“Would you like me to draft an announcement?”

“Yes. It’s time to join the modern world.” She laughed. “How else will we take it over?”

Chapter Thirty-four

Creek’s front pocket started to vibrate just as Velimai flew into the room where the group was gathered watching the news from around the world. Her hands were moving too fast for him to even try to guess what she was saying. He got up and went down the hall to answer his phone. He didn’t need to check the screen to know it was Argent.

“Creek,” he answered.

“Where the hell are you?” Argent replied.

“I’m with the mayor.”

“And where is that?”

“At the comarré’s.”

The sector chief went quiet for a second. “Are you any closer to recovering the item?”

“Maybe.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Because I don’t have a better one to give you.” Something was going on in the other room. The best he could make out was that the pressure sensors had lit up a warning for the rear of the property.

“If you’re not any closer to the item and the mayor is protected, you need to be in the city. We have reports of a lesser demon running through the streets. Get over there and kill it.”

“I don’t know if I should—”

“Of course you should. It’s your job.”

“I was going to say I don’t know if I should leave the mayor.”

“The comarré can protect her. Now go. That’s an order, not a request. The demon’s location has been forwarded to your phone.”

The line went dead before Creek could explain Chrysabelle wasn’t here. Maybe it was better Argent didn’t know. The less Creek was on the hook for her and her plans for the ring, the better. The KM were not going to be happy when he had to tell them she’d melted it down and stitched it into her skin.

As he shoved the phone back into his pocket, the doorbell rang. Maybe it was whoever had set off the pressure sensors. Or maybe Mal and Chrysabelle were back.

He walked toward the living room and rounded the corner. John, Luke, and Doc made an impenetrable wall in front of the open door. Fi and the mayor were behind them, and through the legs of the shifters, he could see Damian’s white trousers and Velimai’s silky gray pants.

“You can’t cross the threshold, so don’t even try,” Damian snarled.

Creek came up beside Doc. A petite blonde vampire stood in the open door. “Hear me out,” she said.

“Who are you?” Creek asked. She had the scent of nobility about her.

“She’s Daciana,” Damian answered. “House of Tepes. Wife to Laurent, the vampire who kidnapped Saraphina, the comarré who was with me.”

“What do you want?” Creek asked her.

“To die, I’m guessing,” Fi said. Velimai nodded in agreement.

“Please,” Daciana said. “I seek asylum.”

Fi snickered. “More like you should be in one.”

“Are you working for Tatiana?” Damian asked.

Fear washed over Daciana’s face. “No, you must believe me. My husband was, but he didn’t do as she asked and she killed him. I barely escaped with my life. I had nowhere else to turn.”

“There are a thousand places in the world you could have disappeared to.” Damian’s hand inched toward his sacre. “Why here?”

“To help. I have information.” Daciana swallowed and looked behind her like she thought someone might be there. “Tatiana is… horrible. She needs to be stopped.”

One of the Havoc boys snorted.

“Hey,” Creek said to get their attention. The group turned to look at him. “This isn’t my house, so I’m not making the decision, but I can tell you Chrysabelle wouldn’t let her in. Now I have KM business to attend to in the city. Demon on the loose.”

The mayor paled but said nothing. Creek brushed past Daciana, who stared with big, pleading eyes. Like that was going to change his mind. Behind him, the group called out a few questions. “Gotta go. Duty calls,” he answered back.

He climbed onto his Harley, cranked the engine, and notched the kickstand back. This was what he’d been trained for, what the KM had gotten his prison sentence commuted for. Part of him was looking forward to the fight. Another part of him hoped he won and won fast, because if this demon was anything like the Castus he’d fought earlier, it wasn’t going to be any kind of fun.

The gate opened and he roared through, startling a cloud of blackbirds sitting in the trees. He motored off Mephisto Island and went straight toward the coordinates Argent had sent. The streets were deserted, as they should be. He hit the city hall block and pulled over to check the address again. Gargoyles swooped overhead, but they didn’t seem to be causing any trouble.

The screen showed he was within blocks of the demon. He unholstered his crossbow and rested it between the handlebars, notching it into a fitting he’d machined to mount the weapon should he need it while driving. The wind shifted and sulfur scraped his nostrils with the rotten egg stench of demon. He was close all right.

Heading the bike back out, he took the next turn. Two blocks away, the demon’s back came into view. Being this near to such a foul monster made the brands on Creek’s body throb like some kind of demon-detection device. The blue-black creature stood nearly four stories, its tail smashing out car and shop windows as it swished back and forth. Something dark flew overhead, but Creek didn’t look up. He had no time for gargoyles. The demon peered into buildings, periodically punching its fist through a wall or window and digging in up to its shoulder. Probably looking for a mortal snack, Creek guessed.