“No.” His voice miserable. “I tried all night—” His expression suddenly changed, and his hands flew to the sides of his head.
“What? Are you picking something up?” I asked excitedly.
He held up a single finger as his face broke out into a wide grin. I took that as a good sign. I squirmed in my seat.
Finally, he darted a glance in my direction. “I can hear her,” he said. “But it’s faint. She’s warning me not to come, of course. But there’s no chance I’ll listen to that nonsense.”
“Is she with Jax?” I could hardly contain my joy. I knew Enid would keep her word and swap their lives for mine.
“She says she is with the boy.”
Relief swept through me. “Are they okay? Have they been hurt?”
Danny’s face looked hopeful. “The signal is getting stronger. She says they are not hurt, and the boy is strong. She says Enid has left them alone for the most part.”
Immediately, I called out to my brother, who was likely still asleep. Tyler! We just got word Jax is okay. Danny got through to Naomi. We’re either breaking them out or making a swap. Let Kayla know. I’ll keep you posted.
Wait, what? His voice was sleepy, but changed to alert instantly. You’re not making a swap. That wasn’t the plan. If you can’t break them out, come back here and we’ll figure out the next step.
The plan is to do whatever it takes, I said firmly. Enid isn’t playing. We either have the advantage, or we don’t. We’ll know soon enough.
But, Jess, that’s… He trailed off.
The way it’s going to be, I finished for him. Listen, I didn’t have time to tell everybody yesterday what happened when I rescued Danny. But Enid had a chance to harm me, and she backed off. There was a reason for that, and I’m going to find out what it is. She wants her sister back above all else, we can’t forget that. If there’s a way I can do that, I’m going to make it happen. Naomi’s and Jax’s lives are important. Tell Kayla immediately. She deserves to know.
Of course I will, he answered. Stay safe, Jess. I mean it.
I plan to. That’s why we’re heading into Florence. It has to work, Tyler. There’s no other choice.
I hear you, he said. I could picture him running a hand through his blond hair. Keep me posted. We leave here at six and rendezvous with Dad by eight.
If something happens with my internal connection, I’ll have Rourke call Nick. I’ve got to go. We’re almost inside the city limits.
Kick her ass, Jess.
I laughed. That might be a possibility.
Lucas turned down a narrow street. “We’ll get a ticket for driving into a restricted zone, but that’s fine. We try to stay off human radar as much as possible, but this is an exception worth breaking the rules for.”
I nodded. “Lucas, once we get out, I want you to head back home. I’ve instructed Nick to stay at the villa. You guys are going to be our eyes and ears. If you can, try and get as much information as you can from Julian’s wolves.”
“Got it. I’ll head back as soon as I drop you off,” he said.
“We appreciate that,” Rourke said. “By the way, has anybody asked you who your Alpha is sleeping with?”
“Nicolas asked me, and I will tell you the same thing I told him,” he replied. “I don’t know for sure. I have not seen her in the flesh, but by her scent alone I believe she is either a witch or a goddess. In the past year, Julian has kept his wolves far from the villa. His second and fifteen to twenty other wolves who had once lived inside the house were suddenly instructed to move out. Everything changed in one day.”
I moved forward in my seat. “Are his wolves angry with him? What about his second? Do they all suspect he’s sleeping with a witch?” The area Ray had showed me that held the underground bunker was not far from where the wolf bunkhouses were. They had to have scented Angie and Ceres on their land.
“I would assume so,” he answered. “But they do not share their thoughts with me. Julian has kept me at the house only because he believes I am inferior—less than a real wolf. That I am inept at understanding what’s going on around me.”
Rourke grunted. “He’s the one who’s inept. He couldn’t find his finger if it was inserted straight into his ass. He was guilty as hell last night and acted like everything was fine.”
“Even though he seems inept, you must be wary of him,” Lucas cautioned. “He will protect what he perceives is his right at all costs. The only reason he would pair up with a goddess over his own wolves is because he believes doing so will bring him greater power and status.”
I nodded. That’s what Jeb had already confirmed. “We realize he’s powerful,” I said as Rourke snorted. “But this is not going to end well for him. We believe he might be hiding our kidnapped friend on the Compound under our noses. We will be forced to fight him to free Tally.” I paused. “We believe she is the witch who will sit on the Coalition.”
“I understand,” Lucas said. “I don’t concern myself with what happens to Julian. My loyalty is to you. I will help you in any way I can.”
“My friends are going to be investigating the area today,” I said. “Do you know anything about the underground bunker?”
“Yes,” he answered as he turned down a narrow street. “It was built eighty years ago when there was a threat of invasion in Italy. It’s meant to withstand bomb blasts. It’s spelled and set deeply into the ground. No one is allowed to go near it without Julian’s explicit approval. We don’t know what he does down there, but we know he visits often.”
“Well, I know what he does,” I muttered. “He kidnaps witches and canoodles with goddesses.” I thought about Maggie, Tally’s tiny daughter. If Julian was keeping the toddler down there, there would be trouble. “Have you ever been inside? How big is it?” Not only was Tally missing, but the entire Coven was too. I couldn’t believe he had room to stash them all down there, but who knew how big that space was.
“I was in there once many years ago,” he said. “I was tasked to clean out some of the rooms. It’s fairly big, set up like a two-bedroom apartment. There are artificial lights to mimic the sun. Julian spent a lot on furnishings, and there is power. Someone could live comfortably down there for a while.”
“Is it large enough to hold, say, twenty to thirty witches?” I asked.
Lucas pulled over to the curb and turned around to face me, his arm slung across the back of the seat. “No, there’s no way there are that many witches down there. Not only is there not enough room, but we would know because there would be gossip. I’m sorry. Your friend could be there, but not the others. We are at the Piazza della Signoria.” He gestured in front of him. “It’s down the block in front of us. You will find the statue of David in the square. I’ll head back to the villa now.”
I gave him a quick hug. “Thank you for your help. We owe you.”
“You owe me nothing.” He smiled. “It’s my duty to help you. Every race of supernatural is counting on you. If you’re successful, we’re all successful.”
Danny opened the side door, and I followed him out. “Lucas, you have a place on my team after all this is over, if you want it.” There would be no room for him in Julian’s Pack after everything shook out. “I value trust and respect over all else, and you’ve given it freely. I’m proud to call you friend.”
“I am honored,” he said. “And I accept.”
Rourke reached out to shake Lucas’s hand. “I’m hoping this will be over soon.”
“Me too. Be safe.”
The street was dark, only a few streetlights to light the way. It was approximately a quarter after five in the morning. We made it down the short block in less than a minute.
The square was mostly empty, save for a few tourists who either had serious jet lag, or wanted to avoid the crowds. They wouldn’t be a problem, as we were just another set of tourists up early to see the sites.
As we hurried up to the statue of David, movement behind the sculpture caught my eye.
Leo stepped out of the shadows directly in front of us.
We stopped.
He bowed his head, and very slowly, two gigantic wings unfurled.
19
Seeing Leo morph into an angel was one of the most amazing things I’d ever witnessed. His power leaped in front of him, abrading us with its ferocity. This supernatural was strength personified. I honestly didn’t think he had an equal in the entire world. I’d never witnessed such raw beauty.
He was bare-chested, his bronze skin radiant in the low light. His clear eyes glittered, his cheekbones casting their own shadows. His wingspan was easily fifteen feet across. His wings were a glorious white, the feathers thick and well defined.
“Bloody hell,” Danny murmured. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Yes, it is,” I whispered, not knowing why I was keeping my voice down, but feeling the moment deserved reverence. “That’s Leonardo—who is actually Michelangelo—the celestial angel who is going to help us get your mate back. He’s cloaking us from Enid.”
Danny glanced at me with a stunned expression on his face. “You weren’t kidding when you said you had a plan.”
“No, I wasn’t,” I replied. “We were just lucky he decided to help us.”
“He’s one of the only supernaturals who can block Enid from seeing our movements,” Rourke added.
“I am,” Leo agreed as he came forward. “The moment I unleashed my power, we became invisible to everyone, including these humans in the piazza. Until I decide, we stay cloaked.”
I turned to Danny. “Are you still getting messages from Naomi?”
Danny nodded, his gaze darting back to the larger-than-life celestial being who stood in front of us. “Aye, she’s still coming through. She was describing her whereabouts, but I’m not sure it will help us much. It seems they are locked in a room with crumbling walls, which describes just about every residence in this city. She never got a glimpse of the outside. It is secure. No power can get in or out. Jax has tried to tear his way through, but he hasn’t succeeded.”
“Is it like an apartment, or a bunker, or something else? Ask her to be as specific as she can,” I instructed him.
“I have been doing so.” His voice was strained. “She feels that maybe it’s an old monastery or something of the like. She hasn’t heard any vehicles or casual human sounds, so she is guessing that they’re outside the city limits, somewhat secluded.”
“We have to remember that Enid wants us to find her,” I said. “That’s the only way we can make a swap.”
“Wait.” He held up a finger while pressing another one against his temple. “She was speaking but abruptly stopped. Something’s going on.” His voice rose in accord with his panic.
I reached out and touched him, giving him strength, pouring as much calm into him as I could. “Enid is not going to hurt them,” I assured. “She wants me and only me.”
“This is true,” Leo confirmed, his baritone sounding lovely and melodic. “She will have felt my power, and Jessica has disappeared abruptly off her radar. She will put them together immediately. She will not be happy, but she will find a way to achieve her goals, likely by speaking through your mate.”
Danny nodded slowly, trying to keep his composure. “Yes, I think Naomi’s speaking with someone else.”
“If we don’t think she’s within the city limits,” Rourke said, “we’re going to need to figure out how to get to our next destination. We let Lucas take the vehicle back to the villa.”
“That won’t be a problem,” Leo said. “I can get us there merely on a thought.”
“Well, that’s…handy.” I exhaled. It was actually unbelievable. What incredible power. “Danny is worried about Naomi, so the sooner we find out where she is, the better.”
“I understand,” Leo answered. “But you must not worry overly much.” He directed his comment at Danny. “Your mate is strong.”
“Do you know who she is?” I asked.
“Yes,” Leo said. “I know all who will sit on the Coalition.”
I was both shocked and relieved. “So it’s true!” I exclaimed. “Naomi will take the vampire seat.”
“What? What are you saying?” Danny sputtered. “Naomi will sit on the Coalition?”
“I didn’t mention it before, because it was only speculation,” I told him. “But it does make sense. When she ingested my blood, she became the most powerful vampire after Eudoxia. But Eudoxia can’t take two seats, so it’s up to the power to find the best vampire suited for the job, and that happens to be your mate.”
“My mind just shattered into a million pieces,” Danny said. “This is a lot to take in at the moment.”
“Of course it is,” I told him, patting his back. “It’s probably best not to tell Naomi right now. We don’t want to shock her. She’s got enough going on as it is. It’s going to take her some time to process the news, especially since she’s so used to taking orders from others.” I imagined her denying her place for a while. I was going to have to remind her that she’d learned a long time ago that she was destined for this, when she first spoke to the Hag who spared her life all those years ago, after Selene had sent her on a doomed mission. The Hag had said if she pledged herself to someone, she would live to see the wrongs of the world righted. I wondered if that Hag had been Enid?
That would be a full-circle moment.
“Wait, wait,” Danny said, holding up his finger. “Naomi’s come back. She says she has a message for us. Enid knows you have enlisted the angel’s help. She says this has changed nothing. It’s Jessica’s life for theirs. If you dare to break them out, she will kill them without hesitation.”
I looked to Leo for guidance. “We knew this was her game all along,” I said. “She’s always wanted me. Do we have a chance to defy her if we’re cloaked? A chance to break them out anyway?”
Leo gazed off into the distance for a moment, then turned back. “We are cloaked, so she cannot see our movements. We can achieve many things in this state. But that does not mean she can’t harm the innocents while we are doing so. We risk much if we go against her wishes.”
I sighed. “Jeb told me that if I followed her missives directly, I would die. That means if we let Enid decide how to proceed, we lose our advantage and the outcome might be dire.”
Leo nodded. “I suggest we change the plan without telling Enid. Instead of finding Naomi and the boy, we locate Enid. Once we do, you will have a single chance to state your case, as you did to me. If you can convince her that there is an alternative to ending your life, and a chance to bring her sister back, you will prevail. If not, you will die. I see no other way around it.”
“Wait a minute. That’s not part of the plan,” Rourke said, his voice heavy with emotion. “There has to be another way that doesn’t involve Jessica walking straight into danger.”
I glanced at my mate, knowing this was incredibly hard for him. “Rourke,” I answered calmly, “Leo’s right. There is no other way. I have one chance. I can’t follow her orders blindly, so we have to use the only advantage we have. Even if we were somehow able to rescue Naomi and Jax, she isn’t going away, and my life is still in danger. It’s the only way.” Juanita had told me to make decisions with my heart, and I knew this was the right choice, wherever it led me. Before Rourke could protest further, I turned to Danny. “Tell Naomi to let Enid know we’re ready to make the swap, and we await her direction.” I reached out to grab Rourke’s hand. “We’re cloaked by Leo. Once she gives us the information, we can figure out where she is and try to take her by surprise. I believe this is the only way.”
“I don’t accept that.” We all heard the anguish in Rourke’s voice.
I squeezed his hand. “You’ll be standing right next to me. I’ll state my case, and we’ll see what she says. Leo and Danny will be there too. That’s a considerable amount of power. It will force Enid to listen. I don’t believe she can snatch me right under your noses. It will have to be a compromise in the end
.” I nodded to Danny, who seemed to be waiting for us to come to a decision. “Go ahead, contact Naomi.”
Leo gave me a long contemplating look, and I wondered what was going on in his perfectly symmetrical head. He finally said, “My job over the last thousand years was to stand witness to the formation of the Coalition. I knew your successor.” He nodded to me. “You carry her very soul within you. There are similarities, of course. You both have dark hair and similar builds, but you have a softer side—your human side. Something that is missing with most supernaturals. Your capacity for empathy, and for compromise—it rarely exists for us. That makes us harsh and unforgiving creatures, continually out for the betterment of ourselves and not the greater good. I believe this is what sets you apart, and what will make you better than all the rest. This is the reason I agreed to help you.”
I was overwhelmed.
What was I supposed to do with that? “Thank you,” I settled on. “My father would probably agree with you. He has tried all his life to balance both worlds for me, and I think he did a good job. Sometimes, however, I feel that my human side is a hindrance, but mostly I feel pride that I’ve managed to retain it. I find it confusing when I meet other supernaturals who do not love and care for others first and foremost. It feels foreign to me, and I hope it always does. I don’t know about it making me a better leader, but I will try to be the best one I can be. I plan to bring my team with me. I think it’s important to have more than one viewpoint at all times, or it’s too easy for one to get lost.”
“You will set a new precedent,” he said. “I look forward to your reign.” He turned toward Rourke. “I believe Enid will look inside your mate and see the same. She will see that Jessica is meant to do this job. All that stands in Enid’s way are anger and grief. She will not be expecting a face-to-face meeting, so anything that was written before has now changed. If Jessica is to meet with her, it must be now.”
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