Chapter 9

Valen smiled as he felt a delectable warmth wash over him, a light floral scent teasing his nose. Peri had entered the room. And even better, she was approaching the bed where he'd spent the daylight hours, protected from the sun by the heavy shutters that cover ed the windows.

"If this is a dream, don't wake me," he murmured as her fingers brushed his bare shoulder.

"Valen."

His name didn't come out as a husky invitation that promised infinite pleasure. In fact, there was a sharp edge that had him pushing himself into a seated position to study his mate with a worried gaze.

"Let me guess. You're not here to make me the happiest vampire in the world?"

"Not now. I have to leave."

He belatedly realized that she was wearing a quilted jacket over her jeans and sweatshirt and that she had her satchel slung over her shoulder. She was carrying potions. Nev er a good sign.

Shoving aside the silk comforter, Valen headed for the vast walk-in closet. "What's wrong?"

"Maya called to say that Sk ye is missing."

Valen swiftly pulled on a pair of gray slacks and a charcoal sweater. Then, sliding his feet into leather loafers, he stepped out of the closet.

"How long?"

"A few hours." She held up her hand as his brows arched. "I know, it's not that long, but it's weird. She snuck out of her bedroom window while Maya was working in the coffee shop. She's never done anything lik e that before."

Valen didn't know the young seer that well, but he was certain she would never do anything to worry her friends. The three of them were close r than sisters.

"I'm assuming you've tried to call her?" he asked.

"She left her phon e in her room."

Valen's vague unease sharpened to genuine concern. Skye might have wanted to sneak away for a dozen reasons. A lover. A break from her duties at the Witch's B rew. A movie...

But there would be no reason to leave be hind her phone.

"I'll organize my staff to start a search," he reassured his mate. "They can be spread through the area in five minutes."

She managed a weak smile. "I'm going to Jersey. I might be able to follow her tra il with magic."

He moved toward her, wrapping her body in his arms. She was trembling, clearly far more worried about her friend than she wanted to admit. Valen clenched his fangs in frustration. No doubt she didn't want to share her concern when he was dealing with their un welcome guests.

On cue, a loud ding interrupted his attempt to offer her comfort. With a grimace, Valen reluctantly loosened his hold on Peri and moved to the intercom system mounted on the wall next to the door. Expecting to see the familiar face of his assistant on the monitor, he clenched his hands at the sight of the pale-haired vampire glaring at him.

"It's Kane." He muttered the name like it was a curse. And that's exactly what he was, as far as Valen was concerned. A curse. He forced himself to push the button beneath the monitor to open the microphone. "Can this wait? I'm in the middle of something."

"Bed your mate later," Kane snapped. "I want to know what the hel l is going on."

Valen managed to hold on to his temper. Unless you counted the ice that coated the ex pensive carpet.

"You're going to have to be more specific."

"You swore no one could breach the security of you r guest floor."

Valen's anger faded as he stared at Kane's furious expression. Was the bastard trying to imply he couldn't protect guests in his own lair? It was the worst insult a vampi re could offer.

"They can't."

"Then why does Micha's room look like he was in a battle and smell o f demon blood?"

"Demon blood?" Valen blinked. If Kane wasn't a vampire, he would think he was drunk. "What are you talking about?"

"See for yourself."

Kane stepped aside, revealing that he wasn't in the guest quarters that Valen had prepared for him but instead was in the suite at the back of the building. He'd deliberately chosen the most remote rooms for Micha, assuming the male would prefer not to be squashed between Kane and Gabriel and the ambassador.

"Where's Micha ?" he demanded.

"How the hell should I know? " Kane growled.

Valen leaned forward, his brows drawing together as he studied the image that filled the monitor. The view was limited. The intercom wasn't intended to be a security system. But it allowed him to see the broken bedpost and distinct drops of blood on the white comforter. Unless Micha had spent the day indulging in sex that was rough enough to cause someone an injury, then something ba d had happened.

He was still processing what he was seeing when there was movement and the monitor was filled with the worried face of A mbassador Azra.

"Valen, we need to speak."

No shit.

"I'll be down."

"No, Valen, we'll be up," Azra surprisingly insisted. "I'm not sure what's happened, but we should check the security tapes. The soon er the better."

"I can take care of that," Valen said. "There's no ne ed for anyone—"

"You'll wait for us," Azra interrupted, his voice hard with an unex pected warning.

Valen stiffened, more ice spreading over the carpet. He was going to have to replace the stupid thing by the time his guests finally left. Of course, that was the least of his w orries for now.

"You're giving me orders? I n my own lair?"

Azra stepped close to the monitor, revealing his dark eyes that held a power far more ancient than the ambassador. He was looking directly into the gaze of Sinjon, the ultimate ruler.

"There's not just the scent of demons in Micha's room," Azra informed him. "I smell the seer that was at the party last night. It's possible she spent the day at Micha's invitation, but I prefer to avoid any hint there's a less pleasan t possibility."

Without warning, the monitor went blank and at the same time there was a rush of footsteps and Peri was grabbing his arm in a grip tight enough to dig her nails through his sweater and into his flesh.

"Skye is with Micha?"

Valen turned to meet her disbelieving gaze. "They did spend time together during the party," he reminded her. "Maybe they planned for Skye to return to finish whatever they started."

Peri was shaking her head before he finished speaking. "She would have told Maya if she planned to come here to be with Micha. There wouldn't be any reason to sneak out."

"Maya isn't a huge fan of vampires," he wryly reminded her. "Skye might have wanted to av oid a lecture."

Peri grudgingly considered his words, then shook her head again. "That doesn't explain why she left behind her phone. Or whe re she is now."

Valen moved to his desk to grab his own phone, pressing Micha's number even as he led Peri out of the bedroom and into his private office. They didn't have much time before Kane and Azra arrived dem anding answers.

Answers he didn't have.

It was no shocker that his call was dumped into Micha's voicemail. The male probably left it packed in his bags. He wasn't big on technology. With a low swear word, Valen shoved the phone i nto his pocket.

He desperately wanted to believe this was all no more than a misunderstanding, but Peri was right to be suspicious. Everything about the situat ion felt...off.

Crossing to the desk in the middle of the long room, Valen had opened the laptop and managed to pull up the security footage when there was a soft t ap on the door.

"Enter," Valen commanded, watching as his assistant pushed open the door and stepped i nto the office.

Renee was a powerful fairy with short, bleached-blond hair and dark gold eyes. Before Peri's arrival, she'd run Valen's life with rigid perfection; now the two women coexisted with a war y, armed truce.

She remained silent as the two male vampires swept past her, neither bothering to acknowledge her presence. Many of his brothers were snobs. To them, demons, as well as humans, were lesser beings. Why bothe r to be polite?

"Make sure we're not interrupted," he said to his assistant, nodding fo r her to leave.

He wished he could send Peri out of the office as well, but he was wise enough to know he would be wasting his time. Not only would Peri refuse to leave, but it might look as if they had something to hide. That was the last t hing he wanted.

Motioning the intruders forward, he waited for them to stand on either side of him before he pointed tow ard the laptop.

"I have the video ready to start when Micha entered hi s guest rooms."

Grinding his teeth, he waited for Azra's nod before he leaned forward to press a button on the keyboard. He'd been the leader of this powerful Gyre for a very long time. He was the one who gave orders. End. Of. Story.

A choking silence filled the room as the video flicked into motion. He'd chosen the footage from the street in front of the building. If no one entered, then they would know whoever had made Micha disappear was already inside.

The silence stretched as they watched the dawn spread over the street and Valen's cleaning crew arrive. They were followed by the various demons who had offices in the building and oversaw his vast commercial empire. It was all bus iness as usual.

It wasn't until the lunch hour had passed that Peri abruptly sucked in a shocked breath. She was standing a few feet away from the desk, as if hoping to avoid the tension spilling from the males, but still at an angle to see the video.

"Stop," she muttered. "That's Skye."

Valen tapped the button to freeze the image. She was right. He leaned forward to study the delicate, golden-haired woman who'd just climbed out of a car that was double-parked next to t he front doors.

"Do you recognize the men with her?"

"Can you zoom in?" Peri asked, reluctantly inching forward to peer at the screen.

At the same time, Kane stabbed a beefy finger at the man standin g next to Skye.

"He has on a Witch's Brew uniform," he growled, turning his head to glower at Peri. "They'r e your people."

No one could blame Peri if she'd melted into a puddle of fear. Valen had seen members of the Cabal cower when Kane towered over them. Of course she didn't. Instead she squared her shoulders and met the icy glare with one of her own.

"The Witch's Brew has never had uniforms," she said in tones that skirted the edge of antagonistic. "And if we did, they wouldn't be those ugly things. Besides, Maya would never hire men..." Her words trailed away as she returned her attention to the image on the screen. "No, wait," she breat hed. "Not men."

A growl rumbled in Kane's throat, but Azra held up a warning hand, his gaze locked on Peri.

"Have you noticed something?" the ambas sador demanded.

"They're not men, they're demons." She leaned forward, pressing the tip of her finger against the taller of the two males. "Look. That's a di sguise amulet."

Valen pressed the key to enlarge the image, focusing on the small medallion visible at the base of the stranger's throat. His enhanced vision allowed him to make out the rune scratched onto the surface, although it was meaningless to him. Only a mage could have ignited the illegal magic.

Skye?

He exchanged a worried gaze with Peri before switching to the security footage. There was a flicker on the screen before the lobby came into focus. Valen silently took note of the guards dotted around the vast space. He would interview them later. For now, his attention was locked on the two demons who flanked Skye as they entered the building. The senior guard moved forward, exchanging a few words with the young mage, his suspicious gaze lingering on her companions, but with a small nod he led them to the elevators and the doors slid shut, blocking the trio from view.

Valen pulled up the next video of Skye forced out of the elevator by the shorter male, her eyes wide with fear as she was hauled to the back of the building where Micha's ro om was located.

"They have keycards," Kane burst out, his anger creating tiny quakes that rattled the expensive Waterford crystal vase on his desk. "So much for your promise no on e could enter."

Valen was genuinely baffled. Not just because the intruders had managed to get their hands on one of the four keycards that he'd removed from his security vault, but they knew precisely where t hey were going.

If they'd just wanted to grab a vampire, Kane would have been the closest . So why Micha?

The question was whirling through his brain when there was movement on the video and the two males stepped out. The tall one was holding a small device in his hand, and the shorter one was limping, as if he'd been injured. Micha was walking with them, wearing a pair of shorts that he'd no doubt been sleeping in when the intruders had entered the room. And shockingly, he was carrying an un conscious Skye.

What the hell had hap pened in there?

Peri made a sound of distress, clearly worried about Skye, who didn't have any visible wounds but was hanging limply in Micha's grasp.

As they headed down the corridor, Micha looked up, staring directly into the camera. Valen froze, recognizing there was a warning in that glance. But what? A plea to rescue him? Or a command to let events play out without hi s interference?

He was guessing it was a demand to let him handle whatever was happening.

Valen straightened as the group entered the short hallway that led to the emergency exit and disappeared into the underground parking lot. He would, of course, send someone to search for them, as well as to interview the guard on duty, but he didn't have much hope of locat ing the demons.

It'd been infuriatingly easy for the creatures to waltz through his lobby, acquire keycards to a supposedly impregnable area, and then kidnap and sneak away with an important membe r of the Cabal.

This went beyond well organized. Only someone with detailed knowledge of his lair could have known how to get to the lower floor and then to the precise location of where Micha was sleeping...

His thoughts were shattered as the Waterford vase abruptly burst into a spray o f glass shards.

"Betrayal," Kane snarled, leaning his barrel chest toward Valen in a blatant attempt a t intimidation.

Valen met the male's fierce accusation with a lift of his brow. He wasn't going to give the male the satisfaction of knowing how troubled he was by the events of the day. Not when it was quite likely Kane was involved up to hi s arrogant ass.

"I'm not sure what happened," he admitted in icy tones. "But I do swear I'l l get answers."

"Like I would trust you," Kane snapped. "It's obvious you and the witches will do anything to protect your mate. Including attacking a member of the Cabal. What happened? Did Micha decide that your female was too dangerous to leave out in the wild? Were you afraid we'd have to lock her aw ay to prevent—"

"Kane," Azra smoothly interrupted, stepping between the males as Valen's fangs lengthened in warning. Valen didn't care what'd happened to Micha. Anyone foolish enough to threaten his mate was going to die. The ambassador moved to stand directly in front of Valen, eyeing him with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Valen, but this does need to be investigated, and we need to do it in a way to avoid any appearance of tampering with the evidence."

"Exactly." Kane thumped his fist against his chest. " My servants will take care of the investigation."

Valen hissed, but once again the ambassador headed off the brewing battle.

"I will have my staff make any inquiries. They are all handpicked by Sinjon." His gaze moved from Valen to Kane. "I'm sure neither of you will question their loyalty to the Cabal?"

It was a direct challenge. If they refused, then they were indicating that Sinjon couldn't be trusted. A lethal mistake.

"Very well." Valen offer ed a stiff nod.

Kane took a grudging step back, his feral gaze locked on Valen. "They can investigate all they want, but my people are going to keep an eye on you, Valen, along with your witch," he growled, unable to concede defeat. Or perhaps this was deliberate. His response was certainly melodramatic enough to be an act. How better to convince everyone he wasn't involved in the kidnapping. "I don't trust either of you."

Azra held up his hand, indicating the conversation was over. "We will begin our questions at the Witch's Brew. We'll need to speak with the owner and search the seer's room. I want both of you—" He glanced from Kane to Valen before turning his attention to Peri. "And you. T o remain here."

Peri grimaced. "Maya isn't goin g to be happy."

* * * *

Accustomed to long hours of inactivity, Micha stood motionless in the corner of the cell as the minutes ticked past, stretching into an hour. He assumed this was a deliberate ploy by the fairies to gain the upper hand.

Lock up the leech and then wat ch him sweat...

Micha wasn't going to give them th e satisfaction.

Skye, on the other hand, was pacing from one end of the cell to the other, her expression distracted, as if she was troubled by something beyond being locked in the cell with a vampire.

Micha should have been insulted. Even if she wasn't terrified to be alone with him, she could at least acknowledge they were sharing a cell. He wasn't used to being so completely ignored. Instead, he took the opportunity to savor the delicate grace of her movements and the sparkles of magic that dan ced in the air.

She didn't seem real, he silently acknowledged. More like a fantasy that had been plucked from the dept hs of his soul.

It was the scent of fairy that eventually intruded into his fascination with the young seer. Seconds later a tall male crossed the cavern to stand next to the cell. He looked marginally different now that he'd removed the disguise amulet. His face was thinner and his body several pounds lighter, but there was no mistaking this was the fairy who'd attacked him in his rooms. The one who'd snapped the collar a round his neck.

A growl rumbled in Micha's throat as he moved to place himself between the demon and Skye. It was pure instinct, but he didn't try to ha lt the impulse.

The fairy smiled, as if entertained by the revealing reflex. He was, however, smart enough to keep his amusement to himself. Pressing a hand to the center of his chest, he performe d a formal bow.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lynx, leader of the largest demon horde in the world."

The name wasn't familiar to Micha, which meant it was doubtful his horde was larger than a fe w dozen demons.

"Why am I here?" he demanded in cold tones.

The pale green eyes flared with anticipation, as if he'd been eagerly awaiting the question. "You, my friend, are going to give the demons what we've always wanted."

"An d what's that?"

"Our freedom."

"Freedom?" Micha abruptly realized where this conversation was heading. Not that he was going to make it easy. He deliberately glanced toward the silver bars that separated them. "You're standing next to my cell complaining about freedom? A little ironic, do n't you think?"

Lynx narrowed his eyes at Micha's deliberate taunt. "You are temporarily being held against your will. It's nothing like being forced to bend the knee to an oppressor just for the privilege of livin g in the Gyre."

"Oh, is that it?" Micha lifted his hand as if he was stifling a yawn. "I should have guessed."

"Guessed what?" Skye demanded, moving to sta nd next to him.

Micha kept his gaze trained on the fairy. "Demon rebellions roll around like clockwork. Every five hundred years or so, a particularly ambitious demon decides that they're the one destined to overthrow the evil Vampire Cabal. Some uprisings are more costly than others, but they all end in the same way. With hundreds, sometimes thousands of demons dead, and the Cabal still fir mly in charge."

The scent of copper swirled through the air even as Lynx forced a mocking smi le to his lips.

"At least you're honest. Vamp ires are evil."

"A nd you're not?"

"I care ab out my people."

Micha wasn't impressed. He'd lived through rebellions before. They'd never been started by leaders who gave a shit about their people. It was a ll about power.

"You care so much that you'll sacrifice them in a rebellion just to feed your ego?"

"Of course a vampire would want us to meekly accept our place as your slaves," Lynx sneered. "If you lost control of the Gyres, the Cabal w ould collapse."

"Without the Cabal, the demons would descend into constant warfare. Anyone who has read history knows that centuries after the dragons retreated and the demons were left to fend for themselves, they created utter chaos. The hordes nearly destroyed one another before the vampires took control."

"All they need is a strong leader to unite them."

Micha studied the male's arrogant expression. Lynx was using the arguments expected from a power-hungry demon who was intent on leading a rebellion. It sounded too perfect. It felt like he was reading a script, not offering a passionate debate for his cause.

Micha folded his arms over his chest. "And naturally you're the leader who can do what no one else could do?"

"Naturally."

"And how do you intend to accomplish such a mi raculous feat?"

" The Tempest."

Micha's suspicions were forgotten as he shook his head in resignation. "That's why you kidnapped me? The Tempest?" he drawled. "Couldn't you have chosen something a little more interesting? Now you're just a cliché."

"What's a tempest?" Skye demanded as Lynx fi sted his hands.

Had Micha's words hit a nerve, or was he pretending to react? It was annoyingly difficul t to determine.

Turning his head, he met Skye's baffled frown. "The Tempest is the demon equivalent of Excalibur."

Her confusion deepe ned. "A sword?"

"Not just a sword," Lynx intruded into the conversation. "A vessel that holds ancient demon magic. The sort of magic that even vampires fear."

Micha returned his attention to the fairy. "The supposed magic he's talking about is nothing more than a nursery story," he retorted. "Not to mention the fact that it's impossible to break the curse that surrounds it."

Lynx planted his hands on his hips, his expression defiant. "If you're so confident that it's harmless, then why have you wrapped it in layers of protection?" he challenged. "Why not allow the demons to tr y to claim it?"

It was true that Micha had created several barriers around the temple that held the Tempest after he gained control of the Gyre. Honestly, if he could have dug up the stupid sword and had it transplanted far away from his home, he would have done it in a...well, not a heartbeat, since his heart didn't beat, but as quick ly as possible.

"I have it off-limits because I'm tired of demons invading my territory in an attempt to claim the sword," he said, his voice hard. "It's disgusting to have their corpses littering the area, polluting the land, and poisoning the water. I used to have to send staff out regularly to clea n up the mess."

Lynx harrumphed. "A conv enient excuse."

Micha deliberately coated the silver bars with a layer of ice. A small warnin g of his power.

"I don't need an excuse. The sword is in my Gyre, which means it' s my property."

"It belongs to the demons." Lynx touched his fingers to the center of his chest. "It belongs to me. And before the night is over, I intend t o retrieve it."

* * * *

"Are you about done?" Maya demanded, vibrating with fury as she watched the vampire rummage through the drawe rs of her desk.

The male was attired in a black suit with a white shirt and gray tie. His light brown hair was neatly trimmed and his features handsome without possessing the punch of beauty most of his brot hers possessed.

It would be easy to underestimate his power, but Maya hadn't been fooled when he'd shown up at her door, demanding entry to the Witch's Brew. There was a smoldering power in that dark, knowing gaze as he'd swept past her along with two goblins, who were obviousl y his servants.

There'd been another vampire that she'd recognized as Gabriel from the western Gyre, but he'd remained near the door as if ensuring no one interrupted the sanct ioned invasion.

The vampire who'd introduced himself as Ambassador Azra straightened as he slid sh ut the drawers.

"Forgive me, mage, but you must realize this is a precarious situation for all of us," he smoot hly apologized.

"Actually, you haven't told me anything beyond the fact that you suspect that Skye was involved in some mysterious kidnapping and that she' s disappeared."

"I'm afraid that's all I can say at the moment." His words were polite, but there was an unmistakable warning in his tone. "If you know anything that would assist us in tracking down the location of the seer, it's vital you share that inform ation with us."

Maya forced herself to count to ten. Being so close to vampires in a confined space was scraping her nerves raw. She had a long history of hating the creatures. And to have them claiming that her sweet Skye was somehow involved in a convoluted attempt to destroy the Cabal was threatening to push her t oward the edge.

When she went over, very bad things would happen. She lifted her hand to touch the scar that marred the side of her face. A reminder of the cost of losing control.

"I've told you everything I know," she said, her voice carefully stripped of all emotion.

There was a stir of movement before the two goblins stepped into the office. They were both large, both bald, and both surrounded by a b right red aura.

"Well?" Azra demanded.

Both servants shook their heads, indicating that they hadn't managed to find any da mning evidence.

Azra moved toward the door, pausing to turn and send Maya a last, warning glance. "If the seer returns or contacts you—"

"You'll be the first to know," Maya interrupted. She needed the leeches o ut of her home.

Immediately.

The male turned to lead the goblins through the bookstore and into the attached coffee shop before Maya could hear them pulling open the front door. About to release the swear words that had been gathering on the tip of her tongue, Maya snapped her lips together as the second vampire silently stepped into the office and crossed to stand directly i n front of her.

He was tall and gorgeous with silver streaks in his dark hair and a smile that could melt the sun. No doubt, most women found him irresistible. Maya, however, was a mage, not a woman, and she very much wanted to smash her fist into the center of that handsome face.

"Mage." His lips twitched, no doubt able to read her thoughts. Then, with a bold lack of concern for the magic that prickled through the air, he reached to grasp her hand, raising it to his lips. "Peri wanted me to personally reassure you that the Cabal will do everything in their power to discover the truth," he murmured. "She hopes you'll put your usual trust in them."

Fury thundered through Maya. Peri knew exactly how much fait h she had in...

Her anger shattered as she felt Gabriel press a small object between her fingers. She didn't have to look to know it was a computer memory chip. Her brows arched as Gabriel offered a small dip of his head before releasing her hand and stepping back.

"Tell her not to worry," she said, assuring the male that she understood.

Peri was warning her not to trust the Cabal and had sent along some sort of information that was intended to help Maya discover wha t was going on.

"She also wants you to know that you can contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns about the investigation," Gabriel continued in a smooth vo ice. " Only me."

Maya slowly nodded. Peri was more than likely being carefully watched by the Cabal, she silently conceded. She obviously didn't want them getting their hands on any information that Maya might discover.

Waiting for the vampire to leave the office, Maya moved to close the door and slid her hand over the panels. Magic danced over her fingers, seeping into the worn wood to create an impenetrable barrier. Nothing could get in or out until she rele ased the spell.

Once assured she wouldn't be interrupted, Maya crossed to the desk and sat down. Then, opening her laptop, she slid the chip into the port and opened the file. She wasn't sure what she expected. Maybe a coded message from Peri. Or a map to Skye's location. Not security footage fro m Valen's lair.

It wasn't until she clicked on the video that she realized that it'd captured Skye arriving at the building along with two strangers. Then shockingly, it jumped to an image of Skye being carried out of a basement area in the arm s of a vampire.

"What the hell happened to you, Skye Claremont?" she muttered, watching the video a dozen times until she had reassured herself that there were no visible wounds on Skye as she was cradled in the vampire's arms.

Then, forcing herself to take a calming breath, she studied the video frame by frame. She zoomed in, taking in the uniforms with the Witch's Brew badge as well as the necklaces hanging around the throats of the males. Disguise amulets. Which meant that there was no point in trying to figure out who they were. The only thing that mattered was that Skye looked angry as she marched between them. Whoever they might be, they weren 't her friends.

Deciding that she'd learned as much as possible from Skye's companions, Maya turned her attention to the vehicle that had delivered Skye to Valen's lair. It was a boring midsized car without any distinguishing features, but thankfully the security camera had managed to capture the licens e plate number.

When Maya had settled in New Jersey years ago, she'd developed a vast circle of acquaintances. Some rich, some powerful, and many who lived in the shadows, using their wits to survive. Then, wisely, she made sure that each and every one of them owed her a favor. It was her personal spiderweb of information that she could tug on to acquire whatever information she might need.

Now she grabbed her phone off the desk and typed in a quick text. A minute passed, and then ten. She was about to send another message when her phone pinged and the information she wanted popped up on the screen.

Goblin who goes by the name Long Jong. You can find him hanging at t he Dead Badger.

Shutting down the computer, Maya surged to her feet and shattered the spell that protected the door. The Dead Badger was a demon bar in the Bronx. It was going to take her at least an hour to get there, and she needed to gather a few potions and rel oad her spells.

It was closer to two hours by the time she strolled into the shabby bar squashed between a bodega and a transmission garage. It was a long, narrow space with wooden booths along the walls and a U-shaped counter in the middle where a large goblin with a mohawk and a dozen piercings was doling out mugs of traditional grog for the smatterin g of customers.

Maya walked confidently toward the bar, her heels clicking on the wooden planks. She'd chosen to wear a pair of black slacks and a white cashmere sweater, knowing the elegant attire would allow her to stand out in such a neighborhood. She'd also pulled her dark hair from her face to empha size the scars.

As the most powerful mage in the area, she was both hated and feared among the local demons. Which meant she had two choices. A disguise spell to hide her identity, or she could use her reputation to her advantage.

Reaching the counter, she smiled as the bartender froze, his gaze locke d on her scars.

"Is there a contra ct?" he rasped.

She shook her head, assuring him that she hadn't been sent by a riva l to curse him.

"I'm looking for Long Jong."

She waited for him to point toward a male slouched in the back booth. He wasn't large for a goblin and his aura was barely more than a flicker of red. Wearing a leather jacket, he was absently eating his way through a bowl of peanuts and nursing h is mug of grog.

Maya held up two fingers, and the bartender swiftly pulled a couple of large grogs from the tap and placed them on a tray before shoving them across the counter. Maya reached for her purse, but the male waved her away. Smart demon. He was more worried about getting rid of her than collec ting her money.

Mages were never goo d for business.

Grabbing the tray, Maya turned away, pausing to pretend to rearrange the mugs. With a flick of her wrist, she dumped the potion she'd hidden in a large opal ring into the grog. Then, ignoring the anxious glances from the handful of customers, she headed to the back booth, sliding onto the opposite side of the table f rom the goblin.

"Can I join you? " she murmured.

The male jerked up his head, as if he'd been verging on sleep. He blinked, his eyes blurry. "You gotta job? Wait..." He furrowed his brow, trying to clear the grog-fog from his brain. "Don 't I know you?"

"Perhaps." Maya placed a mug on the table in front o f him. "Drink?"

Without hesitation Long Jong grabbed the mug and drained it in o ne greedy gulp.

"So whatcha want." He slammed the empty mug on the table, releasing a loud belch. "I got some crank, grit, moon rocks." He paused, eying her expensive clothing. "I can get my hands on some dragon scale, but i t'll cost you—"

"I have a few questions," Maya smooth ly interrupted.

The male snorted. "Then you're talking to the wrong guy. I ain't got no answers. N ot for nobody."

She slid the second mug toward th e male. "Here."

"Thanks."

This time, Long Jong tried to pace himself. He took a gulp and set the mug bac k on the table.

"These are simple questions," s he assured him.

He scowled . "About what?"

"About the passengers you drove to Valen Corporate Headquarters t his afternoon."

A shimmer of crimson rippled over the muddy brown eyes. Her question had struck fe ar in the male.

"I don't talk about my customers. It's bad for business. And worse for my health."

Maya leaned forward. "It will be our secret."

"Look, I don't know who you are, but...but..." The words faltered as the potion flowed through him. Maya hadn't bothered with a truth serum. The demons who'd hired him had been bold enough to stroll into Valen's lair in broad daylight. They were either suicidal, or more likely well organized. It was possible they'd given their servants a potion that would erase their memories if someone tried to force the truth out of them. Instead, she'd slipped him a love potion. It was short-term, but for the next few minutes he was going to worship her. "Who are you ?" he breathed.

"My name's not important."

His jaws bulged, as if he was instinctively battling against the compulsion. "I should go."

"Stay." Maya reached out to touch his beefy fingers that still gripped the m ug. "I insist."

There was a low grunt, his broad face flushing as the potion finally took full effect. Then, leaning back, his resistance visibly melted.

"Okay."

"Look at me," she commanded.

His gaze latched onto her face. "You're so beautiful ," he breathed.

"Do you think so?"

"The most beautiful woman in the world."

"And you want to make me happy?"

"More than anything," he rasped. "Tell me what you want."

Maya smiled, trailing her fingers over the wood of the table as she whispered a spell. The air tingled and the sound of the increasingly noisy bar faded to a dull thud. She didn't want anyone trying to overhear thei r conversation.

"Tell me the names of your passengers from t his afternoon."

"I didn't get any names," he said, his expression drooping as if he was disappointed he couldn't give her w hat she wanted.

Maya kept her smile intact. She'd already suspected that the demons weren't going to make it easy to track them down. That only made her m ore determined.

"Are they fri ends of yours?"

"Naw. I never seen them before. Not until I p icked them up."

"How did the y contact you?"

Long Jong hunched a shoulder. "A dude came into the bar a couple of weeks ago and mentioned he had some friends visiting the city and they were looking f or volunteers."

"Volunt eers for what?"

"He didn't give details, but he promised that anyone chosen would be cashing in big." The demon took another drink of the grog. "I gave my number but I didn't hear nothing. I forgot all about him until this morning when I got a text with an address and the order to be there at one this afternoon to drive his friends into the city."

"Pick them up from where?"

"A place in Jersey." Long Jong pursed his lips, trying to dredge up something from his memories. "The moon something or other. No wai t. Or Lunar..."

"The Lunar Pathway?" Maya suggested, her heart missing a beat as she abruptly understood how Skye could be forced to do something ag ainst her will.

The demon snapped his fingers. "Tha t's the place."

Maya licked her lips that were suddenly dry. "Tell me what happened when you got there."

"Nothing. I pulled into the parking lot and waited ten minutes or so. Then they came out and got in the back seat."

"Who came out?"

"A couple of fairie s and a woman."

It matched what she'd seen on the security video. An indication that Long Jong was telling the truth. Still, Maya wanted to make certain that she didn't leap to conclusions.

Not when Skye's life might very well depend on her ability to discover what the hel l was going on.

"Describe her."

"Blond hair." The male paused, as if painting a mental picture. "Nice ti ts. Tasty ass."

Maya rolled her eyes. The male barely rated on the demon scale. His teeth were rotting and he was in dire need of a bath. He should at least try to develop a decent personality. Instead he wa s just...gross.

"There wasn't an older woman with them?" she as ked. "A human?"

"Nope. Just the fairies and the pretty chick."

Maya took a moment to visualize what had happened. Somehow the fairies had connected Skye to Madame Clarissa and used the fortune teller to force her to do what they wanted. Maya didn't think the older woman was involved, at least beyond being a pawn. When Skye had first taken the human under her wing, Maya had done a thorough investigation of Madame Clarissa and her magic shop. No one was allowed to be a part of her friends' lives until they'd been given the Maya se al of approval.

Well, not until Valen had st olen Peri away.

Maya shook away the aggravating memory. This was about Skye and how quickly she could find her.

"You drove them straight to Valen's of fice building?"

"Yep. I pulled in front of the building and they got out. I took off and came back here and waited to get paid." He glanced toward the phone, his expression petulant. "I'm still waiting."

"Did you notice anything speci al about them?"

"J ust the smell."

Maya arched her brows. This male was complaining about someone else's stench? T hat was ballsy.

"What ab out the smell?"

"The one who acted like the leader smelled like a fairy, but there was s omething more."

"Human?"

"No. Something..." He shuddered. "Scary. I was glad when he got o ut of the car."

Interesting. Maya didn't know what had frightened Long Jong, but she tucked the information into the ba ck of her mind.

" Anything else?"

"Not that I can remember."

Maya stroked her fingers over his arm, the potion was beginning to wear off. She had onl y seconds left.

"You're absolutely certain?" she pressed. "They didn't say where they were going? Or why they were at Valen's lair?"

He started to shake his head, only to hesitate. "Wait. I gave them the bag that I picked up from t he weird dude."

Maya clenched her teeth. She wanted to shake the idiot until the truth spilled out of him. Instead she forced a smile.

"Wha t sort of bag?"

He scratched the end of his nose. "After I agreed to do the pickup, I got another text telling me to stop by and pick up an item before heading to Jersey. It was a few blocks out of my way, but they promised it would pay extra, so I made the stop."

"What w as in the bag?"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Long Jong wisely didn't give her the opportunity to respond. "I didn't ask and I didn't peek. Nothing good comes out of poking your nose into d emon business."

"Where did y ou pick it up?"

"The pawnshop two blocks north of here. A demon with long hair and a tattoo on his face was waiting by the curb." His shoulders drooped as he widened his mouth in a loud yaw n. "I'm tired."

She patted his arm. That was all she was getting from Long Jong. At lea st for tonight.

"Rest and forget. This is all a dream," she murmured, waiting for him to lean forward and lay his hea d on the table.

In an hour he would wake up with no memory that they 'd ever spoken.

Breaking the bubble of silence around the booth, Maya slid out and heade d for the door.

The night w as still young.