Aaron. “Just stop it. Please.”
“Open the box, Carmella. I’d wager once you untangle the emotions inside you’ll have your answer.”
There was nothing more to say. It was, what it was, and my love life, or lack thereof, wasn’t a priority right now. Right now, I had a coup to plan.
◆◆◆
“What do you mean I can’t come?” Mira asked down the phone.
“You’re not an operative, Mira. You don’t officially work for the IEPEU.” I entered the cool foyer of Shaitan Enterprises.
“And the djinn do?”
She had a point. “Look, I’ll see what I can do to get you on board.” I raised a hand in greeting to Fanny as I strode passed.
“I’m coming whether you like it or not. You are not going back down there alone.”
“I won’t be alone.”
She made an exasperated noise in the back of her throat.
Someone giggled in the background.
“Who’s there with you?” I pressed the button for the lift.
“It’s Urvashi. She popped over to see you, but you weren’t here, because you’d run off to the djinn realm to negotiate a treaty without me.”
Shit. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. Alara came to get me and I just went.”
Silence.
Were we having a tiff?
“Hello, Carmella?” Urvashi said down the phone.
“Hey, babe. Is she pissed?”
“I think it’s more the lack of action that’s causing a problem. She’s used to being a sentinel. A warrior. The last few weeks have been hard on her.”
“She talks to you?”
“Yeah, she comes and hangs out in the bakery sometimes.”
Mira in the bakery? Just hanging out? Yeah, the image did not compute. “I didn’t realize how hard this was for her.”
“Because she didn’t want you to know. She values your opinion of her. Wants you to believe she’s invincible.”
Oh, man. “Where is she now?”
“She went out for some air. Look, don’t worry about her. I’ll keep her company. Just go and do what you’ve got to do.”
“Tell her...tell her to get her arse back to the IEPEU. She’s coming with.”
Hanging up, I took the lift up to the penthouse. I needed not to think for a little while.
The teams had been assembled and briefed and then we’d been told to go home and take a nap. Even though I’d had one in the djinn realm, some alone time felt right. And my suite was closer to the offices than my flat. Shrugging off my jacket, I threw myself onto the bed. Time to empty the old noggin. Five minutes later and my brain was churning as I turned over the box of chaos in my heart. Open it now and lose myself in its complexities, or wait and remain sane a little longer. My dragon chuffed in amusement. It was a no-brainer. Instead, I focused on the plan. The get in and get the heck out strategy. Midnight was our coup time. We had twelve operatives, two patrols, Alpha and Beta, and twenty djinn. The operatives would get transported in by the djinn and while Beta swept the facility for information, the Alpha would aid the djinn in subduing and transporting the humans out of the building. The djinn reinforcements would be here within the hour. Amon had delivered the news but we hadn’t had a chance to speak in private. Had Alara spoken to him? Had they resolved things? Gah! Why was I getting dragged into djinn affairs when my world had a shit load of problems on its plate?
It was time to get back to the office.
“You’re back?” Vritra asked from the doorway.
My eyes pricked and my stomach dropped. I grabbed my jacket from the foot of the bed and shrugged it on.
“And you’re leaving,” he said.
What did he care? “IEPEU case.”
“Were you with him? Before?” There was no accusation or aggression in his tone, just resignation. It made my stomach hurt.
“I was in his realm. Yes. IEPEU business.”
“So, you’ve made your choice.”
He thought Paimon and I were together. Was that why he’d gotten all hot and heavy with the asura in the training room?
Well, fuck that. I’d be damned if I gave him any justification for his actions. “Paimon and I are not together. He came to see me, and he offered me the position of his concubine, and I turned it down.”
Vritra growled low in his throat. “He asked you to what?”
This was exhausting. “I have to go.”
I made to push past him, but he gripped my shoulders gently. “Carmella. I’m sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusions. I’m sorry that you’re hurting.” His voice was like a balm.
“I’m not.” I sounded reedy.
He reached up to wipe away the tears I hadn’t even known I was shedding.
“Let me uncomplicate things for you,” he said. “I’ve wanted you from the first moment I set eyes on you, all the time knowing your heart was engaged elsewhere. And now he’s hurt you, and all I want to do is grab him by the throat and shake some sense into him. I want you to be happy, and my attentions are causing you pain and confusion, and so I remove myself from the equation.”
By sucking face with someone else? “Yes. I know. I saw you with the asura female in the training room.” Dammit. Why wouldn’t my eyes stop leaking?
He released me. “You did?”
“Yes. I get it. You’ve moved on and stuff. That’s great. I have to go now.”
This time he didn’t stop me.
◆◆◆
The IEPEU roof was occupied by Operatives and djinn. A strange kind of face off seemed to be happening in several places.
Melody leaned in. “Your eyes are red.”
“Allergies.”
“Ahuh,”
“Where is Varuna?”
“On his way.”
“We know what we’re doing. Can’t we just go do it?”
“All this waiting around is a waste of time,” Mira said.
“It’s called protocol,” Melody said to Mira. “Something I’ve already manipulated to get you onto this case.”
“So, what are we waiting for?” Mira asked.
“We’re waiting for the big man to give the go get ‘em speech.” Melody bit out the words.
The tension every time she was around Varuna was telling. “You really don’t like him do you?”
“What? Pfft. I don’t have any feelings about him either way.”
“Your face lies.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re one to talk, Miss Allergies.”
Paimon caught my eye over the tops of several operative’s heads. It was crazy how much bigger than us the djinn were. We looked like toys running around in combat gear carrying plastic weapons while they stood there, colorful bare skin and rippling muscle under leather vests and obscenely tight black pants. What kind of uniform was this? And did I want to get an up close and personal look at Paimon’s package?
Alara wound her way over to us. Her hair was pulled back in a tight braid accentuating her high cheekbones and pouty mouth.
“Would you like to ride with me?” she asked.
“Sure.”
Melody shrugged. “I’ll grab a lift off Paimon.”
“I spy Amon.” Mira said. “I’ll grab a ride with him.”
“Can’t you shift like they do?” Melody asked her.
Mira’s shoulders tensed. “No. When I was Paimon’s sentinel I was afforded extra abilities, but now I’ve been cut off.”
The door behind us opened with a clang, and Varuna made his grand entrance, all business like and brusque. He raked the djinn over with a sharp assessing gaze. He was still pissed about them turning down the alliance offer. Not good enough for them are we? He’d been incensed, but we needed them, and they were here. So...
“Remember, stick to protocol,” he said. “Stick to the plan. If your presence is detected you abort, immediately. No exceptions.”
What about Aaron? Surely we could make an exception for him? Melody shook her head slightly, a warnin
g not to rattle the snakes tail. Great. He could say what he wanted, but I wasn’t leaving that facility without Aaron. There was no way I was leaving him behind a second time.
Protocol could go suck it.
Everyone was moving into position. Paimon wove his way over, his attention on me. His jaw was tense, as he held out his hand.
Alara stepped in between us. “Carmella has decided to ride with me, Paimon. But Melody would be happy for a lift.”
His eyes narrowed a fraction. “If that is her wish.”
I took Alara’s hand. “Yeah. It is.”
Alara pulled me against her and the world melted away.
“You really meant what you said didn’t you?” Alara’s voice echoed in my head.
“Yes. I do. There is no future for Paimon and me. But there is for you.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re here.”
We materialized on the grass above the facility. Around us, other djinn appeared—most carrying operatives. Paimon materialized to our left, his arms wrapped around Melody. Was it my imagination or were her cheeks a little flushed.
Stop it.
It didn’t matter.
We were over.
Alara released me. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just nervous. We need to pull this off.”
“We will get your people out. I promise you.”
“Thank you.”
“Okay, people.” Melody clapped her hands. “We don’t know if we’re being watched. We don’t know if this cosmic fucker knows we’re coming. We’re going in blind, so if you’re spotted, you get the fuck out. You hear me? No playing the hero. We cannot afford to lose any more bodies.”
“Yes, sir!”
Everyone had their orders and now it was time to go in.
21
Alara and I materialized in the room Mira and I had occupied underground. A moment later, Amon joined us.
Without breaking stride, we slipped into the in-between and exited the room. The corridor was lined with rooms holding humans indoctrinated by the cosmic being. All we needed to do was empty them out one by one.
I squeezed Alara’s hand to get her attention. “How many can you carry at a time?”
“One comfortably. Two at a push.”
The first room contained two adults and a child, all asleep. These people were connected to Malachi and they wouldn’t go willingly. But we had a solution to that. Slipping out from the in-between, Mira and I quickly sprayed the humans with a sedative, turning their sleep into unconsciousness. Alara and Amon materialized a moment later. Alara scooped up the man and Amon picked up the woman and the child. They vanished.
Five seconds later, they were back and on to the next room we went.
A half hour went by and, so far, although we’d crossed paths with other djinn working this floor, we hadn’t been detected. This was working. Our plan was actually bloody working. Now, if only Aaron would stumble into my path so I could drug him and get him to safety. Yule had said that, as a brown robe, Aaron was most strongly connected to Malachi. I may not be able to break his hold on my friend, but I could get Aaron out of here and into an IEPEU cell where Patrick might be able to come up with a solution. I’d yet to see the guy fail at anything.
This floor was cleared and we moved up onto the next. Boot falls echoed down the corridor toward us, and even through the gray haze of the in-between, the brown robes were visible—glowing figures striding toward us.
Alara pulled me back against the wall. The wise move was to wait for them to pass. There were too many of them to subdue all at once. Was Aaron in the group? It was impossible to tell from the in-between, plus they all had their hoods up.
Fuck.
They were almost past us when one of them faltered then stopped. The rest of his companions came to a standstill also. Then the figure who’d initiated the stop turned its head slowly to face us.
Light poured out of the hood, and a face was visible, etched in gold.
Aaron.
“Shit!” Alara yanked me toward her.
“Wait. Aaron.”
But Mira was already on it, and as the rest of the robed figures clocked onto the fact that they weren’t alone in the corridor. Mira slipped out of the in-between and sprayed Aaron with the sedative. He swooned and Amon scooped him up and pulled Mira back into the gray.
The remaining figures remained stationary for a long moment and then began to move off down the corridor.
What the fuck had just happened?
Malachi’s brown robes, his eyes and ears, had completely missed us, even though Aaron had spotted us. How did that work? But we had him and Amon vanished taking him to the surface. We waited. Long minutes ticking by, but he didn’t return.
“Someone is coming.” Alara grabbed Mira’s hand and pulled us both into the nearest room. Luckily it was empty.
Someone strode past the room, their footfalls fading.
“Where is Amon?” Mira asked. “He should be back by now.”
Alara shook her head. “Something is wrong. I do not sense any of my people. It’s as if they’ve all...gone.” She cried out suddenly and released my hand.
Mira and I stumbled out of the in-between and into the empty room. Color swept over the scene. Alara appeared for a split second, her mouth open in exclamation, and then she winked out.
“Alara?” She had to be here.
“She’s gone.” Mira said. “They’ve all gone.”
“What do you mean they’d all gone?”
“I mean I don’t sense any djinn in the vicinity.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would they all leave like that? Wait, do you think the cosmic god had anything to do with this?”
She pressed her lips together. “No. I have seen this happen before on two occasions. Both times we were in the midst of a bloody battle.”
“And the djinn vanished?”
“They didn’t just vanish. They were recalled by their general.”
“And who is the general in this case?”
“Paimon.”
Paimon had recalled the djinn? He’d left us down here? “Mira? How the fuck are we gonna get out of here?”
22
The sound of gunfire ripped through the air. Our operatives had been discovered. Shit. Mira yanked the door open and we rushed out into the corridor. More shots were fired and the distinct echo of ricochet filled the air. A high pitched scream was followed by utter silence. Mira grabbed my hand and we ran down onto the lower floor. The one we’d already swept; The one the robed figures had headed down.
I yanked on her arm, bringing her up short. “Not that way.”
“You want to head toward the gunfire?” Her eyes were wide and incredulous.
“It doesn’t matter which way we go. We’re trapped.” The djinn had left us behind. Paimon had ordered them to.
Paimon had done this.
“And what do we have here?”
It was Banner’s voice, smooth and familiar and warm. We turned to face him. He was standing at the foot of the stairs we’d just hurtled down. He hadn’t made a sound, sneaking up on us so silently that even Mira, with her preternatural senses, hadn’t heard.
“We were just heading to our room,” Mira said.
He chuckled. “I may have missed you once, but I won’t make the same mistake again.
“Fuck this.” Mira morphed, slipping into beast form, her powerful panther body ready to act as a shield between me and the cosmic god.
“Oh, my. Now this is new.” He focused his attention back onto me. “And you. What are you? I sense something powerful. Something familiar.”
If we were going to die, then so be it. But there was no way I was gonna cower before him. “That body you’re parading around in used to belong to my friend.”
“This?” He stroked his own chest, as if admiring the fabric of an expensive new suit. “This body belonged to a murderer. A despicable human being who valued his life above
all others. You call him a friend? I wonder what kind of person that makes you.” He took a step closer, and Mira growled, prepared to attack.
His brow crinkled, although he seemed unconcerned about the panther less than two meters away. But then he was a cosmic being. Who knew what abilities he had up his sleeve. “Yes, this shell recognizes you. But it is more than that...” His eyes widened. “Oh, my.”
Cool air brushed the back of my neck and Malachi’s attention was diverted over my shoulder.
Paimon. He was here. Behind me. His arms slipped around my waist and his chest pressed against my back. Mira morphed into her human avatar, and grabbed hold of me.
“No!” Malachi reached for us.
But the world was fragmenting and we were away.
◆◆◆
We materialized in the tree-line. In the clearing beyond, several operatives were visible, attending to the scores of unconscious humans who hadn’t yet been loaded up into the IEPEU vans. Melody’s red hair caught my eye. She’d made it out then. But the others? There were still officers down there. Beta team...There was no sign of the beta team.
I turned to Paimon. “We have to go back. There are others trapped down there.”
His jaw was set, his face expressionless. “I must leave. I have already ignored the council ruling by going back in for you.”
“The council recalled you?”
He nodded.
“But why? I don’t understand.”
“I’m not permitted to speak of the reason.”
What the heck was wrong with him? “Dammit Paimon. You just broke the rules to get me out. What the heck does it matter if you break one more now?”
His lips twisted and something conflicted and alien entered his eyes. A shaft of fear lanced through me. But the spark in his cerulean gaze was fleeting and quickly masked.
“I’m beginning to doubt the wisdom of that decision,” he said tightly. “I am sure I will pay dearly for it.”
His words were a blow to the chest, enough to make me take a step back.
His stoic expression softened slightly. “I’m sorry. We can no longer assist you. A new alliance prohibits it.”
A new alliance? “With who?”
He looked down at the ground. “Your threat is now our ally.”
Embracing Magick: an Urban Fantasy Novel (The Witch Blood Chronicles Book 3) Page 13