VEE

Ripley contacts us, demanding we update him on the situation. Xander’s resistant, but we need to figure out if he knows anything about those who came through the portals. This leads to a touchy decision: tell Ripley the full story or be selective. We choose selective—Ripley doesn’t need to know about the angels yet.

After we meet him this afternoon, we’ll push Ripley out of the picture. Despite his mistrust towards the angels, pulling away from Ripley to work with them makes more sense. Especially as the angels made it clear the guys have to.

Ripley currently resides in a penthouse suite in one of several hotels he owns in the centre of LA. His and the Order’s footprint are stamped all over American cities via hotel and restaurant chains, not to mention his financial and legal firms. No wonder the Horsemen struggle to keep up with his activities. We’d relied on his network to help fins Seth’s whereabouts, but now we have the information we need.

Two days.

Syv is due to arrive today and refuses to wait anywhere for us apart from close by. She’s agreed on a trip from the airport to the hotel, where I bet she’ll wait for us in the bar. Syv tried to hide how she felt when we spoke, but I don’t need my empath abilities to detect her emotions. Syv is scared to be on her own right now.

The art deco hotel is bright and clean, filled with tourists and shiny happy staff greeting and fussing over the guests. A row of elevators takes a constant stream of guests to their rooms and back.

“Ripley has a few men around today,” says Heath as we wait for Xander to pick up a keycard from the reception desk.

Men attempting to be inconspicuous hang in quiet corners—men I instantly know are demons. The people passing to and fro don’t notice nor pay them any attention. Any could be a guest.

“I’m willing to bet the hotel is crawling with them.” Ewan nods in their direction. He briefly makes eye contact with one and the demon looks away.

“Let’s go before Vee decides she wants to kill them.” Joss smirks at me and I pull a face. I can’t help my new instincts, but I can control them.

Xander appears with a card which allows access to the top floors where Ripley resides. Burlier demons stand guard outside the elevator when we reach the top floor. They line the hallway toward Ripley’s door. Their expressions are a mix of curiosity and suspicion, and as the guys pass, Joss can’t help himself and throws a cheery greeting.

Ripley answers the door shirtless, loose trackpants sitting on his hips. For the second time, I wonder whose body he possessed. This flawless physique comes from a guy who must have spent hours in the gym with little time to spend doing much else. Time wasted, since a powerful demon stole his body.

The hastily dressing girl behind him matches his status, with her sleek black hair and model looks. Ripley leans on the open door, muscles flexing in his shoulders as he does. He meets my eyes, and I look away when his mouth tips into a smile.

“Pass me a shirt, uh…” He looks over at the girl.

“Ashleigh.”

“Yeah, Ashleigh. I have some important visitors, you need to leave.”

“You told me,” she purrs and takes a good eyeful of my guys. “Thanks for fitting me into your busy schedule.”

Ashleigh approaches, holding Ripley’s expensive, woven black shirt in one hand and her handbag in another. She tiptoes to kiss him and he turns his face so her lips land on his cheek instead. I cringe for the poor girl as she walks away with a promise to catch him later. Ripley doesn’t confirm this, eyes fixated on her ass as she leaves.

He ushers us inside and I get a clearer picture of Ripley’s home.

The hotel lobby is filled with opulence, but the expense in here eclipses that. My shoes sink into plush carpets and every inch of the penthouse is covered in quality furniture, furnishings, paintings, and more. A bar stretches across one wall, bottles of spirits lining brightly lit shelves. Towards the rear of the room, steps lead upwards to a mezzanine. Presumably the bedroom he just spent time in.

Ripley brushes down his mussed hair and grins. “Drink?”

“No. This is a short visit,” says Heath as Xander paces toward the panoramic window and looks out over the LA skyline. Ripley watches as he pours himself a whiskey.

“It’s not like you to refuse.”

Xander ignores him.

With a sigh, Ripley sinks into one of his sumptuous black leather sofas and drapes an arm across the back, legs outstretched. He sips. “I hear you’ve had some issues since we last spoke.”

“Yeah. Seth let a few new friends through a portal the other day, and we’re pretty sure they’re not the first who’ve walked through one.” Ewan runs his tongue along his teeth. “Portals you told us you were guarding.”

Ripley’s face sours. “Don’t blame me! We’re helping out. You should be happy we’re still guarding your fucking portals after Seth wiped out the fae.”

“The one near here? That’s the one we fought him at,” retorts Ewan. “I didn’t see anyone on guard.”

I sit on the edge of a nearby sofa and refuse the drink Ripley offers. “Not my fault. The guys… disappeared.”

“Really? Convenient. Like Breanna?” Xander turns from his view and regards his uneasy ally.

“That was not my doing. We had this conversation. Maybe the arsehole god vaporised them all or some shit. How do I know?” Ripley replies.

“Or maybe your men conveniently looked the other way.”

Ripley sits forward and in a slow calculated movement places his glass on the table beside him. “Are you suggesting I’m helping Chaos?”

I squeeze my eyes closed when I see Ewan’s eyes reflect Xander’s doubts about this man. Please don’t say how you feel.

“No,” interrupts Joss. “But we’re worried some of your associates may be.”

“I’ve told you before, I neutralised anybody I suspected was involved in his shit before we joined forces. You know that’s what I do. I protect myself. Always.”

The bodyguard close by shifts and clears his throat. Joss laughs. “More came through, Ripley. We don’t know how many knew creatures are in the world now. He’s disrupted other portals in the past few months.”

“How? Weren’t you doing your fucking job?”

“Um. Excuse me? Primordial god? Possibly able to disguise everything he’s doing?” snaps Xander.

“If Chaos can do what the fuck he wants and hide it, the Order won’t know either. Including me.”

The last words choke him—the idea he could be out of control in his usual ordered society. Just like Xander.

Without another invite, Xander crosses to the bar. He pours himself a generous drink before resting against the silver panels. “You haven’t heard from Seth?”

“Doesn’t he call you for friendly chats? I don’t think I’m his best buddy like you are.” Ripley mock pouts. “Next time you speak to Seth, ask what he did to Breanna.”

“Hasn’t she reappeared?” Heath’s eyes narrow. “That’s interesting.”

“Again, not much to do with me. I only know her from my short time at Nova Pharm. Honestly, I had two board meetings and most of that I barely listened to.”

“You must know something about her disappearance.”

“Again, Xander? No. I don’t.” He spreads his fingers out, palms up. “I am everywhere. You know that. I can’t possibly monitor everything that happens. I have associates who do this for me. Ones who know betrayal is a permanent end for them.”

“Who may be siding with Chaos.”

He huffs. “Maybe. But what the fuck do you expect me to do? I helped smoke him out when you guys had him living with you. ‘Thanks’ would be nice. You’re an ungrateful bastard.”

Ewan steps forward. “Ungrateful? For the years you’ve spent trying to kill us while corrupting human society?”

“Stop.” I stand. “This doesn’t help. We need to plan what to do.”

Ripley laughs at me. “If you think I’m going to look for and approach Chaos, the answer is no. I value my life, thanks.”

Xander drains his glass and pours more. He spoke to me the other day about how conflicted he is leaving Ripley alive when we have the perfect chance to take him out. Ewan struggles to keep up surveillance against Ripley’s network that watch and keep his growing empire safe. But the others are right. We have other battles to fight. But without him, the fae—or who’s left on our side from their race—aren’t enough. Logan and Portia are now embroiled in a power struggle we don’t have time for and dropped any support for us after the fae were killed.

Which leaves us with the angels as allies.

“You keep doing your thing, I’ll do mine.” Ripley buttons his shirt. “Or my people will. I’m a little busy.”

Joss stares at him. “Drinking and screwing when we’re facing an apocalypse?”

He inclines his head at Xander before indicating me with his head. “I’m sure the five of you are entertaining yourselves in a similar way.” Xander opens his mouth to reply but Ripley interrupts. “Stress relief. Down time. Just kill what you come across, and I’ll dig further. I can deal with any of my guys I think are under Chaos’s influence. Between us, we’ll win.”

The look exchanged between the guys says one thing—and then what happens to their ceasefire?

“Have you found anything else that can help save her?” he asks.

I grit my teeth. Her.

“Yes.” Ewan’s voice is terse.

“And?”

Nobody responds.

“Is this a trust thing again, guys? Because really, not helpful.”

“We’re not explaining the finer details to you.” Heath says. “But our connection to Vee will help.”

“And your new friends? Someone told me you met with people I’m unaware of.” He cocks a brow. “Who are they?”

“We’re not sure,” says Joss quickly. Too quickly. “They knew more about the text. That’s all.”

“Ooh a secret hidden society?” he chuckles. “Strange that I have no idea who they are.”

“How do you know about them?” he asks.

“I see everything.”

“They’re new to the world,” puts in Heath.

Ripley runs his tongue along his teeth. “From the portals? I don’t think they are or you’d kill them. I will find out who, so you may as well tell me.”

“They’re private people. We can’t tell you. If they want you to know, they’ll approach you. But I don’t think they’re demon fans.”

He chews a nail and studies us, looking from guy to guy before resting his eyes on me. “You hide things and still want my help? Anything else you haven’t told me?”

I tense and look at Xander. We’ve agreed not to mention the guy who walked through the portal we’re sure is important—and still missing.

“Actually, I came here to say we’ll deal with things on our own from now on.”

Ripley chokes on his drink and points at Ewan, eyes watering. “Seth took down Pestilence in seconds. I can’t rely on you to keep this under control.”

“And what are you doing? Sitting up here, hidden behind your bodyguards,” Ewan retorts.

“And? I have people to do the work for me. I just oversee everything.”

Ewan chuckles. “You’re a coward. You always were.”

“At least I’m one who’s still alive.”

Xander turns away and I hear him mutter, “For now.”

“Guys, listen.” Ripley holds his hands out with a placating smile. “Let’s be civil.”

I suck my lips together and don’t speak. The amount of demon energy around this room screws with my brain and ability to stay calm. Will Xander stay calm? I walk across to him and pour a drink, back to the others.

“Xander,” I whisper. “Let’s walk out of here and end this, the way the angels told us to.”

“My exact plan.” He drains his glass and sets it on the bar before turning. “Guys, let’s go.”

Someone raps on the door and the security guy opens it. Ripley stands. We all twist our heads around and two girls dressed in not very much support each other and wave a bottle of champagne in his direction.

I groan inwardly at the tackiness, which switches to unease as they step into the room and stare at me.

“We didn’t realise this was a big party,” pouts the girl with her blonde hair loose across her shoulders. She wrinkles her nose at me and flicks a look up and down. “Some of us aren’t dressed for a night like the one planned.”

My cheeks heat. Why doesn’t this stupid human reaction stop? I’m not the shy, unsure Verity anymore. I’m about to save their bloody world.

Ripley walks over and curls an arm around each of them, leading them toward the sofa. “These guys? No, they’re not interested in having fun.”

The disappointment in the second girl’s face is as unhidden as her large breasts.

Ripley sinks backwards and pulls the giggling pair onto him. “I’m different to the Horsemen. I don’t like to share.”

I’m positive I’m not the only person in the room relieved we’re cutting ties. Ripley proved himself a useless, pain in the arse, but the short alliance helps the guys. They've seen behind Ripley’s iron curtain, and now know he’s not as strong and untouchable as he pretends.