Chapter 17

Micha cautiously headed toward the opening across the cave. He could feel the faint breeze coming from the hole in the far wall that revealed it opened into another cave. More importantly, it carried the faint scent of fairy. Lynx had gone th rough the hole.

Which meant they had to go th rough the hole.

Even if it felt like a n obvious trap.

"What happened to the demons?" Skye asked, as if hoping to ease the tension that humm ed around them.

Micha shrugged. The demons hadn't been overly powerful, but they'd rushed back to attack him with a furious determination.

It'd taken him longer than expected to convince them to play somewhere else.

"A few refused to accept defeat. The others scattered," he informed her. He didn't feel guilt for ripping the throats out of the ones who continued to fight. He would destroy anyone or anything that was a threat to the woman walking next to him. "They won't be back anytime soon."

"Then it's just Lynx we have to worry about," she said, only to come to a sharp halt when the pungent scent of rotting vegetation swirled through the air. A second later the ground beneath their feet began to tremble as if something very large was about to break through the stone. "Crap. I just jinxed us, didn't I?" she ra sped in horror.

Pulling her close, Micha spread his legs as the quakes intensified and the rock star ted to crumble.

"Is it magic ?" he demanded.

She grasped his arm to keep her balance. "I think we t ripped a ward."

Micha hissed as the floor crumbled to dust, and large green vines poked through the rubble. At first they were the size of a tree trunk, looking like the arms of an octopus as they waved in the air, seeking something to grab. But as they continued to grow, sharp thorns ruptured through t he green flesh.

It looked like a monster out of a nightmare.

And i t wasn't alone.

From high above, Micha could hear the sound of the stones popping and fracturing as a massive force presse d against them.

Moving to stand in front of Skye, Micha used his arm as a shield as the vine struck toward them with lightning speed. The thorn sliced through his flesh and he winced in pain. The wound was deep, but on the plus side, he didn't feel any poison pumping through his body. Within seconds his skin was knitting back together.

"Why didn't the creature attack Lynx?" he growled, glancing up as more vines punctured through the ceiling. "The fairy would never have survived."

Skye considered her answer, the scent of laurel leaves filling the air as if she was struggling to determine what was happening.

"It's possible the crystal allowed him to pass," she at last admitted.

"Because this is the place where i t was created?"

"I don't know. The powe r is strange."

Micha felt a blast of energy zoom past his shoulder before the nearest vine shuddered, as if hit by a spell. The vines jerked back with a shrill cry, as if they'd been injured. It was unnerving as hell. Almost as unnerving as watching a crimson glow form around the plant, melting Skye's spell and heal ing the vines.

"Really strange," Skye muttered. "I don't know h ow to stop it."

"Then we go through it," M icha announced.

Not giving her the opportunity to protest, Micha braced himself as the nearest vine lashed toward them with a furious intent. The thing was obviously self-aware enough to be pissed off. But so was he. All he wanted was to find Lynx, kill the bastard, and get back to his lair with Skye. Anything getting in the way of that plan was going t o be destroyed.

Waiting until the vine was mere inches from his face, he snatched the tip and started to squeeze. The flesh was spongy beneath his grip, easily collapsing. Micha tightened his grip, refusing to allow the creature to slip away. There was another shrill squeal. This time it was fury, not pain, and the remaining vines slithered forward, prepa ring to strike.

Micha ignored the threat as he focused his powers on the pulp squashed in his hand. The plant was magically enhanced, but it had been created out of nature and he could sense it response to his touch. Plus, they were at the edges of the nearest Gyre. Just close enough to am p up his power.

Releasing a sharp burst of energy, he directed it back through the vine. Usually he was attempting to mold the world around him to satisfy his needs. Like creating his cavern out of the wetlands. Or twisting the native vegetation into a lethal defense around the temple. This time, he was trying to kill. As quick ly as possible.

As if sensing it was in danger, the nearby vines swung toward him, the thorns now the length of daggers. Micha didn't falter. It was going to be a test of endurance to see if he could kill the creepy thing before it sliced him to ribbons.

Braced for the painful strike, Micha was caught off guard when a large stone flew over his head to smash into the approaching vine with enough force to snap it in two. What the hell?

A quick glance over his shoulder revealed a pale-faced Skye bending down to whisper words over an even larger rock. She hadn't been able to stop the plant with her magic, but she could give him the opportunity to destroy it. As he watched, the rock levitated off the ground and soared toward yet another vine, knocking it backward as the plant sc reamed in fury.

Grimly, Micha returned his focus to the power he was pumping through the vine in his hand. It wouldn't take Skye long to deplete her magic, and then he would be at the mercy of the thorns. And worse, there were tendrils drilling their way through the ceiling, curling down to wrap a round his head.

"We're going to take a very long vacation in the middle of the desert when we get out of here ," he muttered.

"Maybe Antarctica," Skye panted. "It's smoth ering in here."

Micha allowed his icy essence to spread outward, wrapping it around his companion. "I s that better?"

"Not really." Her voice was tight, as if she was in pain. "There's n ot enough air."

Micha swore as he realized that the magic of the plant was sucking the oxygen from the room. A potent means to kill both hum ans and demons.

But not vampires...

Sending one last blast of power through the plant, he watched in fierce satisfaction as the vines shuddered in agony, swaying back in an attempt to avoid the inevitable. The one in his hand no longer struggled. Instead it went limp as a darkness crawled over the sticky flesh, destroying the plan t inch by inch.

Once he was certain the fight was over, he dropped the vine and reached up to jerk away the clinging tendrils. Then, turning, he grasped Skye's arm as she swayed to the side, her face turning blue. He ground his fangs together, resisting the urge to sweep her into his arms and carry her from the cave. They had no idea what new horror was waiting for them. He had to be prepared to fight if they were attacked.

Cautiously leading her past the vines that had curled into tight balls, Micha impatiently knocked aside the tendrils that continued to drop from the ceiling. They were becoming more desperate as he neared the round hole that he assumed was the only exit.

He paused as they reached the back of the cave, debating whether it would be safer for him to go first, and risk a rear attack on Skye or to—

The decision was made as Skye leaned forward and scurried through the cramped opening. Micha rolled his eyes as he followed behind her, wondering why he thought for a second he might be the one in charge. Skye was going to do what Skye was going to do . End of story.

Forced to bend nearly double, Micha awkwardly squeezed into the adjoining cave, instantly shrouded in utter and complete darkness. He hissed in fear.

"Skye?"

Slender fingers brushed over his arm, as if seeking to find him. Then they skimmed down to grasp his hand i n a tight grip.

"I'm here."

Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her close. He didn't sense approaching danger, but that didn't mean i t wasn't there.

"Did we break thr ough the ward?"

"Th e first layer."

Micha squashed his burst of frustration. He hadn't expected it to be easy. As far as he knew, no one had returned to the location of the Dragon Treaty since it'd been signed and sealed in the earth. Even the crystal that had been created by the mixing of vampire and dragon blood had been hidden beneath layers of a lethal hex that had killed thousands over the centuries.

Still, the caves were scraping his nerves raw. He'd rather battle a horde of demons than stumble from one random disaster to another. At least he could be prepared for w hat was coming.

"Can you brea the?" he asked.

"Yes, bu t I can't see."

" Neither can I."

"It must be a b linding spell."

He heard the rustle of movement as Skye lifted her arm. Then there was a ball of light that danced around her slender fingers. A soft glow spread through the space before it was abruptly gone. Like a candle bei ng snuffed out.

Micha had only a brief glance around the cave before it was once again plunged into darkness, but it'd been enough to reveal that it was half the size of the last one with a low ceiling. The good news was that there hadn't been any vines ready to attack them. The bad news was that there were cracks in the floor that were filled with boiling hot lava. And even worse news, the cracks were sw iftly widening.

"That's not good ," he muttered.

"I used to play the floor is lava when I was bored and waiting for a customer to come into the tent, but I never expected to actually have to navigate one." Micha didn't need the acrid edge to her scent to know Skye was battling a sudden surge of panic. He could hear her heart pounding as if it were threatening to leap out of her chest. "We can't risk stumbling thr ough the dark."

"We can't stay here." Micha lifted her hand and pressed it against his lips. "I'll go first. I can sense the heat and where the lava is spreading. Follow my foot steps exactly."

Turning, he held on to her fingers. Then, reaching back, he grabbed her other hand so he could wrap her arms tightly around his waist. Before he could take a step, however, Skye was burying her face in the midd le of his back.

"Micha, no. It's too dangerous."

He hesitated. Should he ask if she'd had a vision? He didn't want to. What choice did they have but to go forward? But while he was willing to take a necessary risk, he would be a fool to deliberately charge int o a death trap.

"Skye..." The question died on his lips as there was a pulse of heat against his stomach. Glancing down in surprise, he realized one of the charms dangling from Skye's bracelet was hotter than the others. Much hotter. "Are you usi ng your magic?"

She stiffened in surpr ise. "No. Why?"

"You're hot."

"Mich a," she chided.

Whirling back to face her, he held up her arm to reveal the charm that was surrounded with a dull glow valiantly battling against the oppre ssive darkness.

"See?"

"Oh, you're right, " she breathed.

"Is the magic reacting to this place?" he asked as the glow spread to encompass them, revealing Skye's distracted expression as she stare d at the charm.

"Yes."

"That's a good thing, right?"

She didn't answer, her head tilting to the side as if she was lost in her thoughts.

"Right ?" he repeated.

She slowly nodded. "I think so. It's reacting to the spell that's stored in that par ticular charm."

Micha frowned. There was a hint of confusion in her voice that warned it wasn't all good news.

"And?"

"It's not mine. It's Peri's magic, " she revealed.

As she spoke the name of her friend, the glow stretched and thinned until it no longer surrounded them but instead weaved itself into a golden strand. Micha instinctively stepped back as the thread arrowed toward the ground. Then, hitting the hard stone, it crawled across the cave toward th e distant wall.

The strange magic didn't glow bright enough to light up the room, but as it curved past the cracks in the floor, it revealed the rivers of lava that continued to spread. Micha abruptly realized that the thread offered a safe path through the cave. Or maybe it's a trick to lure us to certain death , a voice whispered in the ba ck of his mind.

Hard to g uess which one.

"Is Peri aware of what is happen ing?" he asked.

Skye moved to stand at his side, studying the golden strand. "I don't sense her presence, but her magic is oddly in tune with this place." There was a long silence before he felt her give a sharp shake of her head. "Why would she have any connection to the Dragon Treaty?"

The heat in the room intensified and the sound of popping stones echoed through the cave. The cracks were widening, allowing more lava to pump into the cave. Soon they would be cut off from any hope of escape.

"Maybe we should worry about the whys later," he warned. "I don't think we h ave much time."

"You're right." She grasped his hand. "Besides, I trust Peri. She wouldn't l ead us astray."

Micha didn't possess the same faith. Not when Peri's magic had proven to be as unpredictable as it was powerful. But he trusted Skye. If she believed, then so did he.

Gripping her hand in a grasp that was just short of painful, he inched his way down the narrow path, angling his body to block a portion of the heat that bubbled from the nearby lava. He was fully prepared to snatch her in his arms and toss her across the cave if the lava spilled on to the pathway.

Thankfully, his heroic urges were unnecessary as they passed through the lethal maze and reached the far wall. There was no obvious exit, but the golden strand disappeared into the center of the wall. Skye reached out, laying her palm against the rough stones. That was all it took for the hidden door to swing open, allowing them to enter a vast cavern with a to wering ceiling.

Behind them the door slammed shut, but this time there was nothing ominous in the sound. In fact, it was a relief to have the screaming heat from the lava trapped behind layers of stone. There was an even greater sense of relief to realize they'd reached the cavern that had been revealed by the magical memory.

There was no mistaking the mosaic tiled floor or the priceless gems that shimmered in the ceiling.

"This is it," Skye whispered, her thoughts echoing his own. "This is where they sign ed the treaty."

He leaned down to speak directly in his companion's ear. "And there's the fairy," he warned, nodding across the cavern where he could catch sight of the male as he moved between the fluted columns. "Let's have a word with him."

Skye nodded, walking next to him as he crossed the glittering tiles to approach Lynx from behind. As they neared, Micha released her hand, preparing for the f airy to attack.

Lynx hadn't come this far only to have his prize snatched away w ithout a fight.

If there ev en was a prize.

Halting far enough away to react if Lynx was carrying a weapon, Micha watched the fairy as he ran his fist over the tapestry that covered the wall. He had the crystal clutched in his hand, no doubt using it to try to locate the Tempest. If his stiff back and rigid shoulders were anything to go by, he wasn't ha ving much luck.

"Looking for something, Lynx?" he a t last drawled.

Uttering a sharp profanity, the fairy swung around to glare at them, his handsome features twisted with a smoldering wrath. Micha arched his brows. He hadn't been wrong. Lynx was obviously infuriated by his inability to locate his promised key to wo rld domination.

"How the hell did you get in here?" the fairy snarled.

Micha smiled, a portion of his own frustration easing at the knowledge the bastard was suffering.

"Magic," he answered, exposing the tips of his massive fangs.

"Bullshit." Lynx spit out the curse even as he flicked a worried glance toward Skye. "Only the descendent who controls the crystal can navigate the labyrinth."

The words were recited as if he was trying to convince himself he was the hero of the story and not some delu sional jackass.

"It wasn't so much a labyrinth as a thick hedge and smelly sauna," Micha taunted, deliberately minimizing the terror of their journey.

Lynx clenched his jaw. "It doesn't matter. Yo u're too late."

Micha arched a brow. "You h ave the sword?"

"It's here."

"Doubtful."

"Afraid I'll find it, leech?" Lynx ground out. "You wouldn't be so cocky if you couldn't crawl out of your grave like a nasty zombie."

"Zombies are technically different creatures. We don't crawl from our graves." Micha stepped toward the fairy. "We're resurrected in a new form."

"Stay back." Lynx held up his hand that clutched the crystal, a reddish glow appearing to sur round his hand.

"Micha, be careful," S kye called out.

"Yeah, be careful," Lynx taunted. "Listen to yo ur girlfriend."

"Always," Micha retorted without hesitation, coming to a halt. It didn't appear that the fairy knew how to use the crystal as a weapon, but that didn't mean it wasn't dangerous. Anything connected to the dragons was a threat to vampires. "I'm wise enough to accept good advice when I hear it . Unlike some."

Lynx snorted at the obvious implication. "The day I take advice from a leech is the day I slit my own throat."

"This place has nothing to do with your precious Tempest." Micha continued to provoke the fairy, hoping to keep him distracted long enough to strike. With a sweep of his arm, he indicated the vast cavern. "This is the place where the Dragon Treaty was signed. It's a shrine to that moment, not to some mysterious demon legend."

Lynx stubbornly shook his head. "The sword is here. It has to be."

"Who told you the location?"

"It was given to me...in a vision." He glared at Micha as he stumbled over the words. "I'm t he chosen one."

"A lie." Micha didn't need his skills to realize that Lynx was inventing his supposed vision. "Someone convinced you that you were a mystical hero, and you were so eager to believe them that you were willing to risk everything to claim your pre cious destiny."

Lynx flushed as Micha's accusation hit him right where it hurt.

His pride.

"I've always known I was special," th e fairy hissed.

Micha took another step forward, ignoring the pulsing red glow. "Who persuaded you to steal the crystal and come here?"

"The Tempest is a kids' story fed to every demon," he insisted. "I just didn't know that I was a direct descendent to the original Lynx."

"So how did you find out?" Micha pressed.

Lynx's eyes darted from side to side, as if seeking the nearest exit. Or maybe he was hoping the sword would magically appear so he could get rid of Micha on ce and for all.

When nothing materialized, he returned his attention to Micha with a s our expression.

"I was given a private diary along with this medallion from my ancestor." Using his empty hand, Lynx reached beneath his shirt to pull out a large metal pendant hanging on a thick chain with an opal in the center. "The diary had an etching of a fairy who looked almost identical to me." The green eyes flared with a fierce satisfaction at the memory. "I suddenly realized my dreams of leading the demon world hadn't been empty fantasies. They'd been a glimpse i nto my future."

"Ah." Micha abruptly chuckled. "You weren't Lynx. You changed your name to ma tch the story."

"It seeme d appropriate."

"And the same mystery person who gave you the diary also told you that the crystal would lead you to the sword?" Micha demanded.

"Eventually." Lynx took a covert step to the side. Then another. Was he going to make a run for it? Behind him, Micha felt a hum of magic surround Skye, as if she had the same thought and was preparing a spell to stop the fairy. "First I had to prove I was the genuine heir," Lynx continued, trying to keep th em preoccupied.

Micha didn't care why he was sharing how he'd come to believe he was some chosen warrior. Not as long as he eventually revealed who'd be en helping him.

"By deluding a bunch of outcast demons to follow you into a losing cause?" Micha taunted.

Genuine outrage rippled over Lynx's perfect features. "I prefer outcasts. Any demon can survive by kissing the ass of a leech. It takes genuine skill to succeed with your own cunning. My horde is a team of survivors."

"You took over Dexter's horde," Skye abruptly intruded into the conversation. "They're a t eam of idiots."

Lynx shrugged, conceding her point. "Some are more talente d than others."

"So how did you prove your worth?" Micha prodded him to cont inue his story.

There were more cautious steps to the side. Micha allowed the idiot to believe he hadn't noticed.

"After years of gaining a following among the demons, I wasn't surprised when I was approached by a demon with royal blood and powerful connections," Lynx boasted. "It was inevitable that my brilliance would be recognized and rewarded."

"Lucky you," Skye muttered.

Lynx flushed. "Not luck. Talent."

Micha sent out a pulse of compulsion. Lynx was too powerful to compel an answer, but he could encourage him to r eveal the name.

"Who was the demon?"

"Igor Triton."

Lynx blinked as the name tumbled from his lips, as if shocked he'd revealed his secret partner in crime. Micha was equally shocked. Not by the fact that Lynx had finally revealed the traitor, but who had betr ayed the Cabal.

He wouldn't have been surprised if Igor had been working with Kane to overthrow Valen. That was what they'd suspected from the start. But to be the leader of a demon revolution? No way. The male might have the balls, but he didn't h ave the brains.

"Igor Triton?" He repeated the name, struggling to accept what he was hearing. "Kane's de voted servant?"

Lynx hunched his shoulders, accepting it was too late to deny the truth. "Not so devoted. He was willing to pretend to be a loyal servant to Kane so he could gain a position of authority, but he was desperate to break free of the leech."

"He wasn't a prisoner. If he wanted to leave he didn't need to sneak around. He could walk out the door."

"Yeah, right." Lynx's features hardened with contempt. "You leeches love to act all civilized when the truth is that you're nothing more than cold-blooded bastards who use your position of authority to oppress everyo ne around you."

Micha didn't bother to argue. Although most vampires had adapted with the modern codes of decency, there were still many vampires who believed that they were superior to every living creature and resorted to threats or violence to impose their will on those in their care.

Including Kane.

Instead, he tried to reconcile himself to the possibility that the Cabal had been so easily played by a swaggering idiot. Was it possib le? No. No way.

There had to be something he was missing.

Micha folded his arms over his chest. "How did Ig or locate you?"

Lynx shrugged. "He'd been on the lookout for a fairy with the natural talent for organizing and ins piring demons."

"And you magic ally appeared?"

The smell of copper swirled through the air. Lynx was more than a little touchy at the implication he'd fallen into the role of the chosen one. Obviously it was important to his ego that he believe he'd been chosen by fate.

"Not magic." The gemstone in his hand pulsed, as if reacting to his flare of temper. "Hard work. I created my destiny. I didn't have my inheritance handed to me just because I'm a zombie who won't sta y in my grave."

"Again. Not a zombie," Micha reminded him, "but while I might not possess your lofty claim to fame, I've often crossed paths with Igor Triton over the centuries. He does have royal blood and a small amount of cunning, but he doesn't have the intelligence to research the Tempest or how to locate it, let alone track you down to guide you toward your supposed destiny. And he certainly couldn't organize my kidnapping."

Belatedly remembering he was trying to escape, Lynx inched to the side, nearly reaching one of the marble columns.

"I organized that ," he insisted.

Micha shook his head. "Someone told you when the Cabal was coming to New York and gave you the keycard to get to the lower floors. They also told you the exact location of my bedroom and how to get out the e mergency exit."

"Igor."

"Impossible."

Lynx snorted. "You just can't accept that a demon could outsmart a bun ch of leeches."

Micha frowned. His senses told him that Lynx truly believed what he was saying. So that had to mean...

"He's right." A smooth male voice echoed through the cavern. "A demon could never have executed such a glorious rebellion . But I could."

Micha hissed, his fangs fully exposed as he whirled around to confront Kane.

Only it wasn't Kane standing in the middle of the mosa ic tiled floor.

In fact, the vampire with light brown hair and dark eyes, wearing an ankle-length black robe, was the last male he e xpected to see.

"Ambassador Azra," he r asped in shock.

* * * *

Valen watched his mate toss her cell phone on his desk, her body vibrating wi th frustration.

"Has Maya heard from Skye?" The words tumbled from his lips before he c ould halt them.

It was a dumb question. One glance at Peri's tense expression and the sparks of magic sizzling through the office revealed that the news wasn't good. But he'd spent most of the daylight hours pacing the floor while he wallowed in endless recriminations for not realizing that his demons were being poisoned to hate his new mate. Not to mention the fact he'd allowed the perpetrator of his troubles to stay in his lair, where he plotted to kidnap a member of the Cabal and Peri 's best friend.

The epic mess might not be his fault, but it'd happene d on his watch.

Was it any wonder it was increasingly difficult to think through his sm oldering guilt?

"Nothing," Peri confirmed, stopping to stare out the window at the darkness creeping over the city. Soon it would be full night and he could return to his hunt for Micha. If only he knew where the hell to start his search. "Maya's going to track down her various contacts in the city to see if they have any information. She' s not hopeful."

With an effort, Valen calmed his seething emotions and moved to wrap a comforting arm a round his mate.

"We're going to find them."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm scared. I can feel her, Valen. As if she's trying to reach out to me, but she's too far away."

Valen brushed his lips over the top of her head even as he felt a sharp chill before Gabriel stepped i nto the office.

"I think we should have a word with the prisoners," the older male announced, his own impatience edging his voice. "One of them has to know where Kane is."

"Agreed," Valen murmured, lowering his arm as Peri turned to regard him with a stubborn frown.

"I'm coming," she stated in tones that d efied argument.

Valen didn't bother to try to reason with her. He didn't have the strength to waste on butting his head against a brick wall. There were bigger battles to concentrate on.

Keeping his arm around Peri's shoulders, he headed to his private elevator and used his keycard to open the doors. The three of them stepped into the carriage, dropping to the deepest floor in silence. They'd spent hours debating what they'd seen and heard at the theater. There was nothing left to say. Not until they had n ew information.

The elevator swooshed to a stop and the doors slid open to reveal a long cement hallway that was lit by bare light bulbs hanging from the low ceiling. It was deliberately designed with a gulag vibe, warning Valen's enemies that they'd truly screwed up if they were headed to this location.

Stepping out of the carriage, Valen was turning in the direction of the cells when Gabriel abruptly reached out to place his hand on Va len's shoulder.

"Wait."

Valen stopped, his senses on full alert. "What's wrong?"

Gabriel sniffed the air. "Are there any other vampire s in the area?"

Valen shook his head. He had a couple of vampires who oversaw his businesses at the far edges of his territory. He preferred not to have any in his primary lair. It avoided any unfortunate complications when it came to wh o was the boss.

"There are none in the dungeons."

"This way." With long strides, Gabriel headed in the opposite direction o f the dungeons.

Valen kept Peri close as he follo wed his friend.

They continued through the hallway before Gabriel abruptly turned into a short passage that was blocked by a mass ive steel door.

"The WCS," Valen mutter ed in surprise.

Gabriel glanced over his shoulder in confusi on. "The what?"

"Worst Case Scenario." Valen scooted past his friend to place his hand flat on the steel door. "I built a panic room in the unlikely event the lair was ever overrun by enemies or the more likely event of a natural disaster." He nodded toward the red lights above the door. "It's b een triggered."

Gabriel stepped forward. "How do w e get it open?"

"It can only be unlocked from the inside." Valen slammed his hand against the unyielding steel that was a foot thick. "This is Valen." He waited for the lock to click. Even through the massive barrier he would be able to hear the click. Nothing. He smacked his palm against the steel. "Ambassador? Open the door . You're safe."

Gabriel pursed his lips. "I don't think he trusts you."

Valen hissed in annoyance. "We have to find out what happened before Ka ne can escape."

"I'll open it."

The soft voice floated from the main hallway and Valen turned around to discover Peri lifting her arm, the jade bracelet around her wrist already glow ing with power.

"Peri—"

"I can do this," she insisted, her floral scent mixing with tingles of electric magic.

Valen grabbed Gabriel's elbow and pulled him out of the passageway, giving Peri a clear sh ot at the door.

"I have no doubt you can do it," he assured his mate, adding a hint of warning to his voice. "I'd just prefer you open the door without turning our lair into a p ile of rubble."

Peri shrugged. "I mak e no promises."

"Wait," Valen commanded. He would survive the building landing on top of him, but he wasn't sure t hat Peri would.

"I'm kidding," she assured him as she closed her eyes to concentrate on her spel l. "Hopefully."

Next to him, Gabriel shook his head in resignation. "I d on't envy you."

"It's an adjustment," Valen conceded, only to grunt when a sharp elbow was dug into his ribs. "A magnificent adjustment, " he clarified.

Peri clicked her tongue, her eyes still closed as she vibrated with the power that surg ed through her.

"Stand back and don' t distract me."

Valen brushed a hasty kiss over her cheek . "Be careful."

She was already lost in the wild magic that coursed through her blood, and Valen hastily moved to press his back against the far wall. Gabriel was wise enough to join him as bolts of lightning danced from Peri's slender fingers. The powerful magic sizzled with a white-hot heat, proving it wasn't just an illusion. And just in case there was any doubt, the ground began to shake and the cement walls cracked from the sheer pressure of the sno wballing spell.

Valen felt the hair on his nape rise with an instinctive fear before Peri muttered a word of power and released her magic. With a loud hiss it blasted through the passageway, the lightning weaving together to form a battering ram before it smashed into the door with shocking force.

Valen winched at the painful shriek of ripping metal, but it was impossible to see what happened as a cloud of pulverized cement wafted out of the passageway. It wasn't until the choking fog faded and the ground at last stopped shaking that Valen and Gabriel tentatively stepped forward to insp ect the damage.

The older vampire grunted in dis belief. "Damn."

Valen slowly smiled, wrapping his arm around Peri as she sagged weari ly against him.

"She never fails to amaze," he murmured, pride in his voice as he took in the steel door that had been blasted off its hinges.

There wasn't a vampire in the Cabal who could have matched her strength. In fact, there was a very real possibility that only the dragons possessed more raw power.

For a second they admired the devastation in silence. It wasn't often they were astonished by the power of another creature. Then there was a flicker of movement from inside the safe room and Valen released his hold on Peri t o flow forward.

He sensed Gabriel next to him as they reached the end of the passageway, both halting at the mangled door to peer inside. There was no use in risking Peri's unpredictable magic only to ru sh into a trap.

He narrowed his eyes against the bright security lights that had been triggered when the door was forced open, sweeping his gaze over the small room that held a wooden chair and table where a laptop was available to keep in contact with the outside world. There were also numerous weapons and a freezer filled with frozen blood, but they were stockpiled behind layers of magic that could only be unlocked with his personal touch.

There was another flutter of movement, and Valen realized there was something or someone cowering beneath the pile of blankets in the corner. Striding forward, he grabbed the covers and tugged them aside, his mouth dropping open in pure shock.

"Shit, Kane," he rasped, barely recognizing the m assive vampire.

The long blond hair had been ripped from his usual braid to hang in clumps around his face. A face that was currently twisted in pain. His leather jacket was missing and the T-shirt that covered his chest had been shredded by whatever weapon had gouged deep wounds into his body. Several of them continued to leak blood down his torso and onto th e cement floor.

Kane held up a beefy hand, his expression one of sheer te rror. "No, no."

Valen stared down at him in confusion. He'd assumed that Kane was long gone from the lair. Not hiding in his panic room.

"What the hell ha ppened to you?"

"Are you with him?" t he male rasped.

"Who?" Valen demanded, sensing Gabriel move out of the cramped space as Valen's servants rushed to discover what had happened. He thankfully realized that Valen wanted to question Kane without bei ng interrupted.

"Azra."

Valen glanced around the room in confusion. "The ambassador? Is he here? Has he been hurt?"

"The bastard." Kane released a low snarl, his hand covering one of his deeper wounds. "He tri ed to kill me."

Valen crouched down, focusing on the male sprawled on the hard cement. It wasn't as easy to read a vampire, but Kane was gravely injured. It should make it easier t o detect a lie.

"Why?"

"Traitor." The word en ded on a groan.

Valen leaned forward. "A t raitor to who?"

"The Cabal." With an effort, Kane's hand reached toward the nearby freezer built into the wall. "I need to feed."

Suddenly Valen realized why Kane had been in this corner. He'd been trying to force his way through the layers of magic to ge t to the blood.

"Not until I have some answers," he warned the male, struggling to accept he might have leapt to conclusions.

He had convinced himself that Kane was the traitor. Every clue pointed to the ambitious male being behind the endless troubles that had been plaguing them. Including the kidnapping of Micha and Skye. But there was no denying the fact that Kane was the one who'd been severely injured while Azra had disappeared. And while it was possible that Kane had been the one to attack Azra first, it wouldn't explain where the ambassador had gone. Or why he'd taken his belon gings with him.

"You're claiming that Azra—Sinjon's most trusted servant—is a traitor?" He needed to be sure he hadn't misunder stood the male.

Kane licked his lips, his face twisted with pai n. "I can't..."

"Try really hard." Valen leaned forward, allowing his power to press against Kane. "We already know it was Igor who came to New York days ago to stir up anger t oward my mate."

Kane hissed but seemed to accept that he wasn't going to get the blood he so badly needed until he'd answered Val en's questions.

"Why not?" A soul-deep hunger flared in the depths of the vampire's eyes. "This Gyre s hould be mine."

"If you believed that, you would have openly challenged me to take control of my territory. Instead you were a coward, hiding behind your trusted servant, who was sneaking around, trying to turn my people against Peri."

Kane released a low growl. "Not trusted."

"What?"

"He...he betrayed me. With the ambassador." Kane shuddered, his skin unnaturally pale as his powers visibly drained away. " Give me blood."

"How did he betray you?"

Kane shook hi s head. "Food."

Valen swiveled to the side, placing his hand flat against the magic. There was a sharp tingle that crawled up his arm, as if seeking to confirm his identity, before there was a loud pop as the spell was broken. With a deliberate desire to torment Kane, he slowly opened the freezer and pulled out a bag of blood, holding it jus t out of reach.

Kane's fangs protruded, his body trembli ng with hunger.

"Talk," V alen commanded.

"Fine." Kane's gaze remained locked on the blood. "It's true that I sent Igor to cause trouble."

"Why?"

"I hoped your witch would be provoked into losing control of her magic and the demons would demand a new leader."

"I assume you would be th at new leader?"

"Of course."

Valen battled back the surge of fury at the memory of Peri's distress at the fear she'd never be accepted as his mate. Kane was fading. He had to get the information he needed before the vampire became to o weak to talk.

"Why kidnap Micha?"

"I had nothing to do with that." Kane swore in frustration as Valen dangled the blood directly over his h ead. "I swear."

"Then what ha ppened to him?"

"I don't know."

"This isn't a game, Kane," Valen snapped. He was tired of feeling like he was constantly running one step behind a mysterious enemy. The shit stopped now. "You share what you know and I'll allow you to feed. Or you can starve. It makes no dif ference to me."

Kane gro aned. "Please."

"Tell me what happened to M icha and Skye."

"All I know was that last night I tried to contact Igor but he was ghosting me," Kane snarled. "He wouldn't answer my calls or respond to my messages. Finally I tracked him to a n old theater."

There was the soft tread of footsteps as Gabriel stepped back into the room. He'd obviously sensed the tension vibrating in the air. Kane was reaching his breaking point. The desperate male would either confess the truth or he'd attack Valen in an attempt to get his hand s on the blood.

"And?" Valen prodded.

"And Igor was the re. With Azra."

"What we re they doing?"

Kane briefly closed his eyes, his jaws tight as he struggled to re main conscious.

"Igor was demanding the reward he'd earned for assisting the vampire in kid napping Micha."

"What did he do to help?"

"Something about making sure one of Micha's servants was incapacitated and getting a driver." Kane grimaced. "It didn't ma ke much sense."

Valen assumed that it was Igor who arranged the driver that dropped off Lynx in front of his lair and then helped in the getaway. But why? What could Azra possibly gain by kidnapping a membe r of the Cabal?

Quest ions for later.

"Wh at did you do?"

"Nothing." Kane paused, and Valen frowned. Had the bastard passed out? Then, with a pained effort, he continued his story. "Before I could confront them, Azra casually reached out and ripped off Igor's head. Just like that." The vampire shuddered, as if genuinely troubled by the memory. "One minute they were talking and the next Igor was headless. Then Azra pulled out a dagger and gutted my servant like a deer. I've seen vampires consumed by bloodlust, but Azra..." A nother shudder.

"What?"

"He looked bored. As if beheading and gutting demons was something he'd done a million times." Kane shook his head before wincing as if every movement was agonizing. "That's when I bolted."

Valen studied the male's pale face. The words sounded true to his ears. More importantly, they matched up with the precious few facts he'd managed to uncover. Which meant that Ambassador Azra had been the traitor the entire time, and Valen had been even more blind than he'd first thought.

Anger vibrated through him as he glared down at Kane. The male might not have been the one to kidnap Micha and Skye, but he'd stirred enough shit to distract Valen from t he real threat.

Whatever that t hreat might be.

"How did you get in this room ?" he demanded.

"I tried to use the emergency exit to sneak in. I didn't want Azra to know I'd seen what he did. But he must have sensed my presence at the theater. He followed me back to the lair and attacked me when I reached the garage." Kane glanced down at the numerous wounds that marred his chest. None of them were healing in his weakened state. "I managed to get into an elevator and get down here. I knew you'd have a place to hide. That's it. That 's all I know."

Kane flopped his head back and Valen straightened. This male had revealed all he was going to. At least for now. And it was time for Valen to turn his attention to tracking down th e missing Azra.

Lifting a hand, he waved it toward the waiting Gabriel. Instantly understanding what he wanted, the older male turned to gesture toward the guards, who eagerly rushed into the room.

"Take him to the dungeons," Valen commanded, handing the bag of blood to the demon in charge of the dungeons. "Don't feed him until you hav e him chained."

The large male nodded and Valen t urned to leave.

"Someday we'll finish this, Valen," Kane rasped as he was roughly hauled off the floor b y four goblins.

"It's finished," Valen announced with a cold indifference that revealed his utte r lack of fear.

Kane might leave his dungeons. Some day. But he would never be a threat again.

Valen headed out of the safe room, glancing toward Gabriel, who fell into step next to him. "Do you believe what he said?"

"I believe he told us what he knows. Whether that's the full truth is yet to be determined." Gabriel shrugg ed. "What now?"

"We call Sinjon," Valen said. The ultimate leader of the Cabal needed to know he'd been betrayed by his servant.

The soo ner the better.

"And if Sinjon is involved i n Azra's plot?"

"Then we're screwed."