~ TWENTY-FIVE ~

Adam glanced at Joseph. “Demetri is here.”

“Is Gabe at the club yet?”

“Yes.” Adam nodded. “He’s ready.”

Demetri opened the door and walked into the room. His gaze moved around the room. “You know I’m not the sort of demon you want to lure into a trap. I will fight back.”

Adam laughed. “None of us want to pick a fight with you. We’re here to offer you an opportunity to be free, to leave here and search for Sara and Caspian.”

“I can’t.” Demetri frowned, pushing his hand through his hair. “If I deviate from my routine for too long Sara will suffer for it.”

“What if you didn’t need to deviate to leave?” Joseph asked.

“That’s not possible. Even shedding my physical body wouldn’t work. I am tangled in a web of spells. Just coming here to have this conversation could put her in danger.”

“This is Javier. He’s a…”

“Skinwalker.” Demetri interrupted, locking his gaze on Javier. “A very old one.”

“Not that old. He’s younger than you. He can take any form.” Adam paused. “Flawlessly.”

“For how long?” Demetri asked.

“As long as needed,” Javier said.

“What do you need from me to take my form?”

“I need to fully merge with you.”

“No.” Demetri shook his head, shifting his gaze to Adam. “She’ll die if he makes a mistake.”

“I won’t,” Javier said.

“Why are you willing to help me?”

“I am not offering to do it for you. I wouldn’t. You’re not weak or vulnerable. I am offering to do it for the sake of your mate. I would do it for any other woman or child taken and tourchered by Erebus.”

“You have a grudge against him?”

“I have a problem with any male willing to harm innocent and defenseless women and children. I have a problem with powerful beings bullying lesser or weaker beings. I definitely have a problem with a demon thinking he’s a damn god.”

****

Demetri liked his answer, but he knew doing it could turn to tragedy. It was such an enormous risk. One mistake would be Sara’s death. And possibly Caspian’s death. He also knew his time was running out.

“I understand your reluctance.  I can’t imagine what you’ve endured. I don’t know how you’ve gone on for so long. But right now, you’re spinning in circles. You don’t really have any other hope of finding her, saving her.” Adam paused. “And if you’re right, if you’re no longer alive in six months, you might as well stop spinning.”

Demetri nodded and looked at Javier. “They have managed to link Mary’s life with Sara’s life. Whatever happens to Mary will happen to Sara.”

“I know.”

“If they realize you’re not…”

Javier interrupted. “They’ll never know I am not you.”

Demetri realized this could be the beginning of the end. In truth it was the only way to ever end it. He couldn’t say no. But he needed to make sure Javier knew the challenge of dealing with Mary.

“You’ll want to kill Mary. She will push you. She’ll try to force you to do unforgivable things.”

“I can handle it.”

“You’ll be surrounded by corrupt vampires.”

“I will be able to flawlessly mimic your behavior. I won’t deviate from it. Surely, you don’t try to pretend to like them.” He smiled. “That would be a true challenge.”

“Not at all.”

“I can do it.”

“When would we start?”

“I will walk out of this office as you.”

“Let’s do it.”

“When I merge with you I need full freedom to explore and gather information. If you try to hide things, I will not be able to mimic you. For this to work, I need to become a perfect copy. I need to possess your emotions. Your posture in every circumstance. Your expressions. I need to know your habits. Your routines. I need to know your weaknesses and your strengths.”

“I understand. But how can you be sure?”

“Leave that to me. You’ll need to be available to me.”

“If you have a problem?”

“If I find myself uncertain.”

“I’ll be here as well. Jax and Rowdy have fit in at the club. We will make sure Mary has plenty of drama going on at the club.”

“Does Jax and Rowdy know Javier will be taking my place?”

“No.” Adam said. “I trust them fully, but they naturally lack the ability to shield their minds as well as we can. As far as they’re concerned, Javier will be you.”

“We’ll provide cover for you to shift from here to my home in Alaska.” Joseph said. “I’ve already opened my property for you and secured it against any intruders. You’ll be free to travel anywhere from there. Nikolas and Brianna will show up to help you.”

“No one will know I am not you,” Javier said.

Demetri looked at Joseph. “Emily often comes to me for blood.”

“You’re still feeding her?” Joseph asked.

“I take care of her.”

“I can’t give her my blood,” Javier said.

“I know,” Demetri said.

“She’ll go to Zack, won’t she?” Joseph asked.

Demetri looked at Javier. “You need to push her away. Encourage her to go to Zack. Mary hates her. If Emily comes to the club…”

“I will make sure no harm comes to Emily,” Adam said. “She’ll be protected.”

“She’ll be fine,” Joseph agreed. “Zack is doing better now. He watches over her. Most of the time from a distance. But he watches.”

“I know,” Demetri nodded. “He’s been a constant pain in my ass. He needs to claim her.” There was a moment of silence. “I can’t believe you’re all willing to help me.”

“It doesn’t mean some of us aren’t looking forward to kicking your ass after you get Sara back.” Joseph laughed.

“You’re welcome to try.”

“Later, old man.” Joseph smiled. “Let Javier pick your brain. You need to get your ass out of here and go find your mate. And, thanks to Mia’s insistence and the fact that I’m maxed out on allotted spankings for the week, if you run into trouble and need help, don’t hesitate to ask for it. We swear we’ll come running or, thanks to Adam’s up close and personal encounter with a spoon, I too will have one.”

“She threatened to stab you with a spoon,” Adam asked.

“Like I said, I’m maxed out on spankings for the week.”

“I grow more and more fond of Mia every day.” Demetri went completely still. “Mary is calling me.”

Javier stepped up to him. “Let’s get it done.”

“She’s being persistent. Maybe, I should…”

“It will go quickly since you’re willing.”

“Don’t worry, Demetri. Gabe is at the club. He’s approaching Mary right now. He’ll give her hell and keep her busy until we’re done,” Adam said.

Demetri had never felt the weight of fear as he felt it at that moment. If the smallest thing went wrong, Sara would die. What if Javier betrayed him? What if Joseph or Adam turned against him?

Joseph placed his hand on his shoulder. “We’ve had our problems these past few years. We thought you turned against us. You worked really hard at pissing me off by messing with Mia. We thought you’d killed your mate.  No one knew what the hell you were up to. I know you were protecting Mia when you were acting like an asshole. I’m not saying that I don’t want to beat your ass for it. We know, Demetri. We know now. Not one of us would’ve come out looking any better than you if we’d been in your shoes.”

Adam nodded. “And we all remember everything you’ve done for us. Every sacrifice. The many times you’ve fought side by side with us. We will never betray you.”

Demetri took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m ready.” He looked at Javier. “Merge with me. Take whatever you need from me.” 

Javier gripped Demetri’s forearms. Demetri’s natural reaction was to resist. He struggled against the urge. He almost failed until Joseph and Adam came up behind him and each placed a hand on his shoulders to lend their strength. 

“It’s working. Just let the information go,” Javier said. “Don’t hold anything back.”

Demetri’s dragon was shockingly calm. He expected more of a fight. He just let go. Like freefalling. Allowing Javier freedom to search his deepest thoughts and darkest memories.

“Damn it,” Javier growled, releasing Demetri’s arms. “It’s done.”

Demetri watched as Javier took on his form. He truly became a flawless replica. “That’s amazing.”

Javier met his gaze. “I have never experienced this depth of pain and rage. I am amazed you’ve endured it. I have decided that I would be willing to help you. Go and find Sara. I swear I will not fail you.”

“We’ll hide your departure,” Joseph said.

Within seconds Demetri was standing in Joseph’s home in Alaska. He was free. It hit him all at once. He was free to find Sara. He quickly found a file left by Joseph. It contained detailed information on several haunted house attractions. The second he saw a picture of one with stain glass windows, he felt a pull to it.

He opened the brochure for it. “If you have an adventurous soul,” he read aloud, “and if you yearn to experience the dangerous and mysterious realm of the other side come and visit the Cass Mansion. The atmosphere inside is guaranteed to send an unholy shiver of terror down your spine. It’s as dark and frigid as the casket Dr. Cass escaped many years ago to satisfy his hunger and thirst for the flesh and blood of mankind.”

Along with it, he found an old sketch of himself in a newspaper clipping. No. It was Caspian. They were using Caspian as the ghost. It was in Maine. Caspian had spent his free time in Maine. He said it felt like home. It felt right. He often wandered the coast. He was always searching for something and never finding it.

He’d isolated himself. He became a hermit of sorts. But he was always ready and willing to fight if needed. He had a secret in Maine. One he’d never shared with anyone. “What were you searching for in Maine, Caspian?”

He felt Nikolas Drake’s presence seconds before he heard his voice. “He wasn’t searching. He was waiting.”

Demetri turned to Nikolas and Brianna. “For what?”

“I don’t know. He wouldn’t say. I don’t even know if he knew what he was waiting for.”

“A compulsion?”

“Caspian?” Nikolas laughed. “I can’t imagine him being led by anything other than himself.”

“I’ll head to Maine now.”

“We’ll head to Maine,” Brianna stated.

Nikolas nodded. “That’s right. We will do this together.”

“Erebus is behind this. It’s too dangerous.”

“Sara is my sister. I think of you as my brother. We’re family. You’re not in this alone.”

Nikolas wrapped his arm around Brianna. “She’s right. You aren’t in this alone.”