“Detective Martins.”
“Tony, it’s Dante Vittorio.”
“Dante,” the saint replied in an exasperated tone. “This isn’t a good time.”
“Apologies for bothering you, but I require only a minute.”
Tony covered the receiver and a muffled scraping sound kept Dante from hearing the specifics of the two voices engaged in conversation. A few seconds later, Tony returned to the line.
“All right. You have exactly sixty seconds.”
Dante clenched his jaw, biting back the urge to snap at the detective and his less than pleasant attitude. Since he was asking a favor, he struggled, but managed, to keep his response professional and polite.
“Thank you. One of my bartenders, a lesser daemon named Melora, has been missing from work for a week. No one can reach her and I’m concerned. I was hoping you would send a patrol to check her apartment.”
Tony sighed as if Dante asked him to locate the lost city of Atlantis. “That isn’t my department. Can’t you call it in like a normal citizen?” There was a long pause as Dante let the silence speak for him. Tony caught on and huffed loudly. “No, of course you can’t. There’s nothing normal about you, is there?” It was said in jest, he suspected, but Tony’s words combined with his sarcasm rubbed Dante wrong and he grew defensive.
“Listen, saint, I’ve been nothing but helpful to the Eastlake Falls PD whilst I’m under no such obligation.” He growled, his patience worn thin. “I’m not asking for you to personally go to the female’s apartment. Send a uniformed officer if you must. Going through proper channels would only land my bartender at the bottom of a very long list of crap no one cares about, and you know it. All I’m asking from you is to make a simple phone call to get things moving.”
The detective cursed under his breath. “Fine. What’s the address? I’ll pass it to someone that can hopefully follow up on it.”
He gave Tony the street and apartment number as well as Melora’s full name and daemon classification.
“I’ll see what I can do, Dante.”
“Thank you, Tony.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
Dante stared at the phone after the line went dead.
Fuck you very much, Tony.
He was about to return to Faith and continue what she started with that sinful kiss, when the wards that protected the house flickered and the hum of power he’d grown used to disappeared. A fraction of a second later, Dante materialized in the great room, claws and fangs out and ready. His daemon surged forth in anticipation of a fight with whoever or whatever managed to breach the powerful wards. The room was empty. He found no one, not even his mate. Dante sensed a presence other than Faith and the hairs on the back of his neck prickled.
Where is she?
Faith’s melodic giggling floated from the direction of the foyer and the wards went back up. Shit. They had a visitor and as they came closer, he knew exactly who. Dante felt like an idiot for overreacting, but he was furious, too. They discussed this exact situation a half dozen times and Faith knew better. His daemon unclenched, yet remained prepared to strike if necessary, though Dante knew it wasn’t. Unfortunately, the daemon didn’t give a shit their mate wasn’t in danger. He was upset and therefore, would stay alert.
Faith entered the great room along with the visitor. Jack Bellamy spoke to Faith and the two of them threw back their heads and laughed. Dante wasn’t amused. The sight of Jack convinced his daemon no threat existed, and he retreated. Dante exhaled a breath he had been holding. Still, he was unnerved and angry, so he lashed out at the most convenient target.
“What the fuck, Jack?”
Jack and Faith stopped their conversation, heads turning eerily in sync to stare at him as if he were crazy. Faith’s eyes widened and a knowing smirk spread across Jack’s stupid face. Fates, I wanted to punch him right in that smug smile.
“Worried about Faith, were you, Dante? Or was it your daemon?” Jack prodded, unwisely poking the beast with a stick. “Did he think I was an evil villain, here to steal your mate?”
Faith snorted in amusement, but when Dante gave her an unimpressed scowl her porcelain skin flushed red. He knew she realized her mistake.
“I’m sorry, Dante. I forgot.” Faith’s gaze dropped to the ground.
Jack glanced at Faith, then Dante. He quirked his brows in interest. “Did I miss something?”
Before he could tell Jack to butt the fuck out, Faith spoke up. “I’m not supposed to deactivate the wards without letting Dante know first.”
A tiny crease formed between Jack’s eyes and his eyes darted between Dante’s and his mate’s. “Why not?”
Oh, here we go.
“None of your damn business, Jack,” he snapped right as Faith answered the nosy prick.
“So Dante can see who’s at the door before they enter.”
“I see,” Jack said, drawing out each word. His cheeky response and wide grin made Dante want to throw the asshole down and beat the amused expression right off his face. “Overprotective much, amicus?”
“Fuck off, Jack. As my best friend, you should take Faith’s safety seriously.” The volume of his voice rose and a low growl rumbled in Dante’s chest. “My mate is in danger of being kidnapped by a rogue and very dangerous Horseman. I refuse to take any chances when it comes to her safety and you would be wise to do the same.” The words came out slurred from the fangs that jabbed his bottom lip.
Jack held up his hands to placate Dante, but couldn’t hide the fact he got off on watching his friend lose his shit. “Whatever you say, Dante.” The condescending tone sent a streak of red-hot rage rippling up Dante’s spine and his daemon roared.
Jack fucking knows better than to patronize me.
Jack is Dante’s best friend and to his knowledge, the only wraith to remain on the Earthly plain. Lucky for him, Jack took note of Dante’s rapidly deteriorating attitude and dropped the subject. Immediately, Dante’s daemon wound down and slunk back into darkness. Huffing, Jack strode into the kitchen and Dante watched as the wraith poked around, opening various cabinets in his endless quest for snacks. He exchanged weary glances with Faith. It never failed that the greedy bastard devoured the contents of their pantry. Faith shrugged. There was nothing she could do about Jack and his insatiable appetite. Bored watching Jack stuff his face, Faith went back into the sitting room, sat on one of the plump leather chairs, and picked up a book.
Shit. It looked like they weren’t finishing what they started before Jack interrupted, the bastard. No matter. Dante would remember to pick right up where they left off with that cock-hardening kiss. Once he got rid of the pest currently downing Faith’s secret stash of chocolate covered almonds.
Cock blocked by a wraith, and not the first time, either.
Jack circled the island with a bag of chips in hand. He flopped onto the sofa and happily munched away, crumbs flying everywhere. Dante scowled. Jack pretended to be oblivious, as if he didn’t know how irritating he was. Dante knew better. That little prick had immortal senses of his own and knew exactly what he interrupted, and was loving every second of Dante’s sexual frustration. Typical. As for the chips, wraiths love junk food. It’s rare to find Jack without a fattening snack, either in his hands, mouth, or his many pockets. Jack keeps little stashes on his person at all times, you know, just in case.
Horny and frustrated and now annoyed on top of it, Dante braced his hands on his hips and glared at his oldest, dearest friend. One he currently wished would burn to ash under his furious glare.
“Why are you here, Jack?”
Jack stopped mid-chew and his brows rose. The ass didn’t bother to finish chewing a massive mouthful of food before speaking.
“Well, I thought mayhap you would want details from the raid at that human-trafficking compound last night.” The sight of mushy, half-chewed chips in his mouth turned Dante’s stomach. “But, hey, if you’re too busy, I can leave.” Jack swallowed and paused, the drama queen. “Or you can h
ear about it from someone else.” He shrugged, taunting Dante, then tossed a chip in the air and caught it in his gaping maw. “Doesn’t matter to me,” Jack mumbled with yet another foul mouthful of partially digested food.
“You’re utterly repugnant.” Dante wrinkled his nose. “Would it be so difficult to at least pretend to have manners?”
“I’d like to hear about the raid,” Faith interjected, ignoring his disgust and Jack’s rudeness. Dante glanced over his shoulder and noticed Faith had placed her book face down on the end table, her full attention on Jack.
With a pained sigh, Dante gave in and took a seat. He wasn’t stupid. This conversation would happen no matter his opinion, and in truth, he did want to know. Desperately. Michael discussed the possibility of a raid at the last Trinity meeting, though the Archangel never mentioned a specific timeline as to when his department would strike. In truth, he hadn’t believed Michael would actually go through with it, but he stood corrected. The Archangel not only went through with the raid, he wasted no time making it happen.
Dante must needs wonder if the quick response was to prevent leaks from reaching whomever owned the place.
“So,” Jack said. “Apparently, the shithead daemons at the compound were tipped off about the raid. When the SWAT team got there, the entire compound was cleared out.”
Okay, so definitely a leak.
“Seriously?” Dante swallowed a growl. “Do they know who warned them?”
“No. But every single daemon was gone. Disappeared. Vanished. Adios—”
“I get your point, Jack.” Through narrowed eyes, Dante glared at his friend. “What I don’t understand is who warned them. Or more specifically, who has a reason to warn them. And who did they warn? Who runs that place? Someone has to fund it. Fuck!” Dante paced between the fireplace and the sofa. “The only immortals who knew about the raid were those present at the Trinity meeting and Michael’s team.”
Eyes on Dante, Faith spoke. “The way I see it, either someone in the Trinity is working with—or for—the entity running the compound, or someone in Michael’s department who was part of the raid is taking bribes.” Her big blue eyes flicked back and forth between Dante and Jack as she waited for a response. When neither responded, she shrugged, but the casual gesture looked forced. Fates. Dante’s mate was tense and frightened. Terrified an insider was mayhap an enemy. And since the class nines were a target, her concern wasn’t misplaced. “Isn’t there a saying?” she said. “The easiest explanation is usually the correct one or something like that?”
“Mayhap,” Dante answered, a frown tugging on the corners of his mouth. “If someone is taking bribes or working with the enemy, we’re fucked.” And if the raid went poorly, it explained Tony’s shit attitude on the phone.
“Not necessarily,” Jack added. “Sometimes the answer is complicated as fuck.” He tossed a few chips into his open mouth, happily chewing, content as could be. What the fuck? So Jack doesn’t think a dirty immortal hiding amongst them, part of either the Trinity or Michael’s police force, was a big deal? Dante rubbed his forehead. Of course he didn’t. As far as Jack was concerned, it wasn’t a big deal. Being a wraith, Jack never behaved or reacted like other immortals. With Dante’s soulmate in danger, he found Jack’s insouciant attitude unacceptable.
“Do you even care?” Dante snarled, enraged by Jack’s blasé stance with regards to the shit-storm brewing. One with Dante’s beloved mate a prime target.
“Eh, not really.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Dante huffed. He threw his hands in the air.
After all this time, Dante shouldn’t be surprised. Wraiths are inherently selfish by nature. Unique in the immortal world. Firstly, they don’t possess a corporeal form to walk the Earthly plane. In order to appear human, a wraith requires a vessel to possess. They care not for the displaced human soul, their only concern for themselves. Mayhap Jack was Dante’s best friend, and loyal to a fault, but Dante held no illusions. He was well aware how Jack viewed the world and what was deemed important. Jack’s existence boiled down to three things…
Food. Fucking. Fun.
That was Jack in a nutshell. Dante wasn’t sure exactly where he fit in the grand scheme of things in Jack’s twisted mind. He did know that for as much as it was said, wraiths didn’t possess the capability to care for others or form bonds, when it came to Jack, the rumors weren’t wholly true. In his own way, Jack cared for Dante, mayhap Faith, and a select few here and there throughout his long existence. The list was short, but Dante knew Jack was indeed capable of forming emotional ties. Loose ones, but ties all the same.
“Did they find anything at all at the compound?” Faith asked. “Anything to use to find anyone or make any arrests?”
Jack nodded whilst he chewed and swallowed the final chip, thank the Fates, because if he had to listen to him chow down for a single second longer, Dante would lose his mind. Steam just about billowed from his ears as he watched Jack take his sweet-ass time cleaning up, sweeping crumbs off his lap, then carefully folding the empty chip bag and placing it in one of his many pockets.
“Are you done?” Dante snapped. Jack peered at him with an innocent expression. As if he didn’t know exactly what he was doing.
Bastard.
Arms behind his head, Jack reclined on the sofa, not a care in the world. “A bunch of beat up human females were left behind, locked in some sort of dungeon.” Jack conveyed the information in a clinical manner. Zero emotion in his words. The suffering of humans didn’t even register on his scale of things to give a shit about. Mayhap he cared for Dante and possibly Faith, but to this day, Dante never saw Jack’s limited affection extend to include a human.
“That’s terrible,” Faith said. A wave of grief rolled across the bond to wash over Dante. He felt his mate’s pain acutely. Clearly, she was distraught by the news of humans tortured and held captive. Not surprising, considering practitioners began their lives as human. Grew up human. Believed themselves to be human until they changed. Sometime around their twenty-second year of life, they came into their powers to become immortal. Because of this, Faith still had great affection and sympathy for humans as a species.
Personally, Dante only give a shit about the humans in his employ. The rest? Meh, he could give or take them. Aye, he was concerned with humans in a general sense, to the point he was content to coexist with their species and didn’t want them to go extinct, but not because he cared. More due to the fact Dante benefitted and profited from them. He cared just enough to fight the Daemon Kings to maintain the balance of humans and immortals on Earth, and even then, it was more about escaping his abusive father than helping the human race.
“It is terrible,” Dante agreed, if only to keep from upsetting his mate with his lack of concern over random human females. “I expect another Trinity meeting should be called soon. Especially with the news that no arrests were made.” He looked to Jack who nodded.
“Which means I’m still on house arrest,” Faith said. Her downcast eyes glistened with tears.
“I’m sorry, altarasha.” And he was sorry, though his platitudes changed nothing. Faith desired and deserved her freedom. His mate earned the right to live without fear.
“Well…” Jack stood and brushed the remaining crumbs from his hands, then one-handed, pulled out the empty bag of chips, tossed it in the air, and pumped his fist when it landed in the kitchen trash. “It’s been nice, but I gotta get going.”
“Wait.” Dante rose and followed Jack. Something Jack said didn’t sit well. “How did you even hear of the failed raid? You aren’t a member of the Trinity. In truth, I’m more than concerned you knew the outcome before I’ve heard a single word.”
A wicked grin spread across Jack’s face, his dimples making him look both stunning and playful, and Fates, Dante wanted to slap that look right off. He loved Jack, but when he got in these teasing moods, he was intolerable.
“It’s like this, amicus…” Jack clapped Dante on the shou
lder and leaned in close. “Hot, sexy cop, lots and lots of tequila, a few filthy dances, and you should have seen it. She was as horny as a celibate succubus. I could have gotten her to tell me anything as she begged me to—”
Faith cut him off with a disgusted sound and Dante rolled his eyes.
“Lovely. We don’t need details of your frequent sexual conquests.”
“You asked.” Jack blinked and acted all innocent. A second later, his eyes narrowed and laser-focused on Dante. “As if you’re one to talk about conquests, Prince of Lust.” Dante growled and Jack threw back his head and let out a loud belly laugh. Satisfied he stirred up enough shit for one day, Jack made his way to the front door. He stopped in the foyer and called to Dante’s mate. “Faith, my dear, would you do the honors of letting down the wards so I can take my leave?”
Faith snorted, beyond eager for Jack to get out. “My pleasure.”
Aw shit. From her tone, his mate was pissed, and the odds were good he’d be going to bed without feeding his lust on her sweet, sexy body.
Fucking Jack.
CHAPTER 4
T oday was the day. After months of work, the djinn known as Balor Daegon, shall be banished to the Underworld. The immortal jury sentenced the djinn several days ago. Now Thomas was waiting on Faith so they could send him right where he deserved and he could close this damnable case. Thomas looked forward to watching the bastard get exactly what he had coming. The second the djinn was gone, he would let Hope know she was forever safe, thus granting her the peace she deserved. Of course, it would require him to lie and tell Hope her attacker was sentenced to life at a maximum-security prison hundreds of miles away, but the end result was the same. Hope would know she could finally relax, stop looking over her shoulder, and move on.
Hope For More (Trinity Book 3) Page 7