“Would you like me to leave?” Glendale rubbed against Eloise’s leg. “I won’t stay where I’m not welcome. Well, sometimes I will.”

“Do you realize what we’ve been through?” Eloise showed no signs of calming down. “We could have been crushed. Drowned!”

“But you weren’t. What’s that old saying, what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger?” Glendale wrapped his tail around her leg.

She shook him off. “Watch yourself, cat.”

“Cat? Have you resolved yourself to name calling, Pixie?” He rolled onto his back, all four paws in the air.

I stayed quiet at first, trying to think over our options. We needed to find Hailey, but that involved figuring out where the light portal could possibly be.

Eloise leaned over Glendale. “Where’s Hailey? I don’t really care about anything else right now. I’m going to be in so much trouble if we don’t find her, and my guess is the whole world might be. I knew I was being assigned to someone high profile but this is nuts.”

“Hailey is fine. At least she is alive at the moment. Things could always change or go downhill.”

I didn’t think as I lunged at him, picking up Glendale under his front paws. In a flash his teeth became long fangs and his claws extended halfway down his body. I tried to throw him, but I couldn’t. His tail wrapped around my wrists tightening.

“Glendale,” Sol spoke calmly. Insanely calmly. “You like this one.”

The tail unfurled, and I was able to let go. He fell landing on his feet with his teeth and claws back to normal. “Sorry. I don’t like to be picked up.”

“And now I see why you chose a cat form. My ex’s cat used to go psycho when you picked him up too.” Cade crossed his arms over his chest. “Nasty little creature.”

“Cats are rather good at making their personal space needs known.” Glendale flipped his tail back and forth as if nothing had transpired. “My apologies, Wyatt. Where were we?”

“We were discussing Hailey.” I let my anger melt away just enough to stay focused. As annoyed at the demon as I was, finding Hailey was far more important. “You implied she may be in imminent danger.”

“Did I use those words?” He turned his head to the side. “Imminent? I don’t remember saying that.”

“Knock it off, Glendale.” Sol frowned. “Where is Hailey?”

“You expect me to know?”

“You aren’t linked to her?” Sol said visibly startled.

“Of course not.” Glendale lowered his body to the floor. “Don’t be silly. I don’t link myself with every girl I meet.”

“So you have no idea where she is?” Panic, anger, frustration and a million other emotions welled up inside me, waking the dragon that was just below the surface ready to come out.

“I never said that.” He crossed his front paws over each other.

“You pretty much did. What else does ‘you expect me to know?’ mean? Give it up man.” Cade put his hands in his pockets which was either brave or stupid. I wanted my hands ready in case Glendale did something crazy again.

Glendale yawned. “I may have noticed a light portal.”

“Wait, you can see light portals?” Eloise’s eyes widened. “For real?”

“Yes. Why shouldn’t I? I can also see dark portals, kind of like the ones I use.”

“You use dark portals?” This was news to me until understanding dawned on me. “That’s how you moved us so quickly.”

“Of course. How else did you think I did it? Truthfully, my portals aren’t nearly as uncomfortable as some others. I’ve grown quite skilled in their use.”

“Can Hailey create her own plane—her own safe places too?” Cade asked.

“I don’t see how she could.” Glendale yawned. “Just because we both create portals doesn’t mean we have anything else in common.”

“Can we stay on topic for more than two seconds? Where did you see the portal?” I glanced around at the grey walls of the sewer. A rat scurried by under my feet. The sooner we got out of there, the better.

Glendale rolled onto his side. “I believe it was heading toward the resting place of the Emerald Flame.”

“But there is no Emerald Flame anymore. It’s been destroyed. Which is why Randolph was searching for another…”

“It still has a resting place, doesn’t it?” Glendale’s eyes set on mine.

“Take us there. You can get us there far faster than flying.” Now that we had a destination I wouldn’t waste a minute.

“Where are we going?” Cade looked between me and Glendale.

“The Society headquarters.” It was where the flame was held last I knew. We were going back where Hailey spent nearly every hour of her life the past few years. Why would she have gone there? Or was it an accident? Did the portal take her to the place she knew best? I pushed off all the questions. There was no time to worry about them.

Glendale swished his tail. “Hope everyone has their seatbelts on.”

The transport was as quick as usual. I was growing increasingly used to the wind and the light. One moment we were in the dank sewers. The next we were standing in the lobby of the Crescent City Hotel in New Orleans.

“This can’t be right.” Eloise walked around us in a circle. “Glendale, this is the wrong place.”

“It’s the Crescent City Hotel.” Cade walked over to the unmanned front desk. “But it’s empty for some reason.”

“Exactly. This can’t be it. The hotel is in the middle of the French Quarter. It’s never empty.” Eloise chewed on her bottom lip.

“Even the bar is empty.” Cade hurried over to the vacant bar. “I’ve never seen it empty.” He turned, leaning his back against the mahogany bar. “This is really, really, weird.”

“Agreed.” Glendale eyed the elevator. “Shall we go down?”

“I’m guessing you can’t transport us down there?” Eloise pointed to the ground.

“Even I’m not strong enough to break through that magic.” Glendale swished his tail back and forth. “I’m hoping Cade has his card.”

Cade shook his head. “I don’t have a card. I may run a small piece that was once part of Levi’s kingdom, but that just makes it less likely they’d trust me with access to the headquarters.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Sol pressed the button to call the elevator. It showed up, empty as the lobby was.

We filed inside, and the door closed behind us. Sol took off his glasses and looked closely at the numbers and the slot where the true elite of the Society would insert their access card. Nothing happened at first, but then there was a dull beep the elevator started to move down.

“Thanks for that.” I nodded in Sol’s direction.

He’d already replaced his sunglasses on his face. “Not a problem.”

The elevator reached the bottom floor, and we stepped into the darkness of the basement that wasn’t even supposed to exist. We walked further into a dimly lit hallway, passed an empty security desk.

“Now that’s even weirder.” Cade stopped short. “That desk is never empty.”

“What about this situation isn’t weird already?” Eloise put a hand on her hip. “It gets weirder and creeper as we go on.”

“She’s down here.” I’d felt her presence from the moment we stepped off the elevator. “Glendale was right.”

“Did you doubt me?” Glendale remained right next to my legs.

“Only a little.” I continued down the hallway.

“Should we call out? Make sure there isn’t someone here?” Eloise asked.

“I know Hailey’s here.” I could feel it in every grain of my being. She was close.

“And she’s probably not alone.” Troy stepped around me to take the lead. “The whole imminent danger thing implied that.”

“Again with the imminent danger.” Glendale sighed. “I never used that word.”

I brushed past Troy as I felt Hailey even stronger. We were close. Relief flooded me even as I worried that Troy was right. She probably wasn’t alone. But she was alive, and we were close. No matter what creature she faced, I’d protect her.

We reached a doorway that was smaller and older looking than the rest. It was open, and without hesitation I stepped inside.

“There’s no light switch?” Cade ran his hands along the wall. “Last time I checked they used electricity down here.”

“But maybe not this room.” I bent down to examine the wood floor. “This place wasn’t part of the upgrades I guess.” I straightened back up and walked further into the dark room. I knew the lack of an upgrade wasn’t accidental. This room wasn’t always accessible. I could practically feel the magic oozing through its walls and floors.

“There’s something back here,” Eloise called. She was standing at the far-left corner of the room.

We all hurried over and saw what she meant, the wall had somehow been pivoted, revealing another section of room. We moved forward. The floor was stone here instead of wood. This far section of the room was darker than the rest, so we were all grateful when Sol removed a candle and some matches. He lit the wick, giving us plenty of light to see a spiral staircase in the center of the room.

Without a moment of hesitation, I hurried down the steps, feeling Hailey’s presence more acutely the further down I went. Before long I was on the bottom-most step.

“I don’t know who you think I am, but I’m not her. I have no idea who you are, but I’d like to know.” Hailey’s voice was unmistakable, and it sounded close. I jumped off the last step, but I still couldn’t see her. Troy tugged on my arm to hold me back. Instinctively I stayed quiet.

“Don’t lie. You’re a Protector.” A male voice answered. I couldn’t place it, and there wasn’t much distinguishable about it.

“A Protector?” Hailey repeated. “Should I know what that is?”

“Why are you here if it is not for revenge?” There was anger in the man’s voice, and it had my dragon begging for release. Who was he to talk to Hailey that way?

“Revenge?” Hailey’s voice quivered. “What kind of revenge?”

“Stop lying. There’s no point.” The anger in his voice subsided slightly, but the threat was there.

I quietly walked further from the stairs. I saw the barest flicker of light ahead and to the right, so I headed straight in that direction.

I had no idea who she was talking to, but I wouldn’t wait. I crept closer not caring if the others followed.

“I didn’t want to hurt her. I loved her. I really did.”

“Hurt who? I want to know more.” The struggle was clear in Hailey’s voice. She was holding herself back.

“But now I have to hurt you too.”

My dragon roared beneath the surface, begging to be set free. I stepped forward but something tight and all-encompassing encircled me. I turned, and darkness surrounded me on all sides.

“Wyatt!” Someone screamed my name, but it was all a blur, as I fought against the darkness squeezing me tighter and tighter.

I gasped for air, my vision narrowed. My dragon took advantage of my weakness and took over. The transformation was sudden and painful as he turned his head side-to-side releasing fire everywhere it directed.

The tightening was gone, and now I could see my opponent. Dark clouds floating about the room like shadowy figures.

Out of the corner of my eye I watched Glendale slip up the stairs, and I searched around for the others. But all I saw were the black clouds, some growing larger by the second.

A piercing scream echoed off the stone walls of the room, and I lumbered toward the direction I’d heard it from, which was also the direction of the light.

Running as my dragon was still new, but he knew what he was doing. I turned a corner, entering a room filled with bookcases and a large table strewn with papers. Just beside the table Hailey lay on the floor with a figure looming over her. I thought fast. I couldn’t charge him or release fire while she was so close.

I roared, and the walls of the room shook, sending books and papers flying. The man turned around, taking a few steps away from her to move around the rectangular table. His face was obscured in the shadows. He held his hands out, and a powerful gust of wind raced toward me. I felt my fire and released it, hitting the wind, sending the wind back into him, and knocking the man over to the floor. The wind seemed to protect the man, he was completely untouched by my flames. Nothing else in the room fared as well. My fire, diverted by the wind touched all corners of the room, turning books and papers to soot as the flames engulfed them.

I let go of my dragon, letting the human in me take over. I ran over to Hailey.

“Wyatt.” She struggled to sit up.

The fire roared on. We couldn’t wait. I picked her up and cradled her against my naked body.

I bent down low as we moved through the flames.

“More Shadows,” Hailey sprang from my arms, all at once glowing bright.

I began to reach for my Dragon, but I didn’t need to reach far. He took over, my vision tunneling and strength surging through me. I released fire straight at a dark cloud heading toward us. It broke up momentarily before reforming again.

A new, powerful surge of energy flowed through me as Hailey grabbed a hold of my wing. I released more fire, and every inch of me burned. The cloud disappeared completely this time. I directed my fire at a series of dark clouds all heading toward us. They went up in flames. The fire from inside the small room was now spreading, building until it became a terrifying blaze.

I turned my attention to a giant mass of darkness close to the stairs.

“Wyatt, stop!” Hailey yelled before I could move on to this next target. “I need to do this one.”

I didn’t question her. I followed her but kept my fire at bay as she reached out to touch the huge mass of darkness. The dark cloud went up in a burst of light, revealing the rest of our friends inside.

“Now that was really cool.” Glendale watched from mid-way down the stairs. “But it’s time to go. Those flames are getting awfully close.”

No one hesitated. We reached the top of the stairs and tried to close the wall between the secret room and the rest of the space, but it wouldn’t budge. Somewhere along the lines I ended up in pants again. I assumed I had Glendale to thank for that, but there were far more important issues at hand.

Hailey’s eyes bulged. “We can’t let this fire spread!”

“Aren’t there anti-fire enchantments here? I have them in all of my buildings.” Cade pressed his back against the wall.

“This is dragon fire. True dragon fire.” Glendale eyed the doorway back into the main part of the building. “That would take a whole different level of enchantments.”

“Where did you go?” I looked at the cat. There were far more pressing concerns other than the cat running away though. He had come back and helped at the last minute after all.

“To find this.” Glendale opened his mouth and a small metallic key fell out.

“What is this?” Hailey glanced back at the flames that were getting dangerously close.

“We’ll need it later. Now we need to move. Fast.”

“But if my fire is different why did it stop at Veronica’s?” We may have been short on time, but I needed to understand my fire. I’d used it out of desperation, and I knew I’d more than likely need to use it again soon.

“Because she had specific spells.” Sol waited in the doorway to the hall. “Don’t you get it? We have to get out of here.”

“Glendale, can you take us?” Eloise put her hands together as if in prayer. “Please?”

“I couldn’t get us in here, yet you think I can get us out?” Glendale opened his mouth and picked up the key with it.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Hailey nodded. “Follow me. Maybe the elevator is still running.”

The hallway was still empty—not that any of us were surprised—and we raced down the hall to the elevator. The doors stood open, and Troy led the way in.

Everyone filed in except Hailey. “You go ahead. I have to make sure there is no one else down here.” She looked everywhere but at me before she turned and ran off.

I followed, as if I was going anywhere without her.

She stopped in front of the doors to the council chambers. I’d spent more than a few meetings inside that circular room.

“There’s no one there.” There was no one else in this building.

“We don’t know that.” She pulled the door handles. “We can’t know that.”

“Do you really think they all locked themselves in there?” She had to know Levi wouldn’t do something that stupid or reckless no matter what was going on.

“No, but what if someone else did?”

I helped her pull on the doors, but nothing happened. They were locked, reinforced with magic likely. They’d upped security more and more over the past five years or so, but evidently not enough.

I heard the fire before I saw it. We were running out of time. “We have to go.” I tried to tug her from the doors, but she didn’t budge. Other hands returned to help.

They’d waited too.

Eloise shook her arms. “Hailey, you have to live. We have to take down Randolph.”

Hailey nodded, as if Eloise’s words had all the answers.

We pulled her toward the elevator, and this time we all got in. The doors closed and the seconds passed agonizingly slowly as we waited to reach the lobby floor.

The doors opened, and we spilled out.

“You really think the fire can make it up here?” Eloise glanced at the elevators.

“Of course.” Glendale started for the front doors. “And trust me you don’t want to be in here when it happens.”

“But the guests!” Hailey wrung her hands. “Where are they?”

“There are none. There is no one here.” Cade headed toward the desk. He reached over, picked up the phone and turned his back to us. Cade hung up the phone and rejoined us. “I called the authorities so they can put out this fire.”

“Can they? Can anyone put out dragon fire?” Hailey looked back into the hotel, as if still debating whether to leave.

“Yes. It will lose much of its potency when it hits the air. It will take longer than normal to put out, but they should be able to handle it.” Glendale paced in front of the door. “That doesn’t mean they can save the building. Or us if we don’t move now!”

“You swear there is no one here?” Hailey’s eyes welled with tears.

“Yes,” Troy answered before I could. “I wouldn’t run out unless I knew for sure.”

That was likely a lie, but it didn’t matter. The hotel was empty. We had to go.