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TWENTY-FIVE

Omen

The rumble of a departing jumbo jet grated against my nerves. I shot a narrow look at Ruse where he was watching the stream of arriving travelers pouring out of the airport’s security area. “Remind me again why you thought this diversion was a good idea? How is having a mortal tagging along going to help us extricate Sorsha any faster?”

The incubus tsked at my impatience, but I could tell from the tension in his jaw that he wasn’t impervious to the same worries. “I told her she should join us. Maybe she won’t be much help getting Sorsha out of the facility, but whatever our mortal has been through, having additional moral support can’t be a bad thing.”

“You don’t think the four of us are enough for her?”

Ruse met my gaze, abruptly more serious than I could ever remember seeing him. “She’s been struggling. I know you’ve seen it too. That’s what our little escapade on the boat was about, wasn’t it? I’m sure she’d say she’s perfectly satisfied with all the wonders we shadowkind can provide… but she is half mortal too. There are things she thinks and feels that we can’t wrap our heads around—as much as I’d like to become her be-all and end-all.”

He put that desire into words so effortlessly, as if there was nothing at all embarrassing about an incubus—or any shadowkind—wanting to devote themselves to a mortal. Which I supposed there wasn’t. But I couldn’t imagine the same sentiment ever falling from my mouth quite that easily.

After all, I still wasn’t entirely sure that my presence in Sorsha’s life wouldn’t be what brought about her ruin rather than what raised her above it. It was my former colleague who might have already ripped into her in who knew how many ways.

I just hoped I still knew Tempest well enough to have made an accurate guess of where she was working from, given the data Ruse’s computer expert had looked up—and of the likelihood that she’d kept Sorsha alive. Surely she wouldn’t have bothered knocking Sorsha out and dragging her off if all she needed was a corpse?

But who knew with the sphinx, now or ever?

I inhaled slowly and squared my shoulders, keeping a tight grip on the composure I’d spent so long cultivating. We weren’t really squandering time. The others were investigating the facility we’d set our sights on—a supposed coat factory on the outskirts of West London, less than two hours from the standing stones—while we picked up our mortal’s best friend from Heathrow, just a few miles away.

And I definitely wasn’t letting myself dread finding out what this woman was going to have to say when she came face to face with the beings who’d lost her once-close companion.

Ruse perked up. A moment later, I spotted a figure with a recognizable burst of black curls atop a sleek white blouse and slacks. She actually smiled at the incubus when her gaze caught on him. She hustled over, dragging her carry-on—and slowed at the sight of me.

I’d barely exchanged five words with this mortal woman during our single meeting, but apparently that and whatever Sorsha had reported about me had made an impression. And not a good one.

She kept coming, though, and stopped in front of us with a determined expression that gave me some hint as to what she and Sorsha had in common. “Is this all I get for a welcoming party?” she said, cocking her head. “Where’s the rest of the crew?”

“Attempting to confirm Sorsha’s location to make sure that when we go charging in to rescue her, she’s actually there for us to rescue,” I said.

“Hmm. Or, if you’re lucky, she’ll rescue herself before you all get around to it.”

Knowing my recent lover as well as I now did, I had to admit that was a possibility, as daunting an opponent as the sphinx could be.

“We’ll see.” I eyed Vivi carefully. She might be Sorsha’s best friend, but she was still a mortal with all the potential weaknesses that could entail. My voice dropped. “You do understand the full situation, don’t you? That Sorsha is as much shadowkind as she is human?”

If that news had frightened the woman when she’d first heard it, she gave no indication of fear now. All she did was shrug, aiming a glower at me that dared me to challenge her. “I just wish she’d felt she could open up to me about it on her own. Hopefully after this…” Her chin came up defiantly. “Maybe I didn’t know exactly that the whole time, but I’ve always believed she’s something special. Why do you think I came all this way? Human, monster, polka-dot potato bug—she’s still Sorsha , and I’m here for her, whatever I can do.”

Her vehemence convinced me that this one matter, at least, wouldn’t be a problem. I motioned for her to follow us. “Come on, then. We can go meet up with the others and see what they have to say.”

When we reached Darlene in her current state, Vivi raised her eyebrows but was polite enough not to remark on the RV’s appearance. I had the feeling one more trip through the shadow realm would render the vehicle completely useless as a disguise.

Her tour bus form now looked more like a touring vehicle for rock stars… Rock stars who’d revamped it while on acid. Neon yellow streamers fluttered around all the windows—we’d tried trimming them off and they’d just grown back—and the exhaust pipe had expanded to the size and shape of a trombone. Unfortunately, it also sounded like a trombone when the engine started up.

The inside had gone through a similar makeover. The formerly white leather sofa was now decked out with stripes of gold shag—an update the equines had actually approved of. The faucet emitted no liquid at all but only a screeching electric guitar sound. And the fridge was now baking anything put inside it like an oven.

Basically, we were shit out of luck if we wanted a cold beverage anywhere around here.

Pickle scampered over at the sound of our arrival and snorted indignantly when his master didn’t appear alongside us. Vivi stared at the little dragon and then shook her head. “Okay. That’s not even the weirdest thing I’ve seen in the last couple of weeks. Is it part of the crew too?”

“He’s Sorsha’s pet.” Ruse snapped his fingers at Pickle, beckoning him, but the creature lobbed a puff of smoke at him and turned tail. “I think she figured you’d disapprove.”

“Of keeping a shadowkind beastie like a cat? That is… a little unusual. But I’m sure she had her reasons.” The mortal woman flopped down on the sofa, her fingers curling into the patch of shag next to her. “What exactly is this shadowkind that’s captured her now?”

Since the incubus was the one who’d insisted on bringing the mortal on, I left it to him to make all the necessary explanations and slid onto the driver’s seat. There was a certain reassurance in maneuvering the massive vehicle with the power of my hands on the wheel. That was, until I noticed my new hangers-on were still, well, hanging on.

The skinny goblin who’d hassled me at the gas station in Greece was propped against a lamp post, ogling Darlene as we cruised by. Up ahead, I spotted a gargoyle on the top of a building that had shifted position just slightly to keep us in view.

Did the Highest really think that I’d deliver Ruby to them faster if they simply irritated me enough? Maybe we could enjoy some goblin shish kabob after we were done crushing Tempest and her schemes.

If I lived long enough after that to have a final meal. With the way these pricks were tailing me, chances were they’d figure out what Sorsha was during that battle and report my transgressions back to the Highest in a blink. And darkness only knew what kind of army they’d send after her while they were annihilating me.

I pulled up behind a dreary-looking business hotel where we’d agreed to meet and tried to tune out Ruse regaling Vivi with his extravagant tales of our adventures—the more intimate bits edited out. The incubus had some small sense of propriety. I wasn’t sure Sorsha would appreciate him filling in her best friend with even that much detail, but she could take that up with him when we got her back.

When , not if. Even if it was over my dead body.

It was less than an hour before our companions emerged from the shadows around the furniture. Antic kicked things off with a squeal, leaping onto the table in front of Vivi.

“The other human is here! I love your hair. Does it grow all twisty like that naturally?”

The woman looked a tad taken aback before she found her voice with a laugh. “The braided parts, no, but this?” She fluffed the poof at the back of her head. “That’s what God gave me.”

“It is good to have you joining us,” Thorn said, with a frown at the imp that suggested he didn’t approve of her frivolous questions, and turned to me. “Everything we observed fits the information Ruse’s contact conveyed to us. The building has been recently outfitted with iron and silver protections all through the outer walls—so much that we couldn’t get close enough to touch them while in the shadows. Snap was able to pick up impressions from the gate and from a few pieces of litter.”

The devourer nodded. “I also caught an impression of one of the workers talking about their boss bringing in a monster who could create fire. That’s got to be Sorsha.”

Between that and the extensive sprinkler systems we knew had also been ordered for installation in the building, I was inclined to agree with his assessment. I steepled my fingers in front of me. “All right. So, how do we get in? Are there employees guarding the place or coming and going that Ruse can con?”

Bow shook his head. “We didn’t see anyone go in or out while we were watching. There was a delivery that looked like food, but it was placed in a storage box embedded in the wall. We figure there’s got to be an opening on the inside for them to bring the supplies in.”

I grimaced. “And I assume that’s got those noxious metals all around it.”

“Naturally.” Gisele tapped her lips. “Do you think the sphinx is giving all the orders from the outside? How could she handle being surrounded by all that silver and iron?”

“It’s a big building. If it’s only the outer walls, she may be able to work in the center of the space with only mild discomfort. There might be an entrance on the roof or underground that allows her access without passing too closely to the protections.” I glanced at Thorn. “I assume you couldn’t examine the roof because you couldn’t get close enough to use the shadows on the way up.”

“And I could hardly fly up there visibly,” the warrior acknowledged. “But we could assume there’s a less protected spot up there and build our plans around that.”

“No. I don’t like counting on an assumption. She may not be using the roof at all—it would please her to pick the option that suits her form less well just to confuse us. And no doubt whatever entrance she uses will be heavily guarded regardless, with those on the inside having all the advantage. You’ve smashed through reinforced walls before. I don’t suppose?—”

Thorn was shaking his head before I’d finished the question. “I considered that myself, but I don’t think I could summon enough strength to break all the way through so much of those metals with their weakening effect, not to mention the steel reinforcing the walls as well. An army of warriors could batter their way through, no doubt, but even with you and Flint and Bow… I don’t think brute force will be the answer with our current numbers.”

“That’s fine,” I said quickly, not wanting him beating himself up any more than he already had for failing to convince the other two wingéd to come on board with our mission. We’d gotten by without brute force before. Our mortal herself had come up with all those pacifistic plans—well, pacifistic by our typical standards.

But there were no employees for Ruse to charm, and even if we had the time to ferret out a loved one or two beyond the factory walls, what could they possibly tell us that would present us with a way in?

An army , Thorn had said. The words resonated through my thoughts and clicked into place. My mouth opened automatically with a rush of inspiration and an almost furious delight. “What if we?—”

I cut myself off with a clenching of my teeth. No . That was the kind of viciously daring plan I’d have taken the same delight in centuries ago—the kind that had stirred rages in my victims and brought down suffering on innocents’ heads. I’d been done with that past version of myself for so long. What the fuck was I thinking, nearly giving over to it on a moment’s whim.

The others were watching me now. I should have kept my mouth shut.

Vivi crossed her arms over her chest. “Whatever idea you have, spit it out. It’s got to be better than the nothing cherry on a nada sundae you all have come up with so far. And I didn’t come all this way to watch you not get my bestie away from this maniac.”

“I’d prefer we stick to plans that don’t stand an equal chance of sealing Sorsha’s doom.”

“It looks like her ‘doom’ is guaranteed if you don’t do anything, so fifty-fifty odds sound good to me.”

I restrained myself from baring my teeth at her, feeling my hair ruffle with a current of frustration. “Maybe those who won’t be involved in the actual rescue attempt shouldn’t be spouting opinions about it.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have invited me here if you didn’t want to hear my opinions,” Vivi shot back. “Do you actually care about Sorsha or only about making sure you don’t look bad if your plan has a few hitches?”

A few hitches ? She had no idea what she was talking about. But even with that knowledge, something about her words cut straight through me.

Even after everything we’d been through, some part of me wanted to deny that I cared about our mortal. Not because she didn’t deserve that caring, but because when I cared… that was when all the hellish inclinations in me came out to play, and the outcome wasn’t generally pretty. The way I got by, the way I made sure I didn’t lead anyone into a shitstorm of my own making, was by tamping down on every emotion I had in me and focusing on pure cold strategy.

It hit me then in a way it hadn’t before that Tempest had been wrong about me. I’d never forgotten I was a monster. I’d spent the last few centuries with that fact at the forefront of my mind and doing whatever I could to chain the beast inside.

But Sorsha hadn’t seen my beast as a monster—or if she had, it’d been one she’d embraced as much as she had Snap’s cruel hunger and Thorn’s brutal strength. She’d lain beneath me on a bed less than ten feet from where I currently stood with my jaws clamped around her throat and told me she wasn’t afraid of me. How many times had she asked to see me fierce and passionate rather than the “Ice-Cold Bastard,” as she liked to put it?

I’d changed so much about myself since my days with Tempest, but somehow I hadn’t managed to alter that one most basic thing: the belief that whatever I did and whoever I was with, if I gave in one inch to my baser nature, everything would go to hell, and most likely sooner rather than later.

Somehow I had the feeling I knew exactly how Sorsha would respond to that. Who’s to say a little hell is a bad thing?

I did care about her, and the reserves of rage and power I’d held in check were beyond even Tempest’s imagining. Wasn’t it time to put all that hellishness to good use, for the sake of the woman I?—

Yes.

I spun on my heel. “I have to bait the hook. Wait here. The rest of you, do whatever you need to so you’re ready to storm that factory the second we get our opening. I doubt it’ll take very long.”

“Omen?” Snap said, his eyes widening, but I didn’t stick around to answer questions. If I was going to do this, I was going to do it now, before the Ice-Cold Bastard’s judgment reined me back in.

Bringing in new allies. It was exactly the kind of plan Sorsha would have loved. One I could admit I might never have thought of if she hadn’t wriggled her way so far into my mind.

My lips curled into a wry smile. I doubted she’d ever have expected me to pull off quite this spectacular a magic trick, though.

I loped through the shadows a short ways and then emerged to amble down the street, scanning the buildings around me. Stop and smell the flowers. Buy myself a chocolate bar. Give every appearance of not having a care in the world except indulging myself at my leisure. Yeah, that would rile them up quickly enough.

Footsteps tapped along the sidewalk to catch up with me. A banshee fell into step at my side, her chin raised at a haughty angle. “This is not what the Highest ordered you to do. Get on with your quest.”

I waved the candy bar at her. “What makes you think my quest doesn’t require plenty of chocolate?”

When she glared at me, I took the final bite, allowed myself a few seconds to enjoy the sticky sweetness, and tossed the wrapper into a nearby trash bin. “Actually, I was hoping to get your attention. I figured it’d be faster than heading to the nearest rift. I’ve found out where Ruby is, but it won’t be easy getting to her. Tell the Highest they’d better send their best—and lots of them.”

The minion sucked in a startled breath. “Where? I must inform them at once.”

“A coat factory not far from here. It’s heavily fortified, though. You can check it out for yourself before you make your full report.” I rattled off the address, gesturing in the general direction.

The banshee dove into the shadows and raced off like a bullet. I watched her go, a strange flavor creeping through my mouth—a metallic tang that was both terror and exhilaration.

Time to burn it all to the ground and see who was left standing. And if this didn’t work out the way I hoped, I suspected Sorsha would applaud the effort even as she fell.