Prince of Shadows

by Tes Hilaire

  But is it your own? Isn’t it possible that she’s turned her gift off and you are feeling her attraction?

  He tried to reach out but felt nothing. In fact, he was either more exhausted than he’d thought, or she was running hot. He couldn’t sense anyone anywhere. And wow, wasn’t that amazing. “I thought you were on orders not to use your gift, especially outside the base.”

  “Ugh, sorry. It’s because you’re so close. I’m not trying to pull, but it’s hard to be a perfect island.”

  He nodded, knowing he should be concerned about his lack of the extra sensory input, but it didn’t seem to dampen his innate satisfaction that his attraction was all his own. He glanced over at her, the insane thought to touch her rising back to the forefront. How many other opportunities would he have? The moment they walked back into the base there would be guards and the overprotective shadow of her father.

  They came to a fork in the footpath. Without even making the conscious decision he reached out and cupped her elbow, pulling her slightly toward him as he directed her onto the right fork. And damn if that wasn’t a zing. A pretty huge zing that ran straight up his arm, bounced up to his brain, then headed south fast to Mr. John Thomas.

  She sucked in a breath, her gaze flying to his face. He immediately let go, making an excuse of scanning the area so he wouldn’t have to answer the question in her eyes.

  That had been stupid. Right fucking stupid. Like eating just one sweet…you always wanted more. And though Annie certainly was of age, she was bloody young.

  While he was berating himself, his gaze caught that of a man who’d stopped on the footpath a dozen or so yards in front of them. As tall as Bennett, but bigger, more like his brother Alexander’s type of muscle mass. He had dark hair, dark olive skin, and the type of face that women would probably drool over. He was also staring at them like they were Hollywood celebrities or some such nonsense.

  Bennett leaned closer to Annie so that his voice wouldn’t carry further than her ears; trying to keep their pace steady, they approached the man while also using his body to edge her off the footpath. Annie looked over at him, a question in her eyes.

  “Know him?”

  Annie followed his gaze, then chuckled.

  “Well?”

  She leaned in toward him, lacing her arm through his—damn bloody distracting—and put her head together with his. “I think maybe I should be asking you that. He’s checking you out, not me.”

  “Huh,” Bennett grunted, noting that Annie was right. The man was definitely focused on him now and he supposed Annie’s assumption that he was gay and “checking him out” might explain it. But the unease running up his spine wouldn’t pass. “Seems awfully interested considering we’re walking through the park together,” he said when they were fully by him.

  “Maybe he swings both ways.” Annie shrugged and lifted her slushee, sucking hard on the straw so her cheeks dipped in. And wouldn’t you know, Mr. Thomas responded to that too.

  Focus on the job, mate. Like figuring out what that man is about and getting Annie home safe.

  By the time he’d reprimanded his dick and looked over his shoulder, the man had moved on, taking a shortcut across the grass toward a cluster of trees. Bennett frowned, torn between the urge to race Annie out of there or get far enough away from her to make sure there was nothing beyond just a bit of strangeness to the guy.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It occurs to me that for all I know he could be a demon or a merker. In fact, for all I know we’re surrounded by them right now.”

  She shook her head. “We got close enough to him that if he were a demon, any glamour would have fallen.” She nibbled her lip, her brow furrowing. “What is a merker, anyway?”

  Bennett sucked in a breath. Cor blimey, these people knew nothing, did they? What had Valin’s little vampire been teaching them anyway?

  “Uh-oh, I said something really naïve, didn’t I?”

  “You have no idea.”

  She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed as she tracked the progress of the man walking in the other direction. After a moment she sighed.

  “Well then, there’s no hope for it.” She chucked her drink in the nearest garbage can and tugged on his arm, directing him off the path and cutting toward the western side of the park.

  “Where are we going? I thought we were heading back.”

  She nodded. “We are, but first we have to cover our asses by making a few stops on the subway.” She leaned in, her breath fanning across his ear. “You know, just in case hottie over there is a demon in disguise.”

  ***

  “Hey, watch it!”

  Christos growled, flashing enough fang to send the rude human who’d had the gall to not move out of his way scurrying back from the edge of the subway platform. Not that the human’s hasty retreat mattered now, for the train carrying Christos’s object of interest was already pulling away. He narrowed his gaze, air sucking through his teeth as he watched the young, redheaded woman lean in closer to her companion as their car slid out of sight into the tunnel.

  What would a Paladin be doing this far from their normal stomping grounds, unless…the woman. A gifted human. Though perhaps the more accurate terminology would be a gift thief. Christos had almost missed the fact that she was a null when he’d first looked up from his brooding mosey through the park and seen her. That hair…cut short, but the color? A deep red that practically glowed. For a moment his heart had skipped, until the woman’s height registered. Walking shoulder to shoulder with her companion, she was way too tall to be Gabriella.

  Christos’s disappointment at having his reunion with his vampire-child postponed was quickly tempered when his gaze had moved on to her companion. He’d been stunned into inaction, his fangs throbbing with the memory of another Paladin with the same strong jawline who’d stubbornly refused to give up the hiding location of his wife and son, even though he must have known it was only a matter of time before Christos’s vampires tore the house apart to find them—time that was quickly slipping from the Paladin as Christos bled his life force away. Maybe that stubbornness had been worth something, as his coven had never found the son, though at least the mostly human woman had been a tasty dessert.

  Christos had half a mind to grab the next train and try to track the Paladin and the woman to their destination. Finish the job he’d started with the Paladin’s parents, then take the null and see if she couldn’t be of some use. It would have to wait though. He’d gotten the impression from the way they’d quickly altered their course back in the park that this subway station had not been their original destination, making him think the null’s home must be closer to his present location than anywhere the rattling box of metal might take them. Besides, now that he knew she was out there, all he had to do was keep a mental eye out for the lack of an energy signal and he could find her again. If he was doubly lucky the Paladin would still be with her when he did.

  With a smile on his face, Christos turned and stepped onto the escalator that brought him back to street level. To the blaring orchestra of car horns and screeching brakes, he spilled out onto the sidewalk and into the midst of anonymous humanity and car-corroded air. Ah, to breathe again. To feel the morning sun radiating down upon his face. It was the former he’d missed the most while his soul had been trapped in the burning fires of hell, possibly because it was freshest in his memories. But the latter…that was going to be what took him from the demigod status of his past life to godlike. He was reborn. And this new body held all of the perks and none of the hindrances of the last. The skill and speed of the vampire, the seductive powers of his mother, Lilith, and this time, no tells to give either away. He could go out in the sun, and because over half the souls Lucifer had used to resurrect his own were merker, he’d inherited their constitution too.

  He couldn’t wait to meet Roland again. Let him try and kill him now. But first? It was time to rattle the status quo and oust the imposter who’d been
sitting in his seat at his father’s right side. And after that? Well, he had a mind to see to his disobedient daughter before teaching any more impertinent Paladin their place. Family was the most important thing, after all, and like his mother before him, he wasn’t above lying, stealing, cheating, or killing to ensure his family’s deference to his will.

  With a smile on his face and a spring in his step, he stepped out to the curb, whistling for the next available taxi.

  Chapter 6

  “Damn it, Valin. Do you have to follow me everywhere?” Gabby snapped, not caring that her voice was loud enough to turn heads. On top of everything else this morning, dealing with Valin was not what she wanted to do. But he’d been there hovering in the hall outside Jacob’s offices the moment she stepped out of the impromptu meeting. Which, to be truthful, was the source of her real frustration: Jacob was on the warpath. Annie was missing—again—and since Gabby seemed to have a knack for spotting the vacuum bubble of non-magic that always surrounded her, Gabby was going to have to find her, despite the fact that it was barely past ten a.m.

  Why couldn’t Annie at least wait until after noon to slip her collar?

  Valin smiled, not exactly friendly, more of a bite-me kind of smile, and said, “Get used to it, cookie. Consider me your shadow.”

  Gabby growled, pushing past him and marching toward the front doors. She was not at all surprised when he fell into step less than a length behind her. His metaphor was apt. He was like her fucking shadow. She couldn’t turn around without him being there. Oh, he’d been smart enough to get his own room—one door down from hers in a barely big-enough janitor’s closet…that he left the door open to…and slept with his head in the opening so he’d immediately sense any movement in the hall—but he was making a pure nuisance of himself the rest of the time. He was worse than Aaron. Not only did Valin show up anywhere and everywhere she was or planned to be—including her damn dreams—but he wouldn’t let things rest, either. Aaron at least had brains enough to not ask her more questions after being given a blatant shutdown. But Valin’s current favorite topic of discussion was her feeding habits, which so wasn’t happening.

  Gabby had managed to feed the other night before Valin found her, but the moment they’d run into each other he’d been all over her the whole way back to base. Demanding to know why she’d run, whether she’d fed, who she’d fed from, etc., etc., etc…He’d sounded like a damn jealous boyfriend. So she’d blatantly ignored him, slamming the door to her room in his face when he looked like he might follow her in. She’d thought for sure he’d either jimmy the lock or just plain ghost in, but he hadn’t.

  And she hadn’t been at all disappointed over that fact. Nope, not at all.

  “So, do you have any idea where Annie might have gone?” Valin asked, proving he’d been eavesdropping too. Why was she not surprised?

  Gabby ignored him and pushed out the front doors, the sun greeting them with her warm rays. Gabby couldn’t stop herself from taking a huge breath. Until four months ago, she’d forgotten how much the sun could warm the air, even on these shortening fall days.

  “You think she’d come out here?”

  “Probably out for coffee,” she said and started down the steps, leaving a surprised Valin at the top.

  “For coffee.” Valin double-timed it to catch up with her. “Are you kidding me?”

  “That or a slushee or a milkshake or some chai tea.” She sighed. “As long as she gets her fix of oxygen, she doesn’t much care what the beverage is.”

  “It’s a wonder her dad doesn’t cuff her down in the boiler room.” He frowned. “Is there a boiler in the school’s basement?”

  Gabby shrugged. Didn’t know or care. Nope, the only thing she cared about was the familiar redhead strolling down the street arm in arm with…damn, was that Bennett?

  “Looks like your mate found her.” She quoted the air with her fingers. It hadn’t escaped Gabby’s notice that Annie had been spending a lot of time loitering in whatever area of the base that the blond warrior happened to be in—using the excuse of studying his shields, of course. Not that the Paladin could teach Annie anything beyond what Gabby could—which was close to nothing unless Annie could learn to completely check her gift—but hey, the Paladin, with his golden good looks, was probably more enticing than Gabby’s own grumbly nature. The problem was Gabby didn’t think Annie’s interest had escaped Jacob’s notice either. The Paladin might not know it, but he was holding a grenade in his hand, without the pin. One wrong move and the thing would blow up in his face.

  Valin glanced over at her, brow raised. “Bennett wouldn’t have helped Annie escape if that’s what you’re implying.”

  “Maybe,” she conceded. “But they seem pretty chummy, don’t they?”

  “And you care that they’re getting along because?”

  Gabby gestured sharply at the cozy scene. “Because Jacob’s going to be pissed if he sees them like that, that’s why.”

  “Ah…yes…because daughters, even grown ones, should never have any interest in a man. Especially one as ugly as that British bloke.”

  Gabby blew out a breath that bellied her exasperation. “That’s not what I meant. And Jacob wouldn’t have anything against him being British.”

  “Just a Paladin?”

  Gabby didn’t answer. Not because she wanted to spare Valin’s—or Bennett’s—feelings, but because the truth was she didn’t know. She had to admit the impression she got from the gifteds at the base was that the Paladin had turned their back on them long ago, and thus they had no intention of going out of their way to make friends. But did they actually harbor resentment toward them? Gabby wasn’t sure.

  Feeling moody, she stomped the rest of the way down the stairs, and then, with her arms folded across her breasts, carefully scanned the street while she waited for Jacob’s lost lamb to be shepherded home by Bennett. And that was what he was doing. Despite the fact that their arms were linked, there was a set scowl on his face that was punctuated with more than one worried glance over his shoulder. Valin noticed too that the knife, which Valin wore wherever the heck he went now, was loosened in its sheath, his knuckles tightening around the jewel-encrusted hilt.

  Fucking Paladin blade. The thing was an early grave maker. “You better be careful if you have to draw that thing around me.”

  He looked over at her. “I told you that you never had to worry about this blade being used to harm you.”

  “Accidents happen.”

  His mouth pulled up in a smug, lopsided smile. “Not unless I want them to, cookie.”

  “Stop calling me that.”

  And the other side of his mouth followed, forming a full-fledged grin that made her blood heat in her veins.

  Damn the man. How did he get to her so easily?

  “Were you followed?” Valin asked when Bennett and Annie got close enough, beating her to it.

  “Don’t think so. Though it’s hard to tell around her.” Bennett jerked his head toward Annie.

  “Hey!” Annie yanked her arm from his, her lips pulling into an offended pout before turning to Gabby. “If we were, we lost them. We played the subway game for a good half hour.”

  “You better hope you did.” Gabby jerked her head toward the stairs. “Inside. Now. Before your father comes roaring out here.”

  There was some mild grumbling, but Annie fell into step beside Gabby and the men behind them as they climbed. With each step, Gabby felt her frustration boil closer to the top. Annie pouted as if her foolishness wasn’t the cause of this, Valin was watching her ass (she could feel his damn eyes skimming over her curves), and on top of all that she was tired again. Which meant, damn it, she was going to have to slip out from under his watch to feed again.

  “Damn it, Annie. Do you have to pull this crap when I’m around?” Gabby snapped and then immediately felt guilty for taking out her frustrations on her. Not that Gabby should. It was Annie’s fault she was up this early. Her fault too that Valin was here,
since it was Annie and her cohorts who’d drawn the Paladins’ attention.

  “You make it sound like it’s a personal affront to you,” Annie grumbled.

  “Maybe not, but when you do it when I’m around, I have to deal with your father.” Gabby glanced up the stairs. “And, crap, there he is.”

  Jacob was indeed pissed. And the moment Annie got within reach he took her by her elbow and walked her briskly down toward his office. It was a testament to how smart Annie actually was that she didn’t give her dad any of the lip she normally gave Gabby. Still, Gabby just knew she was going to hear about this later.

  Jacob was desperate to keep his daughter safe, and when the options he presented to Gabby had come down to either eliminating the two Paladin or keeping them close until their trustworthiness could be determined, Gabby had urged the latter. She might have wanted Valin gone, but that didn’t mean she wanted him dead. Unless it was by her hand, that is, and right now she was severely tempted.

  It was on her word that Valin and Bennett had been allowed the freedom Jacob had granted them. Jacob knew she had past dealings with some of the Paladin and had trusted her assessment that Bennett was too honorable to break a vow and Valin (whom she wouldn’t put it past to break a vow) was simply too willing to thumb his nose at authority and wouldn’t give them up to the wrath of the stuffy old council. How stupid had she been? There were only two reasons for Bennett to be outside at the same time Annie was, and despite what she might have implied to Valin, she knew it hadn’t been as an accomplice.

  “And you!” She rounded on the frowning Bennett, who stared down the hall after Jacob and Annie.