5

A dark chuckle slipped out when I realized I'd left Ikuyo there and I was just about to go back when Hunt stood, making me realize he and Isaac were standing in my living room. I opened my mouth to tell him now wasn't the right time or even to sod off, but he spoke first.

"I'm sorry, Soraya," he whispered. "I'm really sorry. Isaac messaged me that he and I needed to talk and it was important and I wouldn't like the topic but to keep it together about ten minutes before you came by. I swear it wasn't like you showed up with flowers and I just assumed—I'm not that big of an asshole."

I felt better when Isaac snorted. Except I had no idea what trouble he was starting. "What were you messaging him about?"

He raised an eyebrow. "The conversation I had with Andrew that he was sorry he'd reacted and promised to stay out of things going forward."

I opened my mouth and then closed it before letting out a wordless scream. "That fucking git is a pain in my ass even when he's trying to not be a complete asshole." I held up my hand to them when they both opened their mouths. "He took off his shirt in front of me to change and gear up to hunt. I got a bit lost in the view. I didn't even realize it. That's it."

They were quiet for a few minutes before Hunt cleared his throat. "That's it? You checked him out?"

"Yeah, that's it," I drawled. "He realized—he smelled my hormones. They all did and looked at me, and I was clueless as to why. I was in my head and—it happens. The ancients are like living perfection. Whatever. The dolt ruins it with his stupid mouth. Always has. His fangs came out, and when he moved closer to me, Benjamin yanked him away.

"I would have told him to sod off. Even if I was the horniest version of me, I'm never, not ever touching that idiot again. In a relationship or not. And I've never cheated. Never. Not once. Not even close because it hurts everyone involved and is never worth it. So that was it and—"

Jerome appeared. "The FBI is here with a search warrant to get our files about—"

I went to the lobby before he could even finish. I saw the people gathered and getting impatient to do whatever they wanted. I went to the one who looked in charge. "The warrant?" I took it when he handed it over. I gave it a quick glance and chuckled. "Fools."

"Please don't get in the way, Ms. Devil," he said firmly.

"Sure, officer," I purred with a smirk. I raised an eyebrow when he frowned. "Oh yeah, I'm going to be a petty bitch if you are." I crumpled up the warrant and tossed it right back at him. "Tell your masters that if they ever pull this again, I'll move everything to the UK and they'll lose my taxes."

And then I threw out my hands and used my power to hide… Well, everything besides the lobby.

They were now seeing the sky and no walls.

Nothing.

Oh, and not even the building across the street. I hid everything.

Completely.

I smirked at the guy. "Go ahead and search." I chuckled darkly as he glanced all around. "If you can find it."

Samuel appeared and picked up the warrant that had fallen to the ground and unrolled it. "Oh, well, this will make for a nice lawsuit of overstepping and using the FBI for personal grudges and to intimidate a citizen. In no way would the canceling of the PI contract allow the US government to search and seize all files, records, and books found at the coven house ."

I snorted. "Be glad I'm smarter than you, lad, because my spell books are lethal when opened by gits who shouldn't touch them. Not that you'd ever be able to get them. The elevator doesn't go to my apartment without me."

"Ms. Devil, undo what you just—"

" Elder Devil will do no such thing, and we will not participate in your illegal search and seizure," Samuel blasted. "There's not even a crime listed, and this is not a matter of national security. You are not Homeland Security, and local crimes and murders don't fall under their jurisdiction."

Helen appeared next and handed me her phone, looking disgusted.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"Are you enjoying your fun?" that main asshole senator said from the other end.

I put it on speaker seeing the call was already being recorded and another number was on the line as well. Helen always covered her tracks. "You mean your bullshit warrant of petty? Sure, but can you receive pictures to this number? I'd love to show you what they can currently search at the addresses listed."

"I know what your buildings look like, Devil," he drawled. "They're going to tear them up from top to bottom and destroy them for how you acted today, witch. Everything will be ours as it should be, and you'll get in line. We allow you to stay in our country and let you people have rights because you help save lives. You stop doing that and your life would be—"

I felt better when the FBI agent looked disgusted.

Right, he had to be from the Chicago office.

"Senator, we can't search anything because Elder Devil has used magic to cloak both buildings. My people will take pictures of what is currently visible and that's all we can access per the warrant and I'll file my full report."

"Yes, I put the call on speaker, so everyone heard that and we're also recording it," I drawled. "Git." I rolled my eyes when he went off on me. "Goodbye career. This ever gets pulled again and I'm moving my coven and businesses to the UK. Can the US survive the loss of my tax dollars? I mean they pretty much pay for all of Congress."

Helen snorted. "Who needs to get in line? Allows you to stay here? Idiot. You've lived here longer than—do none of these fools understand how things work?"

"Apparently not," I drawled before looking around at the FBI. "Have a lovely day. You know the way out. Unless you want to experience being teleported and—" I sighed when Samuel cleared his throat. "I was just going to say experience international waters."

"You can't teleport them off the property for trespassing while they have a warrant even if it's an illegal one," he warned me. "They're just doing their job."

"Sure, sure," I drawled.

Still, the FBI was smart enough to believe me.

"Let's have an island day just to be safe," I told Helen. "Make a statement that since the US government tried to illegally raid us today, we're shutting down our stores and getting our people to safety while we evaluate if our coven is staying in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience, but the emergencies we normally treat will have to go to hospitals."

"You're going nuclear," she muttered.

Samuel snorted. "No, they did. I'll get my team together and start filing everything to block this and make sure they can't try it again tomorrow."

"Give your team a bonus for the headache it will give them," I said as I watched the last vehicle pull away. "I'm going to uncloak a floor at a time. Pack a bag in case we need to—"

"The resort is being used," Helen sighed.

"Of course it is," I groaned. "Whatever, I will make campers appear at the island if we need to or we can rent out hotels in one of the countries that wants to make a deal."

She snorted. "My phone is ringing from the aide of the prime minister, so I think we're covered."

Good to hear it. Jerome put out the press release instead and the media lost their collective minds, not only at the government's overreach and attempt to spank me but how quickly I was reacting. A lot had happened over the years and I never closed the stores—not all of them.

Yeah, but I was making a point that people needed us instead of we needed them. I was the richest person in the world for fuck's sake.

"Post pictures of our beach day later to be shits," I told Jerome. "Obviously not where, but I own other private islands on paper now to be safe." I glanced at him. "Should we do it there?"

"I think that smart. We can start getting infrastructure and another resort built there just in case. Maybe have a conversation with that government not to be stupid with us."

I snorted. "I think we picked them because they were under a tiny government. Make it clear they'll die if they play with us. I'm over this shit."

"As are we all," he sighed.

People started appearing after the stores were closed up and locked. Most of the enchanters put protective magic on them which surprised me, but then I saw in their auras that they couldn't handle one more problem right then.

Yeah, people would be gits and use this situation to their advantage and rob our stores. I really had to remind myself sometimes that this world was worth saving.

Even when it did so much to try and show me otherwise.

I uncloaked the first floor when we had a dozen people with apartments there and the elevator so no one got scared to use it. I was worried when security warned me that people were gathering outside, but they said it was just to watch the crazy of seeing one floor of a huge apartment building appear like it was floating in air.

Yeah, fair enough.

I didn't care as long as they behaved.

Hunt and Isaac moved over by me, obviously wanting to finish our conversation, so I put a bubble around us. Hunt had to get back to work, and I didn't want to draw this out.

For my own sanity as well.

"Look, you both checked out that woman last week when we popped over and picked up food," I said, my tone even and not upset in the slightest.

Because I wasn't.

"When? The hell I did and—" Hunt started to defend.

"Chill, pup, she's not upset," Isaac chuckled.

I met Hunt's gaze. "I'm not. I know we've had issues of not communicating better and not understanding the games around us, but we are way past that. You checked out a very attractive woman. I don't care." I smiled when he still seemed worried. "Love, I don't care in the slightest. I noticed her as well. She was wearing just about nothing to be noticed."

He sighed, scrubbing his forehead. "Part of it was wondering how her boobs were like up there like that when she wasn't wearing a bra. I just didn't—"

Isaac and I shared a look and laughed. It took Hunt another moment before he rolled his eyes, realizing the woman's breasts were fake. Yeah, natural breasts didn't work like that no matter how great of shape someone was in.

Or without magic like I used to help my own in certain outfits.

I moved closer and gave him a soft kiss when he leaned down. "I'm sorry Andrew was stupid. I'm sorry it messed up my giving you flowers and I threw a fit. It just really hurt my feelings."

"I'm sorry I handled it like a stupid pup," he whispered, cupping my face. "The text just came in and—I'm sorry. My head exploded when people told me you were telling the government to sod off , and I've been in panic mode since."

I booped his nose since it always made him chuckle that I would do it to his gruff, surly ass. "I've done way worse, love. Don't worry and just be fabulous like always. I'll see you after you get off work."

He gave me another kiss and left.

"You're not stupid enough to be so flippant," Isaac accused.

"No, but he's too much of a pup to shoulder this stress," I told him honestly. "And I'm going to kick Andrew's fucking ass—"

"Don't," he sighed. "I get what he was doing now—what he was saying. He was apologizing for making a play when you were doing something innocent basically and saying he wouldn't again. I think he just thought you would immediately come confess to us like you'd done something wrong." He chuckled when I simply blinked at him.

"What am I missing?" I hedged when he was overly amused for the conversation.

"That they will forever see you as the young one of their group and innocent instead of who you are," he explained. "Now that I heard your side, he was honestly acting more of a big brother trying to take the blame so you didn't start trouble in your relationship. He's an idiot, but he—I don't think he was trying to start trouble."

Yeah, that was Andrew to a tee most times, but that still was problematic.

Twit.

People were smart and grabbed what they needed for the island but also packed a bag for like a week in case we needed to stay somewhere else. I ended up uncloaking the whole building and letting people go do what they needed to with the warning that if the FBI came back that I would cloak it again and come to the lobby.

It took a few hours, but then we were at the island. I helped to get everything set up, but I didn't want to be out of service while this was going on. Others of the coven could more than handle getting everyone fed and settled. I'd already put up the UV blockers on the island and more.

A dozen angels showed up, one I recognized from my fight with Michelle, and was immediately on guard.

She dipped her head to me. "Your people have experienced too much today. Let us watch over them so you can do what you need to. It's the least we can do for all you've given us, and we can spare the afternoon."

"Thank you that helps. A lot." I was glad when they seemed relieved that I accepted and I saw they didn't have anything else nefarious in their auras or eyes.

Isaac was on the phone frowning when I returned to the apartment to cloak it again, and that didn't make me feel good. He sighed when he saw me. "I'll ask, but you can't expect her to do this." He dropped the phone from his ear and moved over to me. "It's Butch Tandon. He knows the contract is done, but he's asking for a favor."

I blinked at him a moment before it clicked. "The leopard on the killer birds in Seattle thing." I chuckled when he nodded. "I can't keep it all straight, darling. I have a lot of names and more to try and remember, and that was weeks and weeks ago now."

He seemed to accept that and handed the phone to me.

"I cannot imagine you would be someone to stir up trouble or my ire after what's happened today, so it must be serious," I said in way of greeting.

"No, I'm not someone who likes drama or to cause issues, but solve them, Elder Devil," he said firmly. "So while I fully understand this is—I've got twenty-four dead, and I need—I'll call in a favor to an elder or enchanters for this. However you want to—"

"You're a good man, Tandon," I said gently, hating the upset in his voice. "Get the scene cleared of as many eyes as you can and I'll come. I'm not going on camera to work with the police after ending the contract. And yes, warn your people I'll come as Elder Devil this time. That means their behavior will be punished if they step out of line."

"I know my guy was bad, and I apologize for that. He did as well, and we won't be a problem again."

I snorted. "You guys were nothing compared to what we normally get. I'm just being up-front because I've hit my limit. Text Isaac when it's ready for me."

Isaac simply sighed when I handed his phone back. Yeah, there was no easy answer. He glanced down at it. "Tandon says they're ready. He didn't get the chance to tell you it's remote and they were calling you in hopefully before the media got wind of it and people made a fuss. They already sent the park people on their way."

I nodded and cloaked the building, reminding the front desk that if anything happened, to bail out and not stay.

"The mayor called and said you're approved to put up the barrier," one of them told me, nodding when I couldn't hide my shock. "Apparently he's making a statement that he's not happy that a senator from another state is harassing one of Chicago and Illinois's most beloved residents. From what we're hearing, our senators are about to start problems as well."

I nodded. "Call his office back and ask if that barrier would go against that warrant—talk to Samuel and get a copy. If the mayor wants to help, let the damn man help for all we've put up with."

"All over it, boss," she promised.

"Food?" Isaac asked me.

I shook my head and teleported over to Tandon, bringing him with me. "I need to settle with the last several fucked up things before I can think of fueling again. I'm still waiting on the angels for the ciemny tygrys situation."

He frowned—his normal state really. "I don't know much about that. Are they going to find the last for you?"

I shook my head again and let out a shaky breath. "Right, you weren't there for—the ciemny tygrys have been taking the souls to Hell—whatever that plane is called." I swallowed loudly as horror filled his face, tears in my eyes again that I quickly wiped. "Yeah, it was all demon trickery to even make them bad spirits, and they've been cheating bringing all those souls there."

"Those are the ones—that's the one you had in Chicago like a year ago, right?" Tandon asked, reminding me we had arrived with his people. "All those people have—their souls have been in Hell when they shouldn't have been?"

I nodded. "He was the fourth of the five brothers I trapped." They were confused, so I had to fill them in.

"She's right—at least about the culling," Tandon said, his voice tight. "All the big cats did it for way too long." He met my gaze. "It's why I left my pride. They culled my younger brother because he shifted ‘late' which now is nothing and not late at all."

"I'm sorry for your loss," I whispered. "Truly."

He nodded. "They did it behind my back because they knew I would have just run with him. Our chicken Alpha told me it wasn't that late and not to worry since it was a good shift and it was. I practically gutted him and brought him to our shit elder, and he imprisoned me for two decades for attacking my Alpha saying that I was an anarchist."

None of us could hide our disgust.

But I had a question that I didn't know how to ask.

Kindness filled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm not one to overshare. You're very right about that, but you're also right that we all need to talk about what we've suffered more. We need to stop hiding all the bullshit if we're to survive and not let this new wave end us.

"And you're right that too many shifters throw enchanters under the bus because you guys are the easiest target because most live like a reclusive cult. What I'm trying to say is I'm on your side of this, and I made that clear to my leadership—leopards and SPU. I didn't have a single doubt you would put politics aside and come help, and I can't say that about any of them."

"Thank you. Truly. My people need it right now." I let out a slow breath. "Sorry for the side story, but there's just too much today, and I'm not at my best—"

"After telling the government to fuck off?" one of the guys joked.

I snorted. "I'm truly fine with that. We saw that coming, darling." I met his confused gaze. "I've hunted the ciemny tygrys for hundreds of years, and I couldn't catch them every time. One killed over five hundred all around Paris before he vanished on me. And that was over three hundred years ago. All those people I failed have been in Hell that long."

Yeah, they all did a lot of cussing then.

"None of that is on you, Soraya," Isaac reminded me.

"Oh, yeah, logic helps guilt," I drawled, feeling better when several people snorted.

Tandon took that as the signal to jump into why he asked us here. "Twenty-four dead. Luckily, no killer animals that we know of, and it all looks like—I'm not implying anything or putting blood magic at your feet—nothing. We don't know what this is or what to do, so I'm asking for help."

I nodded and followed after him, my eyes going wide when he stepped aside for me to see the scene.

And I understood why he tripped over his words. It was a mass suicide, and he didn't want to make it like he was throwing out accusations or implying anything.

I glanced around as I moved closer. I held out my hand and let my magic scan the area. "No magic. No demon. No anything other than idiocy. You have a cult probably." I sighed and rubbed my face. "Fools. You poor fools. Who led you this far…" I tilted my head and then teleported over to the side of the scene.

"What?" Isaac called over.

I held up my finger and looked up and around before finding what I wanted. I teleported up into a tall tree so I could see the scene from higher. I was about to go right back to Tandon, but at the last second I remembered he couldn't see this and took a few pictures.

I went back to the ground by them and handed over my phone. "You don't just have twenty-four. You have three groups of eight."

"And you obviously know that means something," he muttered as he took my phone and scrolled through the pictures.

"888 is said to be a divine or angel number for the connection to the spirit world and afterlife." I nodded when someone groaned. "It's thought that seeing three eights in your day or just…" I frowned. "I'm actually not well versed in this because I think it's all actually hogwash."

"Hogwash?" Isaac asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Fucking bullshit, you git. It's all fucking bullshit. But the belief I think is that seeing the eights is—to those who believe in the afterlife—a sign that they're receiving support from loved ones who've crossed on. It's the infinity symbol and transcends life and blah, blah, blah." I glanced around. "You don't have magic. You have a cult."

Tandon flinched and I grabbed my phone back, handing it to Isaac and telling him to send the relevant pictures I took before moving into the scene. I was mostly focused on their belongings. I saw several of the same type of containers and went closer.

"What is ethylene glycol?" I called over.

"The shit that makes antifreeze so toxic," Isaac said back. "So I'm guessing that's how they died."

I nodded and moved back out of the area, not even touching anything. "I doubt they'll be the only ones. Anytime humans hear about angels and demons or even Y2K and they just…" I shook my head. I glanced around again. "The question for you is if the leader is here or if they orchestrated it and bailed. Then I'm pretty sure it's a crime to trick them."

"Thank you for the help, Elder. I'll keep Isaac in the loop with what we find," Tandon told me. The others thanked me as well and then we were done.

Well, with that.

For now.