Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

A few days later, Knox looked up from the computer monitors within his home office when there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” he called out. As Levi strode inside wearing a sober expression, Knox’s muscles went rigid. “What is it?”

The sentinel let out a long breath. “There’s something you need to see.” He held up his iPhone. “This footage was aired on YouTube last night, but it took a while for anyone to really notice it.”

Knox took the cell phone and tapped “play” with his thumb. The camera provided a close-up view of a woman bound to a chair with thick rope, her lips and chin trembling. The only light in the dark room seemed to be the one above her head, and that light illuminated the sheer terror in her familiar eyes. Fuck.

“Smile for the camera, Alethea,” a voice in the background said. Oddly, that voice belonged to Alethea herself.

Another figure appeared then and moved to stand behind her. It was impossible to be sure of their height, since only a slight portion of their body was visible.

“As you can tell,” the voice went on, “I’ve stolen Alethea’s voice for a little while. Can’t have her shouting anything incriminating, can I?”

Alethea mouthed something, but no words came out.

“I think most of you will know who I am,” the person behind her continued. “Well, maybe not who I am exactly. But you’ll know what I am. You’ll know you’re looking at the fourth Horseman.”

Knox swore through gritted teeth, but he didn’t move his eyes from the screen.

After a pause for what was clearly dramatic effect, the voice went on, “Yes, to all those who doubted my group’s existence, we are real. Although my compatriots—Isla, Nora, and Roan—are dead, the goal remains the same. The US Primes have to fall. But, really, must there be deaths? I don’t see why. If each of the US Primes step down, this will end here. If not, many will die. And you, Mr. Thorne, will be the first to do so. It’s nothing personal. You’re simply in my way, much like Alethea is in my way.”

She snapped something at the Horseman, but her words were once again silent.

He rested his hand on her head. “Now you get to see what I do to those who stand in my way.” Hellfire streamed out of his palm and engulfed her body in a rush. Her screams would have no doubt overridden the sounds of fire hissing and popping if the Horseman hadn’t stolen her voice. Her skin blistered and melted as the hellfire ate at it. Finally, her charred, blackened, steaming corpse slumped in her seat. Then the video came to an end.

Knox rubbed a hand down his face. “Jesus.”

Grim, Levi nodded. “I never liked her, but death-by-hellfire … I wouldn’t have wished that on her.”

If he were normal, Knox probably would have felt some element of grief over her death. He’d known her for centuries, and they’d shared a bed many times. But she’d also done her best to hurt Harper ever since Knox claimed the little sphinx as his mate. As such, he’d come to feel little for the she-demon other than utter contempt.

Like the other women from his past, Alethea had been elegant, cultured, sophisticated, and well-groomed. Since she’d viewed Harper as somewhat beneath her, Alethea had taken his claim on Harper as, in Levi’s words, a “personal insult”. But that wasn’t the only reason Alethea had been an absolute bitch to her. She—like many others—was intimidated by Harper. Moreover, Alethea had been unable to work out what made his mate “tick”. Unable to pierce Harper’s aloof “you’re not worth my time” air or hit her where it truly hurt, no matter what Alethea did or how far she went.

Harper was indeed a hard nut to crack. She was difficult to predict. Hard to offend. Impossible to manipulate. Rare for their kind, she also had no aspirations for power whatsoever. Nor was she driven by greed, addictions, or a craving for adrenalin rushes. Unlike other Primes, she didn’t demand respect or submission. Didn’t flaunt her status or act like she was above others. Alethea had just never been able to understand her.

She’d no doubt also been jealous that Harper was incredibly powerful—so powerful, in fact, that she’d fought off a death hex. Demons respected strength and, as such, the other Primes had grudgingly come to not only respect her but accept her as Knox’s mate. Alethea, however, had never treated Harper with anything less than hostility. For that reason, he couldn’t find it in him to feel any grief over her death. But, since he didn’t have a lot of good in him, that wasn’t at all shocking.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Knox handed the iPhone back to his sentinel. “I’m surprised the clip even made it onto the website.”

“Some viewers have commented on it, slating the ‘special effects’ and calling Alethea a bad actor. I doubt the people at YouTube thought it was real. Why would they?”

Knox inclined his head, conceding Levi’s point. “I’ll need to call Jonas. I’m sure he’s seen the clip by now and isn’t in the mood for conversation, but I need to speak with him. The Horseman said he wanted me to die first. And although he also said he’d only kill me if the Primes didn’t agree to step down, I don’t think it means he’s not behind what happened to Asher.”

“Neither do I. It doesn’t make sense that he’d give you advanced warning that he meant to attack—he’d need whatever advantage he could get. I think he sent someone after Asher. I think he waited a while, hoping you’d lower your guard, and then struck out of nowhere. Probably believed that an abrupt attack would be effective.”

“But it wasn’t. All it did was alert us to his plans, so he had nothing to lose by making this video and spouting dire warnings.”

“You should make a public statement,” Levi recommended. “Disclose that someone was sent for Asher. It will enrage a whole lot of people, especially our lair and even some of the Primes. We need demonkind to be angry, not afraid.”

“Once I’ve spoken with Jonas and I have the facts about his sister, I’ll make a statement.” Knox twisted his mouth as he considered the footage. “The Horseman said she was in his way. It seems likely that he knew her personally.”

Levi nodded. “She was sleeping with Thatcher, but it didn’t last long. Alethea’s relationships never did.”

True enough. “I need to tell Harper about this before someone else does.” Baby, you got a minute?

Her psychic taste of honey, coffee, and truffles poured into his mind, filling every empty space. Sure, she responded. I’m just making a snack while Asher has his afternoon nap.

Knox pyroported to their kitchen to find her standing at the counter, spreading soft cheese on a bagel. “Where’s Meg?” he asked. The housekeeper often prepared their meals before they got the chance.

“Visiting her sister.” Harper frowned at whatever she saw on his face. “What happened? Please tell me you found out who tried to take Asher.”

“I wish I could.” Knox took her hands and drew her to him. “There’s no tactful way to say this. Alethea’s dead.”

For a long moment, Harper said nothing. “Dead?”

“Dead. Her murder was posted on YouTube.” He told her about the footage and that the killer claimed to be the remaining Horseman. “I advise you not to watch the clip—it’s ugly. You don’t want that in your head.”

Harper shoved a hand through her hair, shocked. She couldn’t pretend to feel any upset over the she-demon’s death. In truth, she hadn’t felt even the most basic respect for Alethea, hence why she’d found great joy in toying with the woman, calling her “dolphin” due to her kind’s random ability to shift into such a mammal. Still, Harper experienced no sense of satisfaction over her death. “That’s a hell of a way to go. I wouldn’t have wished it on her. Wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Except maybe for the person who tried to take Asher. Them I would wish never-ending torture on.”

The culprit would suffer a fuck of a lot worse than what Alethea did—Knox would make sure of it. Many might have been surprised by Harper’s merciful response to Alethea’s death, but that was because they didn’t see the marshmallow center that lay beneath her hard exterior. Knox loved that she had such compassion and mercy in her. Some might view those qualities as weaknesses. But the fact that she was as kindhearted as she was bloodthirsty made her strong, in his opinion. She had many facets, and that gave her an edge.

“I intend to speak with Jonas and find out who Alethea was associating with before she disappeared,” said Knox. “It might be insensitive not to give him space and time to grieve first, but the Horseman is making their move—we don’t have time.”

“Jonas will want the fucker caught. If you make it clear that you intend to make that happen, he’ll be more cooperative. Damn, I feel bad for him. I don’t trust him—not knowing he wanted to make a deal with Lou in the hope of getting his hands on an archdemon—but it must be hard to lose a sibling.” Harper winced, because she remembered that she herself had lost a sibling. She’d also been the one to kill him.

“You’re thinking of Roan. Stop.” Knox rested his hands on her shoulders. “As you’ve said before, it was him or you. You chose you. He was never a brother to you. Never. And let’s not forget that he was working with whoever killed Alethea. Her murderer even named Roan as one of the Horsemen on the video.”

“Carla won’t take that well,” Harper said. Her estranged mother was not only adamant that Roan would never have been involved in a conspiracy to see the US Primes fall, she didn’t believe that the Four Horsemen were even real. Now, she’d have to face the truth. More, she’d have to face that she’d been wrong. Harper was pretty sure that Carla would hate both those things.

As Carla, her mate, Bray, and their youngest son had switched to a lair in Washington, she and Harper hadn’t spoken since before Asher was born. Maybe that should have saddened Harper. It didn’t. Who wanted an attention junkie in their life who’d not only once tried to abort them, but had sold them to their paternal family when trapping their soul in a container hadn’t worked? Harper certainly didn’t.

As an adult, Harper had discovered little things that had suggested a very small part of Carla wished things had been different between them, but the woman really was too twisted to have a healthy mother-child relationship with any of her kids. It was textbook of narcissists, really, so Harper didn’t take it personally.

Initially, it had seemed that Carla had eventually come to terms with Harper being her co-Prime, but Harper had recently discovered that she’d been looking to switch lairs even before Roan’s death. A never-ending victim who thrived on drama, Carla had milked whatever sympathy and attention she could get for his death. She’d also hoped it would turn the lair against Harper. It hadn’t. Carla’s rage had intensified when Harper’s pregnancy earned her the limelight that Carla perpetually craved. So, yeah, there was no hope for them.

“No, she won’t like it,” agreed Knox. “But as she’s in Washington, you won’t have to hear about it.”

“Unless she ventures to the Underground,” Harper pointed out. The demonic playground could be best described as a hyped-up version of the Las Vegas strip, and it attracted demons worldwide.

“The doormen of the club above the entrance to the Underground are under strict orders from me not to allow her, Bray, or Kellen inside. I know you were hoping to have some sort of relationship with Kellen, baby, but I won’t allow him to mess with your head anymore.”

“Neither will I,” said Harper. The teenager had reached out to her initially, but he dropped her like a bad habit each time there was conflict between her and his family. He’d sent her a congratulatory text when Asher was born, but she hadn’t heard from him since. Considering she was responsible for his older brother’s death, she didn’t see how they could have a relationship at all anyway. It would just have to be enough that she’d gotten to know him a little.

“Back to the subject of what happened to Alethea,” said Harper. “I know that, as your co-Prime, I should go with you to see Jonas. But there was so much animosity between me and Alethea that I’m the very last person he will want to see right now.”

“You’re right. And I don’t trust that he won’t take out his grief on you, so it would be best all round if you stayed here.” Which suited Knox’s overprotective streak just fine.

“Are you going to tell him what almost happened to Asher?”

“Yes.” Knox slid his hands over her shoulders, down her arms, and then cupped her hips. “I’ll be making a public statement about it, but I need some information from Jonas first.”

“Do you really think the Horseman made that clip just so that he could tell the Primes they must step down?”

“No. He wants people to be scared. To fear him. That would give him power. Alethea was the sister of a Prime. Other Primes will soon wonder if one of their own relatives will be targeted. Her killer said that I’d be next, but that won’t make anyone feel at all reassured. They’ll be worried, off-balance, and won’t know what to think.”

“Which he’ll love.”

“Yes, I think he will.” Knox traced her hipbones with his thumbs. “The Primes will likely want a meeting to discuss the issue. I doubt any of them will be prepared to step down, no matter how worried they are, but they’ll want to address the matter.”

“We should call the meeting ourselves. If it’s in Vegas, we won’t have to travel.” She didn’t want to leave Asher behind, but she’d be unwilling to take him along.

“I’ll have Levi arrange it.” Knox dabbed a light, lingering kiss on her mouth. “We’ll talk more later. Enjoy your bagel.”

Returning to his office, Knox gave Levi orders to arrange a meeting for the Primes and then pulled up the YouTube footage on his computer. His monitor was large, so Knox had a much better view than he’d had on Levi’s cell.

He watched the recording again, this time with a critical eye. Watched the way the Horseman moved, observed their body language, and noted their clothing. He also examined the background, looking for clues as to their location.

They didn’t move like a woman, he thought. There was a male swagger there, a masculine confidence in each step. Although it was difficult to be sure of their build, they didn’t appear to have any feminine curves. Their clothes were dark and plain, from what he could tell.

As he reached the part where the Horseman placed their hand on Alethea’s head, Knox paused the footage and zoomed in on the hand. Thick, masculine fingers. No long nails. In fact, they were cut to the quick. Their skin was white, but not pale. Caucasian male, Knox decided.

No matter how close Knox zoomed into the footage, he couldn’t discern any objects in the background. If he had to guess, he’d say the wall paint was dark, as no color at all lightened the shadows. It appeared to be an empty, drab room. A basement, perhaps.

After spending a good half hour studying the Horseman and the background, Knox replayed the footage again. This time, he concentrated on Alethea. At that moment, she didn’t look at all like an encantada—a female sex demon. Oh, her preternatural allure was still there, but it was tainted by the sheer terror in her watery eyes. Not just terror … betrayal. She had known the Horseman. Known them well enough that she felt betrayed by their actions.

Her hair wasn’t disheveled and, aside from her smudged mascara, her make-up was perfectly in place. As such, Knox doubted she’d been held prisoner. He couldn’t be sure what length of time she’d been with the Horseman, but Knox didn’t believe she’d been there against her will—at least not initially.

Watching it a second time, Knox concentrated on the part where she’d first mouthed something. Despite that he had a close-up view of her face, lipreading wasn’t easy.

“Watching the clip again?”

Knox looked up as Harper walked in. “Baby, you don’t want to see this, trust me on that. You certainly don’t want to look at it when you not long ago ate.”

Harper rolled her eyes. “Remind me when I’ve ever been delicate.” She rounded his sleek black, U-shaped executive desk and peered at one of the multiple computer screens. She was so used to seeing Alethea smug and bitchy that it was a distinct shock to see the encantada looking so afraid. Harper knew how it felt to be held captive; to know that your life was in the hands of another. And death by hellfire—that would have been agonizing.

“I’m looking for clues that might help identify who this person was and just where Alethea was killed,” said Knox.

Harper turned to him. “Any ideas?”

“At this point, I’m quite sure that the Horseman is, in fact, a man. Caucasian. Confident. He knew Alethea well, and she’d trusted him to some extent. You can see the hint of betrayal in her eyes if you look beneath the terror.”

Harper leaned closer to the screen. “You’re right. What’s she trying to say?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” He rewound the clip slightly. “Here, it seems like she’s saying, ‘Please.’ Then she pauses, licks her lips, and mouths, ‘Don’t do this.’ The Horseman chats about how the US Primes must fall, and then—just before he sets her alight—she tries to say something else, but I can’t quite work out what.”

“Play it for me.” Harper leaned toward the screen again and concentrated on the movement of Alethea’s mouth. “You’re. Dead. She’s saying, ‘You’re dead.’”

Knox nodded, able to see it clearly now. “She says the next part so fast I can’t understand it, but it seems like she’s trying to tell him, ‘He’ll get through.’ Get through what? And who’s ‘he’?”

Harper watched that part of the clip and then shook her head. “No, not ‘get’. She’s not mouthing a ‘g’ sound, she’s mouthing a ‘k’ sound. He’ll … kill … you. She practically spits the words, that’s why it’s hard to make it out, but I’m leaning towards, ‘He’ll kill you.’ By ‘he’ I think she meant you.”

It would make sense, since the Horseman had just been chatting about getting rid of Knox. “I think you may be right.”

“Why couldn’t she have mouthed something helpful like his name or something?”

Knox was thinking the very same thing. “I was hoping she might have tried to communicate something that would give us a clue.”

“Have you tried calling Jonas yet?”

“Yes. He’s not answering, which doesn’t surprise me. If he’s grieving, it’s unlikely that he’ll be interested in speaking with anyone.”

Harper narrowed her eyes. “You said ‘if’ he’s grieving. Why wouldn’t he be? You think he could be the one who killed her?”

“You don’t?”

She thought on it for a moment. “He seemed pretty close to Alethea, so it’s hard to imagine him ever hurting her. I was actually thinking that the Horseman could have killed Alethea because he knew that Jonas would never stop looking for her. That made her a problem, didn’t it? Because if Jonas had found Alethea, he’d have also found the Horseman.”

Inclining his head, Knox said, “Yes, she was a liability.”

“You know, I didn’t figure Alethea for the kind of person who’d beg anyone for anything—not even for her life. She must have been truly terrified.”

Knox hadn’t thought of that. He nodded. “Alethea would never let anyone see her cry, let alone the entire world via a YouTube video. As you say, she must have been terrified.” But of who?

As Jonas didn’t answer any of his calls, Knox went to the Prime’s home the following day. But when Levi spoke their names into the built-in intercom of the keypad near the front gates, the butler claimed that Jonas wasn’t fit to receive visitors. In other words, he was drowning his sorrows.

“His control over his gifts isn’t at its best,” the butler told Levi. It was no surprise, since grief had a way of shaking a demon’s control. “Perhaps Mr. Thorne could return in a week or so.”

Knox lowered his window and spoke into the intercom. “It’s essential that I speak with your Prime. If I could afford to give him time, I’d do so. But this is much too important.”

There was a short silence, and then the butler sighed. “If you insist, Mr. Thorne.” There was a loud beep, and then the iron gates opened.

As Levi drove toward the large mansion and Knox took in the expansive lawn, statues, fountain, and thick white columns, he recalled how Harper had once branded the place so showy that it was soulless. Knox could agree with her. He’d like to think his own estate possessed some character and personality. Jonas seemed too intent on being flashy to give this place a homey feel.

Levi accompanied Knox up the slate steps to the front door, where the butler waited, looking anxious. Their shoes clicked on the stone flooring as the butler led them through the open entryway, down a long hall, and into a large parlor that smelled of polish, wood smoke, and brandy.

The thick velvet drapes were closed, and the lights were off, but Knox spotted Jonas in the plush armchair near the fireplace. The flicker of the flames illuminated his vacant expression and red-rimmed eyes. He looked both dazed and devastated.

“I was clear that I wanted to be left alone, Rodger,” Jonas slurred. He looked to the doorway and froze at the sight of Knox and Levi, who slowly crossed to him. The door closed quietly behind them as Rodger quickly scampered away.

Jonas snickered at Knox. “Why are you here? Come to gloat? No doubt you’re glad my sister’s dead. She can’t cause your mate any more upset now, can she?”

Knox wasn’t going to even credit that snipe with a response. He’d expected Jonas to lash out in such a way, which was why he was tremendously glad that Harper hadn’t insisted on coming.

He wouldn’t lie to Jonas and claim to be grieving Alethea’s death. They both knew that, since she’d made a point of insulting his mate every chance she got, he’d felt nothing but distaste for Alethea near the end. His demon, who had never liked her, didn’t feel even so much as an ounce of pity for her.

With a shaky hand, Jonas grabbed a crystal tumbler from the table and slurped the brandy. “I’ll bet Harper’s throwing a celebratory party. She probably plans to play the clip of Alethea’s death in HD in your fucking home theater. Oh yes, she’ll be loving this.”

With an inner sigh, Knox arched a brow. “Are you done?”

Jonas glared at him. “God, you’re cold. You took Alethea to bed countless times, yet you feel no grief at all, do you?”

“You’re going to spew shit at me for not caring for her as you did? I would have thought you’d be more interested in seeing your sister’s killer pay.”

Jonas stilled, eyes sharpening. “You know who he is? Give me his name.”

“I don’t have his name. Yet. But I intend to ID him. I need your help to do that.”

Sagging into the chair, Jonas glanced at the fireplace. “If I knew who he was, he’d be in my dungeon right now.”

He has a dungeon?asked Levi.

Apparently so, said Knox.

Huh. Didn’t expect that.

“What about the humans she spent time with?” Knox asked. “Have you interviewed them?”

“I already spoke to them after she first disappeared. None knew where she was. Since I couldn’t have them reporting her disappearance to the human authorities, I had to tell them all that she moved away. None of them have contacted me recently, so I’m assuming they didn’t see the video clip before I had my contact at YouTube take it down.”

“I’m assuming you asked your contact if he had any information on the person who uploaded the clip,” Knox prompted.

“All they had on the person was an email address. I had a technology expert from my lair try to track it. They said they couldn’t. A proxy was used.” Jonas stared hard at Knox, face twisting in resentment. “But maybe you already know that.”

“Excuse me?”

“Maybe it was you on that clip. Maybe you’re the fourth Horseman. Maybe you talked of being the next victim to draw suspicion from yourself.”

“Maybe you’re the fourth Horseman,” Knox countered. “I saw her face at the meeting when she heard you wanted to make a pact with Lucifer—she was shocked. Anxious. Maybe she discovered what you wanted from Lucifer. Maybe she didn’t like it. Maybe you then killed her to preserve your secret.”

Eyes wide, Jonas snarled. “I would never have harmed my sister.”

“And I would never have hidden behind a camera.”

Sneering, Jonas slugged back more brandy. “I suppose you wouldn’t have. You’re so sure none of us can defeat you that—”

“You want to know who her killer is. I want to know who he is. Playing this game doesn’t help.”

“Just go.” Jonas flicked a dismissive hand his way, but the move lacked strength. “I can’t tell you anything that would lead you to the fourth Horseman because I don’t know anything.”

“He was no stranger to her, Jonas. They knew each other. Who was she spending her time with?”

He closed his eyes, replying, “I don’t know. She disappeared, remember.”

“Before that, who was she with?”

“I don’t know.”

Trying a different tack, Knox said, “She was well-aware of what you wanted from Lucifer, wasn’t she?”

“No, but she suspected why I wanted his aid.”

“Aid with what?”

Jonas didn’t respond. Just stared into the fire.

Patience thin, Knox bared his teeth. “Jonas, do not fuck with me right now. It’s not the time to test just how much tolerance I possess. Someone recently posed as Harper to get to my son. We suspect they wanted to take him, and we’re betting they were sent by the Horseman.”

Jonas’s face went slack. “Posed as Harper?”

“Took on her physical form. They left no scent or blood behind, and I don’t have to point out that such a thing isn’t at all common.” Jonas went so deathly pale that Knox’s muscles bunched with tension. “What do you know?”

Closing his eyes, Jonas shook his head. “Oh, Alethea, what did you do?” he muttered.

Knox took an aggressive step toward him. “Tell me what you know.”

Jonas pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a hard sigh. “Alethea. She … ”

“She, what?”

“She had an incorporeal demon in her possession.”

Everything in Knox stilled. Even his demon stiffened. Fisting his hands, Knox echoed, “An incorporeal demon? She had an incorporeal demon?” A demon without a body. A demon that could possess others. A demon that, if extremely powerful, could also temporarily maintain the physical form of anyone it chose. A demon that was as near to indestructible as anything in their world could get. Mostly intangible, it had no bones for you to break, no blood for you to spill, no heart for you to stop, no brain for you to damage. Very little could kill it … making it the perfect weapon, and one of the worst opponents imaginable.

“I don’t know how long she had it. She was behaving strangely. Acting secretive. She also kept putting off our dinner plans, which was out of character for her. Concerned and annoyed, I went to her house to see her. She was angry that I hadn’t called first, and I could tell she wanted me gone. I noticed a glass display case on the mantelpiece in her living room. It caught my eye because it was empty. But when I moved closer, I saw that there was something inside it. A sort of hazy vapor. So faint you could easily miss it.”

Jaw hard, Knox exchanged a knowing look with Levi.

“I didn’t need to ask what it was. I’d never seen an incorporeal before, but I’d heard enough about them to know what I was looking at. Still, I’d hoped she’d tell me I was wrong.” Jonas tossed back the last of his brandy. “But she didn’t. Of course, I demanded to know where the hell she’d gotten it.”

“And?” prodded Knox.

“She said she stole it from a private collector. And that she meant to free it.”

Levi swore under his breath.

“I insisted that she return the display case to wherever it came from,” Jonas went on, “but she said that it was for protection. Said that she suspected you or Harper could be the fourth Horseman and that she thought one of you would come for her.”

“But you didn’t believe her,” Knox sensed.

“No.” Jonas rubbed his temple, as if a headache was building. “I knew that, whatever the case, I needed to somehow get rid of it. I also knew she would protest, so I pretended that I understood her motives, and I promised that I wouldn’t say a word about it. But at the meeting, when you revealed that I wanted to make a deal with Lucifer, she became suspicious that I’d sought his help to destroy the incorporeal. That was why she disappeared—she ran from me, because she didn’t trust me.”

“And, knowing the type of destruction an incorporeal can cause, you didn’t think to say something to someone?” clipped Knox, wanting to shake the other demon. So much could have been avoided if Jonas had just spoken up about it.

Jonas’s eyes flared. “She was my sister. I knew people would come for the incorporeal, and I knew she’d never give it up easily—even if it meant risking her life. I thought if I could just get rid of it before anyone got hurt, no one would ever know. Besides, I didn’t think she would truly be able to free it. She just wasn’t strong enough for something like that. I spoke with an incantor about it—the same incantor people mistakenly believed I was dating—and she said it would take several things to free an incorporeal, including the sacrifice of a demonic child.”

Levi looked at Knox. “Harper’s younger cousin, Heidi, could have been Alethea’s chosen target.”

Jonas’s gaze snapped to the sentinel. “No. Alethea would never have done something like that. She may have thought about it, yes, but she wouldn’t have gone through with it. She was vindictive, but she wasn’t evil. Someone was using her. She was seeing someone else, but she wouldn’t tell me who. Wouldn’t even tell me if I knew them. The two must have worked together to free the incorporeal.”

And now it was targeting Knox’s son. His demon growled. “You should have told someone that she had one in her possession.”

“I’d planned to destroy it,” Jonas defended. “The incantor I spoke to said that nothing of the Earth could kill an incorporeal. Everyone knows that nothing is impervious to the flames of hell. Archdemons are the flames of hell. I wanted Lucifer to either banish the incorporeal back to hell or give me the brief use of an archdemon, but he wouldn’t even speak with me. I was determined to undo what she’d done before it got her killed.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “But I failed. I should have looked harder for her. I tried to find her, I really did, but it was like she didn’t want to be found.”

“Or she didn’t want the incorporeal to be found,” said Knox. “If she freed it, she would have given it an order; made a bargain with it. There would have been no other point in freeing one, especially since it could have turned on her. What do you think she asked it to do?”

A weary exhale shuddered out of Jonas. “I don’t know.”

“If you had to guess … ?”

“I don’t know. Truly. I suspect that whatever order the incorporeal was given came from the Horseman, not from her. And I believe deep down to my bones that she didn’t know they were the fourth Horseman—the bastard wants to see the fall of the US Primes. I am a Prime. Alethea wouldn’t have been party to anything that would harm me.”

Knox could agree with the latter. “But she would have been party to something that brought harm to me, my mate, or my son, wouldn’t she?”

Jonas looked about to deny the accusation, but then he sighed. “The temptation would have been there, but I don’t believe she would truly have gone through with it. No, I think the Horseman lied to her about what his intentions were for the incorporeal. They told her whatever would gain them her cooperation.”

“Yes, because Alethea was so naïve and easily manipulated,” Knox said, sarcasm heavy in his tone. “Be real, Jonas. Your sister was cunning and devious; she would have recognized if someone was trying to play her.”

“Then they were damn convincing or someone she trusted, because there is no way I will believe she would have knowingly worked with the Horseman. She obviously discovered who they were and wanted out, so they killed her to protect their identity. And now they’re coming for you. Or, as it would appear, they’re coming for your son. And if they really have an incorporeal in their arsenal, I’m sorry to say that he’s doomed.” Jonas turned back to the fireplace. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone. There’s truly nothing more I can tell you anyway.”

Believing the latter, Knox decided to back off. But it was hard when anger still ravaged his insides. If Jonas hadn’t kept the incorporeal a secret, the entity wouldn’t now be targeting his son. If Harper had been here, she probably would have flown at the other Prime and gripped him by the throat. Knox was highly tempted to do that very thing, but it was possible that Jonas would later think of something else that could help. And considering Jonas wanted the Horseman as badly as Knox did, killing the Prime would mean there was one less person searching for the bastard. Knox would deal with Jonas at a later date.

“I’m holding a meeting with the other Primes,” said Knox.

“Well, I do hope you enjoy it. I have no interest in going.”

Knox had thought as much. “That’s up to you. But a discussion about the Horseman needs to be had.”

Jonas’s gaze went inward. “I wasn’t entirely convinced they were real.”

“Many weren’t.”

“I should have looked harder for her.”

“She didn’t want to be found; you said so yourself.” Too angry to have any interest in comforting the other Prime, Knox turned and left the mansion.

As he and Levi slid back into the Bentley, Levi said, “Well, that answered a lot of our questions. For instance, we now know that it was highly likely that Alethea was the one who went after Heidi—she needed a demonic child to sacrifice, and it would have given her a kick to kill a relative of Harper. It must have pissed Alethea off big time when her plan failed.”

And while that was a relief, it also sadly meant that … “Some other child must have died in Heidi’s place, otherwise the incorporeal wouldn’t be free.”

Levi nodded, expression grim. “We also now know that Jonas did in fact want an archdemon, just as Malden said. But it wasn’t because Jonas had a nefarious plan, it was because he was trying to foil his sister’s nefarious plan. An incorporeal demon … Damn, Harper’s going to freak.”

Knox felt his brow furrow. “No, she’ll stay calm.”