CHAPTER 21

S tanding by the rail, I watched the main floor despite being told to stay in my privacy booth. I tracked Journey’s movements in an attempt to figure out the hierarchy. Apparently, she needed permission to bring me upstairs. Unfortunately, I lost sight of her when she disappeared through the back door.

A million and one questions burned in my mind as I waited impatiently for her to return. Who was she asking for permission? How the fuck did an entire den of sirens coexist together? Everything we knew about sirens told us they were solitary hunters. Upper-level demons often were.

It did tell me one thing though: even demons evolved.

And fuck, I hated that.

My skin vibrated with the sheer amount of energy in the room. I itched to do something with myself—desperately needed to. I was in over my head with this hunt.

It was too late to back out. Not with Gray missing too. And I didn’t have the resources to call in more hunters. Fuck, I didn’t know any hunters. My window to save them was closing, and I was terrified I wouldn’t make it through.

But as I watched Journey reappear on the floor and hurry up the stairs, I put aside those thoughts. One thing at a time. I had to keep her convinced of my infatuation long enough to get her to take me up to the third floor.

“I thought I told you to stay inside.” Journey poked me as she rejoined me.

“You can’t blame me for being impatient.” I gave her my best smile. I could be charming. When I wanted to be. “My favorite girl left me.”

“I didn’t leave you.” She laughed and stepped closer. Bracing her hands on my chest, she stood on her tiptoes. Her lips brushed against mine. Play into it. I had to be convincing. When she tried to pull away, I dragged her mouth right back to mine and forced myself to think of Gray as I kissed her hard. “Now, look, Sarge , you are new.”

“Well, it’s not my fault no one ever told me about this place,” I said. “Wish they would’ve. I could’ve spent more time with you.”

Lay it on thick, keep up the facade.

“You’re lucky that you’re cute and I’m stubborn,” she replied. Her lips brushed against mine. “Come upstairs with me, baby. Let me take care of you tonight.”

Finally.

“Lead the way, sweetheart,” I whispered as I laced my fingers through hers. The extra sway in her hips wasn’t lost on me as she pulled me toward the stairs. I felt how her energy increased, rolling off my skin in waves. If I was anyone else, I would’ve been putty in her hands, unable to fight back.

Was that what she’d done to Gray?

There was no hesitation as the guard let us through. And when the door shut behind us, my back stiffened. The dark hall was just that: a dark hall lined with closed doors. Some doors had a tag while others didn’t. Odd.

“What’s with the tagged doors, sweetheart?” I asked, more curious of the excuse than expecting a real answer .

“Oh, don’t mind that,” she replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. “That’s for the renovation crew coming in next week. Can’t have them working on the wrong rooms.”

“Smart.”

“Come here.” Journey hooked a finger in my belt loop as she stopped. I braced on the door behind her as she pulled me against her. The nearness made her energy spike, and in the darkness, that faint glow of pink in her eyes was impossible to miss. Shit, how the hell did they explain that? They probably didn’t.

“Are you going to open the door?” I whispered, leaning in close enough to feel her breath as it fanned over my face.

“So impatient.” She laughed. “Don’t you worry, baby. I’ll make you feel real good.”

Reaching between us, her hand slid down the front of my body until she cupped my dick. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away.

“I’m not one for games, sweetheart,” I told her softly. “Open the door like a good girl, and I’ll let you have my cock.”

Rather a knife to the chest.

She did what I asked and let us into the room, turning while she did. As she sauntered through the door, I silently withdrew my knife from the horizontal sheath at the small of my back. It wasn’t a big blade, but it’d get the job done.

The door had barely shut before I had a fistful of her hair to drag her back to me. My hand clamped over her mouth while I pressed the tip of my blade to her neck.

The great thing about sirens: energy was their only weapon. With her petite frame, subduing her was easy. The frantic clawing at my arms was a nuisance at most. A pink glow washed over her entire skin as she tried to influence me. I clamped down hard on my defenses, feeling it crash over me uncomfortably.

“You never should’ve touched him,” I growled. The rapid words she spewed were muffled by my hand, but I didn’t bother letting her finish. I drove the blade of my knife up through her jaw at an angle until it was buried to the hilt. Blood poured down my hand as she bucked against me.

Her body sparked, skin pulsing with light almost in sync with the failing beat of her heart. When she died, I felt it. That snap of energy broke with her death. All around the club, more energy flared back.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

That was how they worked together with such a large space. The sirens had connected their energy to maximize their impact.

Which meant they knew I was here.