by Katie Reus
He lightly pinched her butt. “No. Shower. Now.” Then he hoisted her up so that she had to wrap her legs around him and slid from the bed.
Times like this she found she loved his bossy, dominating side. She just wondered if they could find a balance where she didn’t have to lose who she was. As soon as she had the thought, she shut it down. She couldn’t start playing that game and doubting herself.
Chapter 16
Victoria scrunched her nose when she picked up her mug of coffee and smelled it. Cold. Gah, how long had she been sitting here reading over these books? Setting the mug back down on the desk where she sat in Conall’s huge library, she stretched her arms back over her head.
She glanced over at the sound of the library door opening. Her heart rate kicked up a notch. It was Arya. She’d been really sweet when they’d first met but after she’d discovered that Victoria knew about Keelin’s whereabouts she’d been hard to read. Not cold exactly, but reserved. And the female wasn’t supposed to be here. Drake was spending time with his parents, just the three of them, and Victoria had taken advantage so she could research for Keelin.
Unfortunately she was coming up with a big pile of nothing. Well as far as the Akkadian demon thing. She thought she might have a lead on the visions Keelin was having and the carvings on the Moana dragon. Bran had sent her a picture and while the markings were obscure, she was pretty sure she’d nailed something down. And it wasn’t good.
Victoria smiled at Arya, a tall blonde, a truly stunning woman who could be a supermodel if she wanted. Her cheekbones were ridiculous and those dark eyes missed nothing.
Thankfully Arya smiled back. “Hello, Victoria. I brought you coffee,” she said, holding out two steaming mugs. The female moved like a true predator, like someone thousands of years old and skilled in all sorts of combat. “Drake said you could probably use a refill.”
She stood and rounded the desk. “Thank you but you didn’t have to do that. I know you all are spending time together.”
Arya just gave her a small smile and handed one mug to her before sitting on the edge of another desk with papers, notebooks and books strewn about. Victoria wasn’t exactly neat when she was researching. When she realized Arya wasn’t about to leave, she lifted the mug and murmured “thanks” again before moving back to her seat.
“What are you working on?” Arya asked, her eyes shrewd.
Oh, she knew very well. Or at least guessed this was about Keelin. And the truth was, Victoria needed the help. She wouldn’t be betraying Keelin by being honest with Arya and the female would want what was best for her daughter. As long as she just didn’t tell the female where Keelin was she wouldn’t feel bad. Besides, this was bigger than that anyway, especially with those demons reemerging again.
“Something for Keelin.” It was clear her honesty surprised Arya.
“Will you tell me?” The maternal concern she saw in the woman’s eyes was real.
Sighing, she tugged the rubber band holding her hair in a ponytail free, letting her hair down. She was starting to get a headache. “I can tell you a little and I think I need your help.”
“Is my daughter in trouble?” She pushed up from the desk and moved a heavy, tufted chair so that it was across from Victoria’s desk.
Victoria avoided confirming or denying outright. “She needs some help. She was with…someone and Akkadian demons appeared out of nowhere. It wasn’t a Hell Gate entrance, but thin air was more like how she described it.” Victoria winced at the rage-filled expression on Arya’s face. She knew—or hoped—it wasn’t directed at her. Ignoring the female’s reaction, she continued. “This is going to sound crazy but I think I might have found a reference for the type of beings that could—”
“Gods and demigods.” Arya was matter-of-fact.
Victoria blinked. It had taken her forever to find that in research and this female just knew. Oh, she would definitely be using Arya for information in the future. “Yes. So…it’s true then? I guess I wasn’t certain if they were even real.”
“They are but they live on a different plane than this one. The gods grew tired of humans back when I was a young girl. And when I went into Protective Hibernation nothing had changed. They haven’t been around for thousands upon thousands of years. I’ve never had any interaction with one. Demigods, yes, gods, no.”
Momentarily stunned, Victoria leaned back and rubbed her hands over her face. “Wow. Okay.” She tried to regroup with the knowledge that the references she’d read were actually real. She felt as if her reality had just shifted in a huge way. “I guess it makes sense. Demons and half-demons are real. And God is real.” She nearly snorted at herself. Considering she existed and was mated to a dragon shifter, she should be able to believe in damn near anything. But still, this was pretty wild. There were gods and demigods too.
Arya nodded. “You are correct.”
“So how do gods and demigods fit into this equation?”
“Different religions.” A simple, concise answer.
One Victoria didn’t have time to question further. At least not at the moment. She would go back to that later because the nerd inside her was going to have a field day with questioning Arya. “So would you say you think it’s unlikely that a god released Akkadian demons?”
Arya nodded again. “Yes. I can’t imagine gods bothering themselves with humans or shifters. They have little to prove and truly, care nothing for this plane. They are…snobbish assholes, I think is the right phrase.”
“From what I’ve read demigods are created in multiple ways but the most common is from a mating with another non-god.”
“Correct. They occasionally sleep with humans but more often than not they’ll choose a supernatural being. Not dragons though.”
That was interesting. “Why not dragons?”
Arya smiled, the sight truly terrifying, for her predator lurked in her gaze as she spoke. “Because some of us can destroy them.”
Well that was interesting. And yes, scary. She read something about winged creatures and gods and planned to go back to it later. It might have been a reference to dragons. Victoria so wanted to ask more questions but forced herself to stay on track. Keelin needed her help. “So let’s say a demigod did this. Would there be a reason for a demigod to target Keelin or dragons specifically?” Okay she was on dangerous ground here and knew it. This was the woman’s daughter and it was abundantly clear how overprotective the female was about Keelin. Well, all her children really. But Victoria needed answers for her friend so she had to play with fire just a little.
“Has someone targeted my daughter?” Arya’s eyes went pure dragon, her brown irises completely eclipsed by a sapphire-green animal who was not happy.
“Someone is targeting dragons in the area Keelin is living.” Not a lie so the female wouldn’t scent it. Victoria was definitely going to have to choose her answers correctly or risk pissing off this powerful woman.
Arya’s mouth pulled into a thin line as she looked at a spot over Victoria’s shoulder, deep in thought. Suddenly she paled, all her focus on Victoria once again. “My mother imprisoned a demigod thousands of years ago, when I was a child. She didn’t send him to Hell because she’d been weakened too much, but the imprisonment should have been enough. I…” Cursing, the female stood, rubbing her hands down the front of her black slacks in a nervous motion. “He promised retribution on all the females of her line. Victoria, Keelin is too weak to be on her own right now. She’s not a warrior. If this male is after her I have to know where she is.” Panic thrummed through her words and Victoria almost broke.
“She’s been having visions. She told me that she’s been seeing strange things when she looks at people. It’s only happened a couple times but each vision has been dark in nature and true, as far as she knows.”
The Alpha’s eyes bled back to human, the scent of her surprise almost strong enough to knock Victoria off her feet. “You are certain?”
She nodded. “Keelin has no rea
son to lie to me and besides, I don’t think she even knows how to lie.” Victoria cleared her throat, hoping a quick change in subject would slightly distract Arya. “A dragon was found dead, killed, with carvings on her body. From what it sounds like the female was tortured in human form but then shifted to her dragon form. The carvings seemed to have stayed even after the shift, and I found something…” She searched her desk and pulled out one of the pictures she’d printed out before sliding it over to the woman. “I could be wrong, sometimes these references are so vague, but these carvings seem to be a power spell of sorts.”
Frowning deeply now, Arya nodded. “Yes. The carvings are from an ancient people, older than me. Power spells such as this can be used for a variety of things but not many beings would know how to use them. Used on a dragon, the simplest answer for why is that it increases the potency of the blood for drinking.”
Victoria hated that she was right. Whoever had carved into the dead dragon was obviously a monster, but still, she hated being right.
Arya was silent, seemingly digesting everything Victoria had told her. Victoria needed to learn more about demigods and their weaknesses, if one was indeed targeting her sister-in-law. Before she told Arya where Keelin was, she was at least going to give her friend a head’s up. And she needed to talk to Drake first and get his opinion. She couldn’t just completely betray Keelin like that. Knowing she’d likely anger Arya when she told her she’d have to wait, Victoria decided to tell her one more bit of information. Hopefully it would ease Arya’s mind.
“Listen, I know you’re worried about Keelin and I’m going to tell her everything you told me so she understands the dangers. She’s not stupid and will likely come home when she knows but just so you don’t worry she’s with a very powerful Alpha right now. Well, technically two since she’s in another one’s territory, but Bran Devlin is watching out for her twenty-four-seven so she’s—”
Arya let out a growl so terrifying Victoria shouted and ducked under the desk as the whole house seemed to shake. Okay, the windows actually were shaking. Holy crazy, what had she said?
A loud bang reverberated through the room, as if a door had been thrown open. Arya’s growling came to a halt and a second later Drake was kneeling in front of Victoria where she still crouched under the desk, his expression worried. “Are you okay?”
“I think you should be more worried about your mother,” she whispered.
He pulled her into his arms as she crawled out from under the desk. Victoria knew she was a strong shifter, but she had no problem admitting that the other female was older and a lot more powerful and yeah, Arya was freaking scary. So she wasn’t even embarrassed that she’d hidden under the desk. Her wolf side had wanted to jump out the freaking window and high-tail it for the mountains.
Instead of doing that, she wrapped her arm around Drake and soaked up his strong embrace as he shielded her with his big body, holding her close as he faced Arya and Dragos, who were both staring at them.
Dragos looked confused as he glanced between the two of them. “What’s going on?” he asked.
Victoria looked up at her mate, not quite sure what she’d said to piss the other female off but she had a feeling it was Bran Devlin’s name.
“Our daughter is with Bran Devlin,” Arya said, practically breathing fire. Literally. The scent of it filled the air.
“He’s a good male,” Drake responded before anyone else could speak. “When Keelin and Victoria were taken he searched the mountains for them with all of us. All his clan members present did. And our former clan member Fia is mated to his brother—who is one of my oldest friends.”
Victoria knew that his parents actually hadn’t been aware of Drake’s friendship with Gavin Devlin, but that was a conversation for another day.
Arya took a deep, steadying breath. “Yes, your brother told me of your friendship with Gavin. But Bran Devlin is strong. He is a true Alpha. And Keelin is…” She trailed off, looking at her mate for support.
The big male pulled her into his arms and for the first time since meeting her, Victoria could see a little bit of softness in the woman.
“My sister is smart,” Drake said, breaking into the silence, an annoyed note in his voice. “And Bran would die for her.”
That made both of his parents still before turning to them again. “He wishes to mate her then?” Dragos asked, his voice a growly rumble.
Drake nodded. “I believe so.”
“It’s worse than I thought,” Arya muttered.
“What’s worse?” Victoria asked, not understanding any of this. “Keelin is with a trained Alpha warrior who will kill and die for her. Not only that, but she’s smart and capable all by herself. She was smart enough to call me for help in research and it’s not like the two of them are going it alone. They’re working with…” She paused, not wanting to give away too much. “Other shifters and supernatural beings who will be able to help them.”
Arya’s gaze narrowed on Victoria. “Other supernatural beings?”
Victoria snapped her lips together and glanced at Drake. She wasn’t answering any more questions. Not when it was clear she’d said enough already.
Drake shrugged though. “A half-demon, probably a vampire or two and wolf shifters. She is completely protected right now.”
And that was when both parents exploded into a litany of curses.
* * *
Bo half-smiled at Nyx as she entered his kitchen. He had to leave soon to meet Bran and Keelin, but wished he could stay with her instead. She was off work tonight and he had no problem leaving his employees in charge. Especially after the shitty night he’d had last night. Some asshole had thought he could get too rough with a female so he’d had to clean house.
He’d been more than happy to destroy that guy but it meant he now needed to inform Finn Stavros. Not that he minded the Alpha shifter, but it sometimes rubbed him the wrong way to check in with anyone. Even so, the Alpha needed to know Bo had killed someone in his territory. Technically he didn’t always tell Finn about things like that, but enough people who worked for him last night knew what had gone down that it would be in his best interest to be honest.
“What are you up to this afternoon?” Nyx asked, heading for the refrigerator. Wearing jeans and a navy blue shirt with some kind of frilly lacy thing going on, she looked good enough to eat. As always.
He glanced down at his phone as a ding signaled an incoming text. Keelin and Bran were running late, not that he was surprised. An employee had already told him the gold fire was back at the club so he’d known they’d been busy this morning. Another text dinged as soon as he responded to Bran’s. “Just meeting Bran and Keelin for lunch,” he said while pulling up the next message.
“Can I join you or is it business stuff?”
He quickly responded to the unfortunately unhelpful text from an old contact before setting his phone on the countertop of the granite-topped island. “It’s supernatural business, but I don’t think they’ll have an issue.” And he wanted her with him so he didn’t care.
“What’s going on?” she asked, leaning against one of the counters, water bottle in hand.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why, because I’m female?”
He blinked at the pop of annoyance in her voice, surprised she’d even ask that. “Uh, no. But unless you know what kind of being can pull an Akkadian demon out of Hell without the use of a Hell Gate then you don’t need to worry.”
Nyx’s fingers tightened around the bottle, the crinkling sound of the plastic seeming overly loud in the kitchen.
“Look, everything is fine,” he said soothingly. He wouldn’t bother trying to comfort most people, but he didn’t want Nyx to worry about anything. “Those things won’t come near my club no matter who pulls them from Hell.” Something he wouldn’t necessarily bet money on, but he wanted to reassure her. And he didn’t plan to let Nyx out of his sight anyway.
“It’s
not that. It’s just… When are you meeting them?”
He glanced at the time on his phone. “Forty-five minutes.”
“Okay, well, I think I know what pulled them from Hell. Were the demons in this area?”
Sliding off his chair, he nodded, more than curious about what she might know. “Yeah.” He moved around the island, now realizing it wasn’t fear on her face, but something else. “What do you know?”
Her expression became shuttered. “Maybe nothing but I’m pretty certain there’s a demigod in the area. If anything could do it, it’s him.”
Shit, a demigod. Why the fuck didn’t he think of that? Bo wanted to punch himself. It was so obvious but hell, there weren’t many of them in existence. And how the hell did Nyx know about this? “Him?”
“Well, I don’t know him or anything, but the demigod is a male. I’m certain.” Her softly spoken words were filled with authority.
He took the bottle from her hands and set it on the counter next to her before placing his hands on either side of her, caging her in. “How the hell could you possibly know that?” He wanted to know what the hell she was. Over the last month or so he hadn’t pushed her about what kind of supernatural being she was, but clearly it was time for her to come clean.
“Because I sensed him a couple weeks ago. More than once,” she whispered, her blue eyes dilating as she stared at him.
Shock reverberated through him and he thought he knew the answer but decided to ask anyway. “How’d you do that?”
She bit her bottom lip and it took all his control not to follow suit and nibble on her. “Because I’m one too.”
Chapter 17
As Keelin sat next to Bran in a booth at the quiet diner he’d chosen for an early lunch, she read over one of the files he’d printed out on the missing dragons. So far the main things they seemed to have in common was that they’d all been to Bo Broussard’s club and liked sex. Well that and the obvious factor of them being dragons. Which she was certain was the reason they’d been taken. And none of the dragons taken were warriors. That was telling in itself. If you wanted to target a dragon, you’d go after a non-warrior.