Chapter 15

 

“Back into hell we go…” Riley pursed her lips and eyed the gateway into the market with barely suppressed resignation. She sighed. “Took me all night to get the stench of brimstone and death off my skin.”

Octavian set a loving hand on her shoulder, but his question was directed at Magnus. “Remind me again why we’re here?”

“I need to ask Damier some questions and…” he hesitated. “I might need backup.”

“Backup? You?” Octavian shot Riley a sidelong glance, gray eyes shining with amusement. “Since when?”

Magnus hesitated. He’d been debating for the better part of twenty minutes whether or not to tell the truth. He knew his brother would ask. It would have been weird if Octavian hadn’t, but telling him was a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, Magnus would no longer be the only person trying to keep Reggie alive. On the other, his mother might find out and Magnus had zero patience for that.

His original thought won.

“I want the name of the demon who sold Damier the baby.” He paused before adding, “and to possibly save Reggie.”

That got Octavian’s attention. His expression immediately went from amused to deadly serious in the blink of an eye.

“Save Reggie from what?”

In as few words as Magnus could manage, he told the two about Zara’s prediction. He explained why it was so important they uncover where Zara was from and to get her back there.

“An oracle’s prediction is final,” Magnus stated. “You can’t alter it. It has no double meaning. It is exactly what they say. If Zara isn’t really an oracle…”

“Reggie will be okay,” Riley finished for him, voice tight.

“But if she is…”

Octavian drew in a sharp breath. “Have you told Dad?”

Magnus shook his head. “He’ll tell Mom.”

Riley frowned. “What’s wrong with that? She should know.”

Octavian sighed. “No, that usually makes things worse.” His attention returned to Magnus. “Okay, we talk to Damier, but if it doesn’t pan out, we talk to Dad. This is a family matter.”

Magnus had no choice but to accept those terms. Damier was his only chance to save his brother. If the demon didn’t comply, they were shit out of luck.

“Can’t we meet the guy over coffee or something?” Riley mumbled, casting the gateway an exasperated glower.

“Damier’s a demon,” Octavian reminded her. “He can’t leave without going through the gateway.”

“I know,” she grumbled. “I just really hate it down there.”

Octavian set a gentle hand on her lower back. “I know. Me too.”

Magnus led the way forward. They’d already wasted enough time. The faster they went in and got out, the faster he could save his brother, and know once and for all what Zara really was, because a large part of him refused to believe she was an oracle. Then again, that may have just been wishful thinking on his part.

Demon blood, he reminded himself. Divine beings didn’t have demon blood. It was counterproductive, and Zara most definitely had demon blood in her.

“If Zara is an oracle, what then?” Riley wondered out loud as Octavian eased her over the jagged lip of the opening.

Neither he nor Octavian answered, which had the redhead glancing from one to the other with wide, fearful eyes.

“Seriously?” she blurted. “No, I don’t believe that. Come on.” She took the lead the rest of the way into the airless chamber. “I’ll beat the answer out of him.”

“No, you won’t.” Magnus caught her elbow. “You will stay away from him and act like you’ll beat the answers out of him. Damier is an upper level demon, like Baron. The only difference is Damier is easier to deal with.”

“Then why am I down here?”

“To watch my back,” he partially lied.

There was a reason he refused to tell his family he could read their thoughts and it wasn’t because he didn’t know how. The truth was, the last thing he wanted was for them to start acting weird around him, wondering if he knew what they were thinking. They wouldn’t care that he really couldn’t give a shit about their inner thoughts.

It was because of this he couldn’t tell them he was mostly worried about Zara waking up and flooding his head with voices. The very last thing he wanted was to pass out in a chamber full of demons who wanted his head without backup.

“Fine, but I still want to hit him.”

“Next time,” he promised.

No one spoke for several long seconds. The silence was occupied by the shuffle of their feet and the occasional scream echoing off the walls.

They maneuvered the winding trails, kicking up plumes of ash with their downward descent. Riley seemed slightly more prepared for the thick air, and the sights they passed. Only once did Octavian have to stop her from getting between a golden retriever and the demon bargaining for the animal’s tongue.

The dog was already dead, or Riley wouldn’t have been the only one getting involved.

“Dead or not, he could have been someone’s pet,” she argued.

“You can’t save the dead,” he said.

“Hey!”

He glanced at her. “The perpetually dead…?” he corrected awkwardly. “And technically, you’re not completely dead.”

Riley rocked her head slowly from side to side. “You know your life is complicated when you don’t even know if you’re actually dead or not.”

“It could be worse.” He gestured to the corpus pinned to the wheel. “You could be her.”

Riley winced. “Fair enough.” She watched as a dead girl’s liver was carefully sliced into sections and wrapped in brown paper. “That really shouldn’t be allowed.”

“We can’t protect the bodies of the dead,” said Magnus. “Christ, we’d never stop hunting.”

Riley made no more remarks about all the vile things they passed. He was sure she wasn’t even looking anymore. Her gaze stayed firmly fixed straight ahead, never straying left or right. The tense expression on her face could almost pass for aggressive if she wasn’t dressed in jeans and sneakers.

“We need to get you some leather pieces.”

She turned her head to him. “Leather pieces?”

“Clothes,” he corrected. “You’d look far more intimidating in leather.”

She blinked down at her jeans. “I never understood how Valkyrie can fight in those pants. How don’t they rip?”

Magnus snorted. “Practice.”

Riley clicked her tongue. “Nope. One leather clad warrior in the family’s enough. Besides, they don’t look very comfortable.”

Octavian leaned in and murmured something into her ear Magnus was extremely happy he couldn’t hear.

She choked and elbowed him. “Stop that!” But her cheeks were red and her eyes shone with her silent laughter. “Pervert.”

Octavian burst out laughing, startling several of the nearby demons.

Magnus shook his head and carried on.

They came to the auction hall. He hesitated just long enough to draw in a breath and brace himself. Then he plunged into the horde, moving quickly to the stage. He didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until they had cleared the red curtains and stood in the storage area.

“I think this is the worst part,” Riley muttered, eyeing the cages. “How can anyone think this is right?”

“They’re demons,” Magnus said, moving swiftly through the narrow path in the direction of Damier’s office.

Dru intercepted them at the doors, her yellow eyes narrowed. “What are you doing back here, Caster?”

“I need to see Damier,” said Magnus.

The demon didn’t move. “I won’t save you again.”

Magnus narrowed his eyes. “I don’t need you to save me, demon. Move.”

The she-demon did with great reluctance and Magnus stalked through.

“Magnus.” Damier never turned from his perusal over the grape selection on the banquet table. “I thought I would see you again.”

“Where did you get Zara?”

Damier selected a bushel of green grapes and set them on a gold plate. He turned.

“Who’s Zara?”

“Don’t bullshit me.”

Ice crackled around the edges of Damier’s grin. “I don’t think I’m the one you should be asking.”

Magnus never relented. “Who sold her to you? Where did she come from?”

“You know,” Damier popped a grape into his mouth and moved towards his throne. “I always thought we had a good thing, you and me. You scratch my back and I scratch yours. I got you the baby, you get my package. It was a simple exchange. Instead, I held up my end of the bargain and you … what is the word you like so much? Oh, yes, you fucked me! You took my package and had your little strigoi bodyguard ambush me when my back was turned.”

Magnus remained perfectly still, gaze never leaving the man in his emerald green robes, not even to glance at Dru, but he could sense her unease.

It made sense that she would lie about bashing her boss’s brains in, but Magnus didn’t like that she’d used Riley to clear her name. The last thing he wanted was his sister-in-law under the demon’s radar, but he wasn’t a snitch either. He wouldn’t throw Dru under the bus for helping them, and they both knew it.

He owed her.

“See? I can’t have that,” Damier went on. “I’m running a business here.” He chomped on another grape, pausing only to chew and study Magnus. “If I let this slide then everyone’s going to think they can just take what they want from me. It’s dangerous. I’m sorry, Magnus.”

That was all the warning they were given to brace when two Tian demons stooped into the room wielding swords and murderous expressions. They unfurled massive bodies to loom over the occupants of the room.

Magnus caught Dru’s exasperated glower, but barely when all his focus was on the hulking figures.

“You don’t want to do this,” Magnus warned the demon perched regally on his throne. “You won’t win. You know that.”

Damier shrugged coolly. “I don’t know about that. I kind of like my odds, don’t you? Even with your strigoi. She doesn’t stand a chance against two Tian demons.”

Magnus laughed. “You don’t know Riley.” He reached into his pocket and calmly removed his blade. “And she’s not alone.”

He made the first move.

He lunged. His blade created a silver arc as he swung it in the same fluid motion.

The creature reacted as it was trained to. It deflected the attack, catching the edge of Magnus’s blade with his sword. Sparks scattered into the air between them as metal shrieked against metal.

Tian demons were strong, but they weren’t very fast. Their sheer size made them clumsy and easily avoided. Yet that didn’t make them easily defeated, especially when Riley sank her talons into one’s neck and they literally sank, as if the flesh were made of clay. The area reformed the moment she yanked free.

“That’s cheating!” Riley snapped.

The creature said nothing, nor did he even appear smug about the fact. He simply lurched forward, massive hands extended.

Octavian cut the hand nearest him off at the wrist. The discarded limb hit the floor with a thump. The creature jerked back, startled by the sight of his stump.

“No!” Magnus cried. “Tian demon!” He reminded his brother.

It had been a while since Octavian had been out in the field, so any other time, Magnus would have forgiven him for his stupidity, but as it were, he’d just fucked them all.

The severed hand twitched. Fat knuckles popped. Bones snapped. The fingers elongated. The place where the inch of wrist ended, lengthened, forming an arm.

“No way,” Riley breathed,

Inch by inch, a third Tian demon formed into existence.

Damier cackled from his throne.

Octavian swore, but it was too late.

The thing had a torso now, a blobby lump of overworked clay reforming.

Moving quickly, Magnus took the moment of distraction to tackle his demon. The impact drove them both through the doors and out into the corridor. The demon landed in a sprawl of arms and legs across cold concrete with Magnus pinning him down.

He drove his blade into the creature’s abdomen, six inches from his belly button where his heart resided. The knife sank into the clay-like texture of his skin to the hilt. Magnus wrenched his wrist, driving it that last millimeter.

The creature gave a gasp and crumbled to dust.

Magnus didn’t bother shaking off the remains of demon off his clothes when shoving to his feet and tearing back into the room.

Octavian had the other demon in a headlock. It was flailing and jabbing his meaty fist into Octavian’s ribs, but the other man was holding on for all he was worth.

“Help Riley!” he hissed through the strain.

Magnus didn’t argue.

Riley didn’t really need help. Her demon had half of one arm and only one leg, but not being familiar with how to kill it, she was only standing over it while it finished forming.

“Its heart is in its stomach,” he told her with a twirl of his dagger. “On the left.”

“Me?” she blurted when he passed the knife to her.

He paused. “You can rip it out if you want...”

Riley blanched. She took the knife.

“I feel bad stabbing it when it’s too defenseless to fight back.”

“Riley!” Octavian snarled,

The redhead winced, but she took a step forward, blade held over her head psycho style.

“Lower,” Magnus instructed. “Turn your wrist over. Jab upward, not down.”

Riley adjusted her grip. “Like this?”

“Can we save the training for later!”

With a roar, Octavian tore his blade into the demon’s gut blindly. He didn’t hit the heart, but it was close enough to make the creature roar in panic. He fought to throw Octavian off. No longer fighting him, but struggling as the blade carved sideways, drawing closer to the thing keeping him alive.

“Stab it!” Octavian shouted.

Riley’s first attempt was clumsy and ineffective. Her second wasn’t nearly as bad, but Magnus made a mental note to help her with her jabs. Her wrist technique was sloppy and flimsy.

“Ha!” Riley cried in triumph when her creature disintegrated with her third try. “Did you see that? I just Buffy’d that shit!”

Magnus never got the chance to respond when Octavian’s creature burst into dust and the man, arm still around the demon’s neck, staggered forward a step with the loss of his support.

He grunted and swiped at the white powder coating his clothes, releasing plumes of smoke into the air. “Come to the market, he said,” he griped under his breath. “It’ll be fun, he said.”

“I never said it would be fun,” Magnus argued.

Octavian shot him a glower. “I have demon bits in my mouth.”

Riley giggled before Magnus could properly bite back his own snicker. Both were wise enough to smother their amusement when Octavian looked seconds away from strangling them.

Magnus turned to the wide-eyed demon sitting upright on his golden throne. Damier was no longer bathing in his own cleverness. His victory had been short lived and Magnus had no doubt he was tasting the bitter tang of his own mortality in that moment as Magnus closed the distance at a slow gait.

“Now, where were we?”

Damier’s Adam’s apple bobbed rapidly. “Old friend—”

“Don’t old friend me, asshole. You tried to kill me just now.”

Damier forced a smile. “What’s a little maiming amongst friends?”

Magnus opted to ignore that. “Enough games.” He leveled his blade to the sharp point of the demon’s Adam’s apple. “Where did you get the baby? Who was the blonde she-demon? Who sold you Zara? Where did they get her from?”

Damier splayed both hands, fingers wide apart in a gesture of innocence, but Magnus wasn’t fooled; the demon wouldn’t know the meaning if it kicked him in the crotch.

“Would I lie to you?”

That was the thing. Without Zara’s abilities transferring over to Magnus, being there felt pointless. Magnus almost had to remind himself he’d been doing this job for centuries before Zara came into his life. Dealing with scum like Damier was what he did. He didn’t need mind reading abilities to recognize bullshit.

“Where did Zara come from?” Magnus pressed. “Who sold her to you? I know you know that.”

“I don’t, actually,” Damier broke in hastily. “Dru will tell you, I never saw the guy’s face. He just came in and asked if I was interested in an oracle. I wasn’t going to say no, especially considering he was practically giving it away.”

“She’s not an it!” Magnus bit out before he could stop himself.

“Her,” Damier corrected quickly. “So, I thought to myself, Magnus owes me one for the baby, why not do each other a favor?”

“Where did he say she was from?”

The demon sighed heavily. “I don’t do a lot of chit-chat with the clients, if you know what I mean. You’re the only one who asks these many questions.”

“What did the demon look like?” Octavian interjected.

Damier peeked from him to Magnus. “Are you guys not listening? He was wearing a cloak. All I know is that he was enormous and had red eyes.”

That pretty much summed up the majority of the underworld.

“Are we good?” Damier asked when Magnus could think of nothing else to ask.

Magnus exchanged a questioning glance with Octavian. The other man gave an indifferent shrug of his shoulders.

“Yeah,” Magnus mused. “I guess we are.”

Without waiting for the demon to take a breath of relief, Magnus slashed with his blade and cut a fine gash clean across Damier’s jugular. The demon’s blue eyes bulged in horror. His mouth opened in a silent gasp. Black tar oozed from the torn flesh, ruining his pretty robes.

“That’s for trying to kill me,” Magnus muttered to no one in particular. Leaving Damier to bleed to death, he turned to the other three in the room with him. “I think I need to make a stop at Baron’s.”

“Why?” Octavian and Riley blurted on unison.

“Because if anyone knows where Zara’s from and who took her, it’s Baron, unfortunately.”

“Really?” Riley whined. “Can’t we just … I dunno, ask Zara? I’d like to stay as far away as possible from that man … demon.”

Magnus shook his head. “You’re not coming. I’m going to do this alone.”

Riley sighed. “As much as I like that idea, you can’t go alone. He’s screwed this family over way too many times.”

“It’s for Reggie.” He pocketed his blade.

She turned to her husband. “Octavian?”

Octavian didn’t answer. He stared at Magnus with that eerie calm of his.

“You’re not going alone.”

“Octavian?”

He ignored his wife. “Not only will Dad not allow it, but I won’t. Let’s get Riley home and—”

“Uh, no!” Riley jumped in. “No, you’re not dumping Riley off at home and running off to play Dungeons and Dragons with Lucifer.”

“He’s not Lucifer,” Magnus tried to pacify.

“Whatever!” she snapped. “You are not doing it. And neither are you.” She glowered from one to the other. “Now, if you want to go, I’m going too.”

“No!” Magnus’s protest echoed with Octavian’s.

“Oh, I see.” Riley barked a feigned chuckle. “So, it’s cool to drag me down to hell, but I can’t go to see one guy with you guys.”

“He’s not just one guy, Green-Eyes.” Octavian took her shoulders gently. “He’s the worst guy.”

“I know that, which is why I’m going.” She put her hand up when he opened his mouth. “Seriously, stop arguing.”

Octavian sighed. He muttered a long oath about patience in Gaelic and released her.

“Good. Now that that is settled.” She faced Magnus. “When are we going?”

“Hello?” Dru stabbed her hips with her balled fists. “Did you guys forget about me?”

Magnus kind of had. Battling Tian demons and killing Damier had taken all his focus. Plus, the tiny blonde was always hiding in corners. It was impossible to remember she was there half the time.

“We’re leaving,” Magnus told her, threading the warning into each letter, in case she got any bright ideas about stopping him.

“Oh, fantastic,” she blurted, voice dripping with sarcasm. “After everything I’ve done for you, you’re just going to leave me here without a job and a dead body to deal with?”

He’d never understood what possessed her to work for a demon like Damier, but he’d never considered what would become of her if the roadside demon was no longer around. He’d never cared. It wasn’t his job to.

“No.” Riley stalked around Magnus to where Damier’s blood soaked body slumped limply and tossed him out of his chair. “You’ve just been promoted. On one condition—no children. Not demon. Not goats. Not smurfs.”

Dru’s gaze flicked to Magnus. “What’s a smurf?”

“My point,” Riley stressed when Magnus only shook his head. “No children. No one under the age of eighteen.”

Dru’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

“Baby,” Octavian edged a step towards her. “Age is different in the demon world.”

“Eighteen years of life!” she snapped. “Not that hard. Not looks eighteen, or acts eighteen. Is eighteen.”

“But no one wants eighteen-year-old goats!” Dru protested. “They are old and useless.”

Riley stared at the other woman through a thinly disguised annoyance. “Dude.”

“Fine.” Dru straightened her shoulders. “No human or demon babies.”

Riley gave a satisfied bob of her head. “Our job here is complete. Pleasure doing business.”

With that, she stepped over the fallen body of the roadside demon and started for the door.

“Wait.” Magnus called after her, but turned to Dru. “The demon who brought Damier the baby—”

“Let it go, Caster,” she snapped. “You have the baby, the rest is unimportant.” She glanced down at her clipboard, a gesture that struck Magnus as oddly familiar, but by someone else. He just couldn’t remember who. “You need to go now. You need to be somewhere else at the moment.”

Magnus exchanged glances with Octavian. The other man looked as convinced as Magnus felt.

“Then at least tell me what Zara is,” he stressed, refusing to leave without learning something.

Dru pursed her lips. “You already know what she is.”

“An oracle?” he surmised. “Is she an oracle?”

The tip of her pen smacked against the edge of her clipboard, harmonizing her agitation. “She is what she is,” Dru replied tersely. “It won’t change things if she were anything else.”

“Who sold her to Damier?”

“It will not change who she is!” Dru practically shouted.

Magnus opened his mouth to argue. She was deliberately being difficult. He didn’t understand why she couldn’t just tell him what he needed to know. Why was it such a problem?

“You need to leave,” she told him with a tightness that implied he was wasting time.

“Why does everything have to be so cryptic with you people!” Riley muttered. “A simple yes or no would have worked just as well.”

Dru’s cool gaze swept past Magnus and focused on the other woman. “There is nothing simple about what you ask. Now, I have other matters that require my attention.”

Her chin tilted down, reverting her attention to the clipboard and dismissing them.

Magnus peered at his brother, hoping the other man had some idea, but was met with a wordless shrug.

Typical.

Octavian didn’t give a shit about anything, except getting Riley back. There was no bigger concern. Not Zara. Not Reggie.

Resisting the urge to kick his brother, Magnus started for the door. The other two followed.

They stalked away from the storage area and ducked out into the crowd. They followed the redhead towards the exit and the promise of fresh air. But they only got about six feet in when Riley came to a skidding halt. Every line of her body had gone rigid. Her claws had extended.

“Riley?” Octavian had to shout to be heard over the roar.

But she didn’t move.

Magnus followed the murderous path of her gaze to the platform and the four figures dominating it. One was a Tian demon. The other was Belthon. Each gripped the arm of a child, two boys, barely old enough to be more than five and seven. They weren’t demon, but they weren’t human. Veil creatures of some kind, but it was hard to tell with their slitted yellow eyes, thick, black hair, and small, sharp teeth.

The younger of the two, a tiny thing in torn shorts was shoved before the crowd despite his screams. No one seemed to care he was crying or that there was a hand print the size of a demon’s fist across the length of his entire tear stained face.

The older boy was fighting against the Tain’s clutches, kicking and clawing, trying to get to the other boy. Over the noise, it was impossible to hear what he was actually saying, but Magnus could have sworn he’d seen the boy before … somewhere.

“Riley, no!”

Magnus whirled back just in time to see the redhead disappear through the crowd.

“Shit!” he swore.

He and Octavian tore after her, shoving demons aside and fighting to keep track of the blur moving towards the stage.

This was not going to end well. Magnus could sense it. They were outnumbered a million to one, and even if they weren’t brutally slaughtered, he was fairly certain they were about to break a shit ton of rules by interfering in demon business.

Nevertheless, they weren’t going to let Riley handle whatever the hell she was about to do alone.

She was already climbing up the stage stairs when they reached her. No one saw her coming. Not Belthon. Not the Tian demon, but she was suddenly behind Belthon, a full monster with fangs extended, eyes blazing, and one clawed hand protruding from the demon’s chest.

Silence crashed through the cavern, a deafening hush that amplified the eerie sound of Belthon choking on his own blood.

No one moved.

No one even breathed.

There was nothing but stunned horror on the faces of everyone in the crowd as they watched Belthon’s chin drop to see what everyone was staring at.

The black lump crushed in her talons dropped with the release of her fingers. It struck the platform between Belthon’s feet with a thump.

“Oh, look, he does have a heart,” Riley hissed with a sinister twist of her lips.

She tore her hand out of the demon’s chest and shoved him aside.

He staggered as his brain tried to process the hole where his heart used to be. He never got the chance to figure it out before he tumbled over the edge of the stage.

The crowd gasped, muffling the crunch of his body hitting the ground.

“Oh fuck,” Magnus breathed under his breath.

The Tian demon came to his senses before anyone else. He lunged for her.

Riley grabbed the little boy and pushed him out of the way just as the demon dove. In the same motion, she spun and dipped at the waist straight under the meaty fist that swung over her head. Her foot shot out and caught the demon in the abdomen, doubling him over to the perfect height. Riley took advantage of the bent position and jumped onto his back like a baby monkey. Bloody hands gripped his bulbous head.

“No!” Magnus’s shout was completely ignored.

With a twist, she tore the demon’s head clean off his shoulders. It dropped with a sickening thump and rolled until it came to a stop at the very edge of the stage. The body itself lurched backwards, but not before Riley had punched a hole in its stomach through his back and added his heart to the one she’d torn from Belthon.

The Tian demon burst to ashes.

Riley rose effortlessly to her feet. She stared over the crowd, challenging anyone to stop her.

No one did.

No one even moved.

Not even Magnus or Octavian.

Satisfied, she went to the boy, who shrank back at the blood dripping off Riley in droplets.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” she told the kid firmly. “Do you understand?”

Big, golden eyes blinked once, which must have meant something to her, because she scooped him up into her arms without any resistance from him. Then she turned and motioned for the other boy’s hand, which he offered willingly, unfazed by the blood still dripping from her fingers. She led both off the stage, past Octavian and Magnus still hovering uselessly at the bottom of the stairs.

“Leather pants, huh?” Octavian breathed, watching his wife part the crowd as if she were on fire. “Yeah, that would definitely look hot.”

Magnus said nothing. He honestly didn’t know what to say. On the one hand, he was proud as fuck. On the other, he couldn’t help thinking of the headache this was going to cost him.

Oh well, he thought. It would be worth it given that he’d wanted to see the end of Belthon for ages.

They followed her through the tunnels with the children in tow. It wasn’t until they reached the gateway that Riley stopped. Gently, she set the youngest boy down and knelt to his eyelevel.

“What’s your name?”

The boy looked to the other boy.

“He doesn’t talk,” the older boy said.

“All right.” Riley turned her attention to him. “What’s your name?”

“Otis. He’s Alec.”

Riley smiled, making a disturbing sight with her sharp teeth and bloody clothes. “Where are your parents?”

“We ain’t got them. It’s just us.”

“Is he your brother?”

Otis nodded.

Riley rose. She turned to her husband.

“I’m taking them home.”

“Riley…”

Her jaw tensed. “They’re coming with me.”

Octavian looked to Magnus, silently willing him to say something.

“She’s your wife.”

Octavian twisted one corner of his lip downward. “Thanks a lot.” He faced his wife once more. “You can’t just steal demon babies.”

“We ain’t demon babies!” Otis barked, visibly outraged by the comparison.

“I’m not stealing,” Riley countered hotly. “They don’t have family. They’re alone. I’m going to—”

“What? Take them home and adopt them?”

“Yes!” Her chin came up. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Now, please help me get Otis and Alec through the hole.”

“Demons can only stay one fortnight, Green-eyes. We can’t keep them longer than that.”

“We ain’t demons!” Otis was ignored once more.

“Says who?” she cried. “Who’s going to stop us? We’re the ones who bring those demons back. We decide. Jackamo Bray.”

Octavian blinked. Even Magnus gave a start at the unexpected name drop.

“What?”

“Jackamo Bray,” she repeated. “Your parents granted him amnesty in exchange for the name of the strigoi leader responsible for the monster who turned me. Remember? They can do it again. I’m not leaving them, Octavian!”

“Jesus Christ!” his brother snapped. “You can’t adopt demons!”

“They’re not demons,” Magnus said when Otis opened his mouth again, little fangs glinting. “They’re veil creatures.”

“We’re lycanthropes. Shapeshifters,” Otis clarified.

“Werewolves.” Octavian rubbed a hand over his face. “Christ.”

“Seriously?” Riley planted her hands on her hips. “We have a harvester, a banshee, an oracle, a vampire, and a whole gaggle of selkies. Oh, let’s not forget whatever Akilah is. But we’re drawing the line at werewolves?”

“They’re animals!” Octavian hissed just under his breath.

“So am I!” Riley cried. “Or have you forgotten?”

“This is different!”

“No, it really isn’t. They need a home. We have one.”

“No.”

“Then I’m staying here.”

That stopped Octavian. “Riley—”

“Stop Riley-ing me. I’m not … they need me.”

Octavian’s features softened. “Sweetheart…”

“I’m asking you to do this for me.”

Magnus knew the moment she had his brother. His broad shoulders lifted. His gaze dropped to the two staring up at him with their wolfish eyes.

It was only in that moment Magnus remembered where he’d seen them; they were the creatures chained to Damier’s throne, his pets.

His most recent obsessions, as he’d called them.

They hadn’t been there when they’d gone to see the demon earlier. Magnus hadn’t given it much thought, but Damier had claimed to be bored of them. Selling them off made the most sense.

“Fine,” Octavian relented.

His declaration earned him an arm full of the tiny redhead. He didn’t even seem to mind the demon blood transferring off her clothes. He kissed the side of her head. Then looked to Magnus.

“Stay with her. I’m going to get the car.”

Magnus raised an eyebrow. “I will … for my own protection, which we will all need once the demons back there get over their shock.”

Riley beamed at him and stepped back to let Octavian through. They watched him merge through the gateway and amble up the alleyway.

“This is a bad idea,” Magnus said once they were alone.

“Maybe.” She looked down at the youngest boy and smiled lovingly. “Maybe not.”

It was no surprise to him why Riley was doing this. He didn’t need Zara’s mind reading abilities to feel Riley’s need for a family. Since strigoi’s couldn’t have children, and humans couldn’t be brought into Final Judgment, underworld children were her only choice. Nevertheless, adopting veil creature children was never a good idea.

“Do you know what they eat?”

Riley hesitated. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.”

“Cats,” the oldest boy piped up. “And squirrels,” he added when the younger boy tugged on his filthy sleeve.

That relaxed Riley’s shoulders. “See? We can work with that. We can get them animal meat. Have you ever had a steak?”

Otis shook his head. “What is it?”

“Cow.”

The boy shook his head again. “Is that like a cat?”

“You’ll like it,” Riley promised instead.

The smaller boy tugged on his sleeve again. Magnus didn’t know how the boy knew what he was asking, but Otis nodded and looked to Riley again.

“Are you going to eat us?”

Riley recoiled. “No! Of course not. No one is ever going to hurt you again.”

Octavian returned, a grim turn in his mouth. “Ready. And Mom called.”

“You didn’t tell her—”

“Tell her what?” Octavian frowned at her. “That we’re bringing a pair of stray baby demons home?”

“We ain’t demons!”

Octavian met the boy’s furious glower head on. “Kid…”

“She’d lose her shit,” Magnus cut in.

“I just said we were on our way.”

Riley beamed. “She’ll be thrilled. You’ll see. Come on.”

With each of the kid’s hands clasped in hers, she motioned for Octavian to take the lead through the gateway. They sent Alec through first. Then Otis. Riley took both their hands as they made their way to the car.

They found Kyaerin sitting at a table littered with applications. Her eyes bulged at the sight of Riley’s blood-soaked clothes.

“Riley!”

“I’m okay. It’s not mine.” Riley stepped over the threshold with Alec and Otis in tow. “I want you to meet someone.”

Kyaerin looked from one to the other, fascinated. “And who are these little ones?”

“This is Alec and Otis.” She paused for a full heartbeat before adding. “I’m keeping them.”

Magnus expected a lot of things to happen. His mother refusing. His mother trying to rationalize and change Riley’s mind. But she took one look at Alec’s little face and her own face melted into a smile.

“Hello darlings. Are you hungry?”

Otis looked to his brother, who nodded. “Yes,” he confirmed.

She extended her hand to the oldest boy. “Come. Let’s get you cleaned up. Then we’ll find you something to eat, how’s that?”

“That is not how I foresaw that unfolding,” Octavian mused, watching the two women leave the room.

“That makes two of us.”

As the kitchen doors swung closed, they flew open again and Gideon emerged. He approached Magnus.

“Was there a two for one sale at the market?”

Magnus merely shook his head, not sure how to explain what happened.

“I better go talk to Dad,” Octavian murmured.

“No need. He’s right behind me.”

Sure enough, Liam arrived, followed by Reggie, both wearing bemused expressions.

“Were those werecubs?” Liam asked, one thumb gesturing over his shoulder in the direction his wife had gone.

Octavian shifted nervously. “It’s a long story.”

Liam and Reggie stopped once they’d reached the group.

“Where are their parents?”

“They don’t have any,” Octavian explained.

It was amusing watching his cool, confident brother try and fail to explain the decisions of his pixie sized wife. He winced while going over her refusing to listen to reason and swelled in pride when rehashing her badassary on the stage. In the end, he simply shook his head slowly, like there really was nothing he could have done.

“And she just … brought them home?” Gideon asked when Octavian finished speaking.

“Pretty much.”

“You know, that gives a whole new meaning to, it followed me home, can I keep it?”

Gideon ducked when Octavian swung at him.

“Boys.” Liam sighed and propped a hip against the table edge. “This is a serious matter, one that requires a proper and thorough discussion. Your mother will agree, this is not a good idea.”

Octavian scratched at his jaw, filling the diner with the hiss of sandpaper where a five o’clock shadow had darkened the perfectly defined lines. “Riley … she’s grown attached. She won’t give them up.”

The tip of three fingers settled against Liam’s bottom lip. He tapped lightly once before lowering his arm.

“It might not be up to her.” He fixed Octavian with the full weight of his regret. “They’re dangerous. Bringing them into our home is dangerous. It’s a risk no one person should make for everyone.”

Magnus knew Octavian understood. Shifters were tenuous creatures, hotheaded, rash … aggressive. They were incapable of controlling their animal instincts.

Werewolf cubs had zero capacity for rationality. They didn’t know how to calm themselves down, which was a hazard for anyone too close. One bite, one scratch and the recipient would meet an untimely death within the first twenty-four hours. The toxins in their fangs and claws were meant as protection, but one without an antidote.

“Can’t we steal her a couple of human babies?” Gideon mused. “We can swap them out. She might not even notice.”

“She’ll notice,” Octavian grumbled. “She really seems to like them.”

Gideon clicked his tongue. “That’s truly unfortunate, but maybe she’ll change her mind once they start shedding and humping everything in sight.”

Octavian shot his brother a dry glower.

“Riley’s reasonable,” Reggie defended. “I think once we explain why this is a bad idea, she’ll understand.”

It didn’t quite work out that way.

Kyaerin led the boys into the parlor nearly an hour later, freshly bathed and fed. She held each of their hands, beaming like a proud grandmother.

They’d been dressed in t-shirts Magnus knew on sight belonged to Reggie. One was green with a massive bull’s eye on the front. The other a navy blue with a ninja doing a kick. On both boys, the shirts went all the way to their ankles.

But seeing them, seeing them with his mother, seeing the excitement and smile lighting up her face, Magnus couldn’t help thinking that could have been his kids. It should have been. His parents should have met them. They should have been the ones his mother was doting on.

Instead, he could only push away from the armrest he’d been leaning against and move to the window. The evening painted the glass black, but it only amplified the demon snarling back from his reflection.

The children were placed on the sofa like a pair of dolls with the adults stationed in a semi-circle around them. Riley was the only one who sat close, claiming the seat next to the eldest boy.

Magnus didn’t think it made a difference where either kid was concerned. He couldn’t imagine anyone feeling at ease when surrounded by a pack of strangers, but he had to admit that they did really well, considering. Alec scooted closer to his brother. Other than that, they were perfectly still.

“I’m Liam,” his father began from Riley’s usual spot on the sofa. “What are your names?”

Alec peeked at his brother. His expression held confusion and concern. The expected reaction to the situation, but there was trust there too. Trust that his big brother would make things better. Trust that he would be okay. Magnus understood that blind faith.

However, Otis, at the center of a group of strangers, basically alone, didn’t appear quite as confident as he had back in the caves. He surveyed the faces staring down on his with a nervous lick of his lips.

He cleared his throat and squeaked, “Otis?”

“And you?” Liam pinned his attention on the younger one, his features gentle.

“He doesn’t talk,” Otis said for his brother. “But he’s Alexander.”

That didn’t faze Liam. He simply swept his gaze back to the eldest.

“Where are your parents, Otis?” Liam pressed. “It’s all right. You’re safe here,” he added when Otis hesitated.

The boy shifted in his seat. His small hands bunched in his lap. He darted a glance towards Riley.

The strigoi nodded encouragingly.

“They were killed,” he said at last to Liam. “It’s just me and Alec.”

The ghost of a smile touched the man’s face. “Alec. It suits him.” He eyed the younger boy peering back at him with his big, yellow eyes half hidden behind thick fringes of hair. “Alexander’s such a big name for someone so small.”

Alec squirmed in his seat, a little grin touching his lips, but he settled when Otis glanced sideways at him.

“How did you end up at the market?” Octavian cut in.

Otis lifted his chin until he could properly see the bigger man standing just to one side with his arms folded and a cape of distrust shimmering around him.

“One of the men who attacked our pack found us. He took us to Damier.”

“Shifters are protected,” Valkyrie stated with the sharp edge of authority. “There aren’t many of them left. The slaughter of an entire pack is prohibited.”

“That clearly hadn’t stopped Damier from wanting to use them,” Gideon chimed. “We need to find them another pack.”

“No!” Riley’s protest was overruled by Valkyrie’s louder outburst.

“You can’t just stick a pair of cubs in another pack. They’ll be killed, or worse.”

“They’re not going anywhere,” this was from Kyaerin, who fixed her son with a stare of warning. “They’ve been through enough.”

“Lycanthropes are dangerous,” Octavian rationalized, eyes focused on his wife as if willing her to understand. “There is a reason they live in the wilderness, far from humans. We are not equipped to handle their changes here.”

“Then we will equip ourselves,” Riley stated. “We have plenty of wilderness out back. If we need to, we can build them a secure room. I know how werewolves work,” she added a bit tartly at the look of surprise on Octavian’s face. “I know all about their changes. I’m still not tossing them out.”

“A werewolf cub’s bite is lethal to all creatures. One scratch and they can kill all of us. Even you.”

“But they won’t!” Riley argued. “They’re children, for god sakes, Octavian. You can’t turn away children.”

“Riley’s right,” Kyaerin piped in. “They’re children, not stray animals, and they have already lost one family.”

“Perhaps this is something that requires a vote,” Liam ventured. “Majority rules.”

“You’re going to gamble their happiness by a fifty-fifty percent chance?” Kyaerin sputtered.

“It may be the only way we resolve this,” Liam said.

“Go or stay, I’m not leaving them,” Riley said firmly. “So, if they go, I go.”

The last part was said with a pointed glower at her husband, who said nothing, but rubbed a hand over his face.

“Liam!” Kyaerin peered at him imploringly.

“This is a family decision, a chroí.” He turned to the rest of the room. “Reggie?”

Reggie peered down at the children, corner of his mouth turned down. “You’re both house trained, right?”

“Reggie!”

“What?” he cried. “It’s a legit question we should all be asking.”

“What’s house trained?” Otis whispered, slightly green around the collar.

The boy looked so incredibly small, in Magnus’s opinion. He was trying to maintain a brave face for his brother, but there was no mistaking the fear in his eyes.

Reggie groaned. “I’m going to regret this, but yes. Stay.”

“Stay,” Valkyrie said when Liam’s gaze landed on her.

“No,” Imogen whispered, so softly they almost didn’t hear her. “I’m sorry. Werewolves scare me.”

“That’s all right,” Liam assured her. “Gideon?”

“I don’t know,” the blond murmured. “I feel like a tool for saying no, but Jesus, werewolves.” He stared at the two, lip caught between his teeth. “What happened to Mom’s no pet policy?”

The pillow Riley hurled at him smacked him square in the face with enough force to send him back a full step. The pillow burst like a water balloon, sending a plume of feathers everywhere.

“That was uncalled for, Gideon,” Kyaerin scolded as Gideon coughed out bits of fluff and shook them from his hair.

On the sofa, Alec giggled and was immediately shushed by his brother.

Gideon looked at the two again, his brows furrowed in annoyance, but his lips twitching in a grin. “Fine. Yes.”

“Mo ghrá?”

There was no point asking Kyaerin. The tender smile she gave the two said it all.

“Yes.”

Liam touched her shoulder before moving on. “Riley?”

“Yes!”

“Octavian?”

His brother visibly struggled under the decision. His gaze shifted to his mate, eyes brimming with remorse, but shoulders tense with resolve.

“No.”

Riley sucked in a breath, but didn’t speak.

“No.” The soft response had heads turning to the doorway and the woman darkening the threshold. Akilah offered them a sheepish smile. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Liam shook his head and motioned her in. “Not at all. Please.”

“She’s not family!” Riley jumped in. “No offense. She shouldn’t get a vote.”

“For the time being, this is her home as well.”

“For the time being,” Riley stressed. “She’s a guest. I’m barely considering Imogen’s vote here.”

“Ouch,” the banshee murmured. “Tell me how you really feel.”

“No!” Riley took the girl’s hand. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean it the way it sounds. But you and Akilah will eventually leave once the war is over and you’ll both move on from here and this family. This vote is deciding the fate of two scared, helpless children and if anyone should get a vote it’s people this decision is going to impact, which is family only.”

Akilah smiled. “You’re very wise for someone so young, but wild creatures belong in the wild.”

“We still have your vote.” Kyaerin turned to Liam.

Liam paused for a long stretch of time, time that seemed to span on forever before he broke it with a squaring of his shoulders.

“There is nothing more important to me than this family. I would die for each of you. But I’m sorry, Riley. My decision is no.”

“Shit,” Reggie breathed.

“No! Wait. Magnus.” Riley turned her big, red eyes to him, pleading.

Magnus turned away from the window to face the eyes watching him, waiting for him to take a side.

“No.” He didn’t give an explanation.

His mind had been made up since the moment Riley took them off the stage. They were dangerous and he was having a hard enough time protecting his family from dangerous things without adding them under the roof.

“What?” Riley whispered, sounding like he’d crushed her heart.

“It’s a tie,” Valkyrie said.

No one said anything for several long, tense seconds. Glances were exchanged as if each willing the other to rethink their vote. But each had already made up their mind. They were at an impasse.

“Yes.” Zara, in her white gown, appeared in the doorway. Her complexion was still ashen, a concerning gray that washed the color from her lips, but they illuminated her eyes, turning them to purple flames. “If I’m allowed, then yes.”

Riley tore off the sofa and threw herself at the other woman, nearly taking them both to the ground. The impact momentarily stunned Zara. Her eyes went wide with surprise and she simply stood there with her arms at her sides as Riley squeezed the breath from her. It was a full second before she lifted pale arms and awkwardly embraced the other woman back.

Magnus took the opportunity to study her, to really take her in and judge the level of her wellbeing. At a glance, she seemed almost stable, but he could make out the faint tremors that kept coursing down the length of her body. Each one seemed to stoop her a little more where she stood, as if sucking the energy to remain upright, but upright she remained stubbornly.

It took every ounce of his control not to stalk over, pitch her over his shoulder, and drag her back to bed. He couldn’t begin to understand why she was even there. What would possess her to make the trip when she could barely stand? The damn woman was clearly out of her fucking mind.

“Stop shouting,” she whispered quietly in his head, her voice weary even there.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he retorted, attempting to lower his thoughts, which he wasn’t entirely sure how to do.

“I’m fine.”

Riley drew away and Zara swayed slightly. The heel of Magnus’s boot lifted, his body already on the verge of action, but she straightened and followed the strigoi to the sofa.

Magnus hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until she’d perched gingerly on the cushion next to Alec.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed,” Kyaerin chided gently

Zara forced a smile. “I was needed here.” Her violet eyes rotated and fixed on the children. “Hello Otis.”

The boy blinked. “I can hear you in my head!” he squeaked, the first real sign of panic coming to life across his face. “How do you know my name?”

“I know a lot about you, and you,” she added, peering to Alec, whose eyes had gone big and wide like a child witnessing his first Christmas. “You’re both very special.”

“Shiny,” whispered a small voice through the telepathic link. Alec lifted a tiny hand and touched a lock of Zara’s hair. “Like the moon.”

Riley squeaked from Otis’s other side. “Alec?” She shot big, excited eyes up at Zara. “Was that Alec?”

Zara nodded, never taking her attention away from the boy petting her hair.

“Is he a telepathic?” Reggie asked.

“No.” Zara brushed a flop of hair out of the boy’s eyes. “He’s just not ready to talk right now.”

It dawned on Magnus that he couldn’t hear anyone else. He’d been so caught up in seeing Zara up and about that it hadn’t really registered until that moment, but he heard Alec. He wondered if the stress of what happened at the market had somehow broken something. Maybe he was no longer cursed with the ability to hear thoughts. The idea was relieving and welcoming, except he had a feeling that wasn’t it at all. He had a feeling Zara was blocking him, which made more sense.

Whatever the reason, he wasn’t going to fight it. It was a relief, honestly.

“You’re safe now,” Zara said to Alec. “No one will hurt you again.”

Alec remained perfectly quiet. But he didn’t need to say a word when the pain was a tiny teardrop on his cheek that Zara brushed away.

“What’s the matter?” Riley cut in, and Magnus realized Zara was talking only to the children, and allowing him to listen in. Everyone else was in the dark. “Did he say something?”

Zara took the hand Alec had woven through her hair and squeezed it gently before rounding her attention to Riley.

“He doesn’t understand what’s happening,” she lied smoothly.

Riley nodded as if that made perfect sense. “Well,” she began slowly. “I guess this means they’re staying.”

Liam inclined it had. “It would seem so. However, they will be your responsibility. Any wrongdoing will be answered for by you.”

Riley nodded. “I understand.”

Otis glanced at his brother. His expression was one of doubt and exhaustion, too much weariness for a boy his age. But his mind spun with all the things that decision meant, what it would imply, what would be expected. They’d already been sold once to creatures who had only hurt them, and these people clearly didn’t want them around. How long before they were sold again? Maybe they needed to run. They’d seen the woods around back. He could take Alec there. They’d be free.

“You won’t run again, Otis,” Zara whispered just between them. “Your brother will never be safer than he is at this moment. These people may not seem like it, but I promise you, they will protect you both.”

“They don’t want us.”

“She does.” Zara gave a subtle jerk of her chin towards Riley. “That’s all that matters.”

“There’s more of them.”

“Doesn’t matter. She will fight for you, and so will I, because you and your brother have a big role to play in this family.”

Otis sighed heavily. “There aren’t any more people who’ll come in and say no, is there?”

Zara smiled, a large, ear to ear grin that showed all her teeth. “No, there was only me.” She gave him a wink. “I wanted to make a grand entrance.”

Otis snorted a laugh, disrupting the conversation Liam was having with Riley about properly keeping the cubs contained during the full moon. The sound drew the room’s attention and immediately wiped the grin off the boy’s face.

“What?” Kyaerin asked.

Zara shook her head. “Otis wanted to know if there would be anyone else dropping in to say no.”

No one else seemed to find that nearly as amusing. Guilty glances were exchanged as everyone—except Magnus—realized the carelessness of their actions. Magnus still didn’t believe they should be allowed to stay, but the decision had been made. Like it or not, they were part of the family.

“We were very crass with your feelings, weren’t we?” Liam decided. “The decision should have been made in private.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Otis murmured.

“It does,” Liam argued gently. “I apologize.”

It was clear from the boy’s baffled expression that he’d never been offered a formal apology before. The last few months had been a series of adults pushing, pulling, and ordering him to do whatever they wanted. They’d certainly never apologized for it, especially not the men who had stormed into their camp in the dead of night and dragged everyone from their tents. Otis had just managed to grab Alec before they too were put in a row and burned.

Magnus nearly toppled over as the words and images wove to life inside his head. He bolted upright off the windowsill so quickly he nearly lost his balance.

“Wait. Stop! What was that?” He darted forward, skirting around the coffee table to stop in front of the kid. “What were you just thinking?”

Yellow eyes enormous against the white texture of his complexion, Otis said nothing. His mouth opened and closed several times, but the thoughts in his head had scrambled with the panic.

“Magnus?” Liam had risen to his feet, but made no move towards them.

“You’re scaring him,” Zara warned calmly in his head.

But Magnus didn’t have time to be gentle. “The men who killed your pack, tell me about them.”

Otis’s throat muscles bobbed rapidly and he shot an anxious glance in Riley’s direction.

“It’s all right,” she urged.

Otis licked his lips and started. “They were big.”

“What else?” Magnus prompted when the boy went quiet. “Did they have one of these?”

He withdrew his angelic blade from his pocket and held it up for the boy to see.

Otis nodded.

“Go on,” Magnus snapped.

“Magnus!” his mother scolded. “Enough.”

“Otis,” Zara’s soft voice flowed through their minds like a gentle stream. “It’s all right. Give me your hand.”

Otis hesitated, but he set his small hand in hers.

“Good. Now close your eyes and think about that night.”

A muscle tightened in the boy’s jaw. “I don’t want to think about that night.”

“Hey.” Riley scooted closer and reached over to take Otis’s free hand. “It’s okay, understand? You’re safe here. But if we want to catch the people who did this to your family, we need to know what happened.”

Otis glanced from one woman to the other, uncertainty furrowing his brows. “You can really catch them?”

“No,” Magnus answered before either Riley or Zara could open their mouths. “But I can.”

Yellow eyes dropped to the blade hanging at Magnus’s side. “Okay, but you’re not going to show Alec, right?”

Zara shook her head. “I won’t show Alec.”

Reassured, he sucked in a deep inhale and closed his eyes.