taking Angie down to the cells before she takes her back home. I don’t trust that woman any farther than I can throw her.”
“I’ll watch her.” James headed for the door they’d taken Julius through.
Trina edged Duncan out of the way and took his place on the floor in front of Kat. “How did this happen?” She lifted Kat’s shirt to assess the damage.
Kat saw fear in Duncan for the first time. She almost smiled at his discomfort—served him right for scaring the hell out of her. Her conscience won over, though, as she reminded herself that he was the reason Julius made it into the cell in one piece. “We had a little trouble getting Julius in the cell. I asked Duncan to hold me hostage so Julius wouldn’t fight.”
Trina stared at her, her expression one of subtle disbelief. Duncan’s expression matched hers, but for an all-together different reason. Trina glanced at Duncan over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing. “We’ll talk about this later.”
Duncan let out a long, loud burst of air. “’Course we will, Duchess. Might also have a little chin-wag on why Brenda didn’t mention Crowley was at Kat’s house when she sent us to fight the Nephilim.”
He sauntered out of the room, leaving Kat alone with Trina.
Kat winced. “He didn’t know?”
Trina shook her head. “Lilith and I haven’t told anyone.” She sighed. “When I explain, he’ll understand. So, what really happened?” Trina asked. “I always know something’s up with him when he sings John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt in his head.”
Kat laughed. Trina had the ability to connect with others psychically but limited her psychic interactions to Duncan and Lilith. “Go easy on him. I may not have appreciated his tactics, but I did like his results.”
The Knight: The Original's Trilogy - Book 3 Page 26