“I’ve lost the signal.”

Nine sets of eyes turned to stare at him.

Luukas tapped a few keys on the keyboard. Giving up, he sagged back in his chair. “Shea’s gone. I’ve lost the signal.”

Aiden got up from his spot in front of Luukas’s desk and came around to stand beside him. “Let me give it a go.”

Bracing his palms on the desktop, Luukas slowly stood, trying not to wince as he gave up his chair for Aiden. His joints ached and his muscles felt like an old man. He could feel Keira’s eyes on him, and with extreme effort, he straightened until he stood tall. Even though all he wanted to do was hunch over his desk. Or maybe crumple into a heap on the hard floor.

As Aiden worked his magic on the computer, Nikulas rose quietly from his chair and slid it over toward his brother, then leaned against the glass wall behind Emma and crossed his muscular arms over his chest. He didn’t say anything, didn’t even look Luukas’s way, and for that, the Master Vampire was grateful. He was sick and fucking tired of everyone fussing over him.

Well, the females fussed over him. The guys let him be to do what he could, and when he was worn out, like now, they slid him a chair. Or grabbed something from across the room for him without his having to ask. Or answered his cell phone and screened his calls. All without the sad eyes, concerned words, or awkward silences. Releasing a tired sigh, Luukas sank into the chair that was offered to him and waited in silence with everyone else to see what Aiden could find out.

After Nikulas and Aiden told him about seeing Shea at the airport with the warlock, Luukas had attempted to contact her a few times. His calls went directly to voicemail every time. If it wasn’t for the GPS tracker on her cell, he would’ve thought she’d already ditched the phone. But apparently, now that she knew that he knew what she was up to, she didn’t see the need. So, although she wouldn’t answer his calls, he knew exactly where she was every fucking minute of every fucking day.

Until about ten minutes ago when he’d gathered the Hunters and the witches into his office for a meeting and logged on to check her location.

“This may take a bit, but I’ll try to get as close to her last location as I can.”

Aiden’s brow furrowed in concentration, lending shadows to his grey eyes. It gave Luukas a start, until he looked closer and realized it was only his expression, and not the demon inside of him coming to the surface that caused the shadows. With a relieved intake of breath, he nodded, and turned to the silent group gathered in his office. “Let’s get on with this.”

All eyes swung his way, except Keira’s. For Keira’s eyes had been on him the entire time, as always.

He tried to suppress his irritation with his witch. She was only worried about him. And she was right to do so, for there was plenty to worry about. At times, Luukas wished it would all just end—the nausea, the fatigue, the muddled thoughts—just get it the fuck over with. Then he wouldn’t have to see that look in her eyes anymore. It was the look she’d given him when he was chained to the wall in the bowels of that fucking mountain. Like he was weak. Like he was fragile. Like he was something to be pitied.

He cleared his throat. “Witches. Update me on your progress.”

Keira spoke first, keeping her voice low, like she knew his head was pounding. And hell, maybe she did. “Emma is good. We’ve narrowed down her strongest skills. Along with sending objects flying across the room at Nik when he gets on her bad side—” This was said with a teasing note. “She is now able to immobilize him, or any vampire, where they stand while keeping her emotions under control. Even the strongest of you.”

Dante, the oldest and strongest vampire there other than Luukas, growled out something that sounded like grudging agreement.

Luukas nodded. “Good. And Ryan?” He turned to Christian’s mate where she sat quietly to the side, her copper hair bright against her pale skin.

Keira began to speak, but Luukas held up a hand, cutting off whatever she’d been about to say. “Ryan?” He wanted the witch to speak for herself. He understood the other vampires still weren’t quite comfortable with her, except for Christian, of course. Making her speak for herself would help draw her out of her shell, and help the others get more used to her being there. Having any animosity in the group would cause problems they couldn’t afford to have.

“Honestly, I’ve been struggling. The entities…Well, Christian’s blood makes them quiet.” Her sense of relief was almost palpable. “But now I’m trying to control when they speak to me and when they don’t. I’ve got them to stop screaming at me incoherently, but they still talk over one another.” She shrugged.

“Tell him what else,” Grace piped in.

Ryan took a deep breath. Luukas had the feeling he made her nervous.

“I can read the spell that Grace’s parents left for her. Well, not me, them.”

“Yes, Keira was telling me about that.”

“What’s going on?” Nik asked.

It was Emma who answered him. “Ryan’s spirits can read that old spell Grace has. We know what it is now.”

“And what is that?”

“It’s the spell that will send the demons back,” Ryan told him.

Aiden stopped typing, his eyes flicked from Ryan to Grace, and Luukas could see the hope he desperately tried to hide.

Luukas sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers beneath his chin, turning over what she’d just said. He was well aware of the condition she’d been in when Christian had met her. She’d been an addict, using the drug to quiet the spirits that insisted on gathering around her. The vampires couldn’t see or hear them, but the other witches confirmed they were there.

And now they knew the spell. “You told me once that they’re protective of you, is this correct?”

She nodded. “Yes. If someone they don’t like is trying to hurt me or another person I care about, they will stop them.”

“These spirits, they can physically hurt people?”

“Yes. They’ve done it before.” She paused. “They seem to do whatever they think will make me happy.”

“Will they kill?”

He suddenly had her full attention. “Yes,” she whispered.

Luukas turned to look out the window. The city of Seattle was shrouded in mist this night, the lights of the ferries crossing the Sound like ghost ships.

Christian stood up and came over to his desk. Bracing his hands on the edge, he leaned in toward Luukas, his topaz eyes dark with worry. “I know where you’re going with this. And with all due respect, there’s no fucking way I’m letting her put herself in danger so the entities will help us.”

Cocking his head to the side, Luukas stared Christian down until he backed up and lowered his eyes. He may be weakening, but godsdammit, he was still the Master here. And they would all do well to remember that fact.

However, he wasn’t completely without heart.

“I would never put your mate in any true danger, Christian. You should know that. However, if she agrees, her help would be greatly appreciated. As a matter of fact, I don’t know that we will succeed in sending the demons back to hell without it.”