“Anton the Deceiver?” Mary nearly spit on the name. “That bastard.”
“He’s not the one behind it all,” I said. “But we don’t know who is.”
“Whoever it is, he’s going after supernaturals with particular gifts, right?” Mary asked.
“And there’s a symbol connected to him,” I said, only now remembering the image that had blasted into my head when I’d shoved the kidnapper. “Could I have pen and paper, please?”
“Sure.” Mary waved a hand. As if he’d been hovering nearby with the supplies at the ready, Jeeves appeared.
He handed me parchment and old pen, and I leaned down and sketched out the design on the paper. My hand shook as I remembered the flashing red that had flared in my mind. It had been the exact shade of blood, and the sounds had been those of war.
I’d seen the same thing in the alley where Beth had been abducted. It had to do with the kidnappings—somehow linking me to them—but I had no idea how.
I forced my mind back on the symbol I’d seen. It came easily from memory, the lines flowing from my mind to my hand. Soon, the scrolled image was sketched out, the snakes twisting around each other in a complicated knot.
I held it up and showed the witches. “Does anyone recognize this?”
Everyone shook their head, and I frowned, looking between Mac, Eve, and Grey. None of them said anything, and I turned back to Mary.
“You should go to Seraphia’s library. She might have something for you,” she said. “In the meantime, we’re going to work on tracking charms. No way in hell we’re letting that bastard keep Beth and Coraline.”
“We’ll get them back,” I promised.
“Keep us updated,” Mary said. “We’ll work on this from our end, and you go at it from yours. Any leads and we let each other know.”
I nodded and stood. My friends joined me, and we left the witches’ creepy room, dodging the women crowding the floor. Half of them glared at us, as if we’d been the ones to abduct Beth and Coraline. I ignored them. It wasn’t that different than Police College, honestly.
The night was cool and dark as we stepped out onto the rickety stairs that led to the ground. Moonlight illuminated the weedy yard and the well where Coraline had been dancing.
“It all happened so fast,” I murmured.
“Anton has powerful employees,” Grey said. “Though that was unusual. Whoever is hiring him is paying a pretty penny to get that kind of service.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Eve said as she typed into her phone. She caught sight of my questioning glance. “Calling Seraphia and seeing if she can let us into the library right now.”
The phone rang, the tinny sound echoing across the night as we descended the rickety stairs. It went straight to voice mail—the pre-recorded option, not a personalized one by Seraphia.
Eve tried four more times on the way home, but the librarian never picked up.
“That’s strange,” Eve said. “Seraphia and I have been hanging out quite a bit lately, and she always picks up.”
“Even at this hour?” I asked, noticing that the Devil was walking alongside us, his phone pressed to his ear.
Eve nodded. “I called once about this infomercial I thought she’d like. It was hilarious. She picked up at 2am.”
“Do you think she’s okay?” Worry echoed in Mac’s voice. “She hasn’t been abducted, has she?”
I nodded. “Doubtful. Anton would have told us if there was a job out for her.”
“Unless it was just hired,” Eve said.
“It’s only been thirty minutes since we saw him last. He couldn’t coordinate that quickly, not when his Concetta in Guild City needs to find him a suitable target,” the Devil said.
“We’ll try tomorrow morning. We need sleep anyway. Just a bit.” Surprise flickered through me when I realized that we had already reached my street. I looked at Grey. “Your place is that way.”
He nodded. “Just wanted to make sure there was no trouble on the way back.”
“Thanks.” I studiously kept my gaze on my green door instead of on him. The savory scent of kebabs wafted from the shop next door, and my stomach grumbled.
As if he’d read my mind, Berat stepped out of the shop, a pile of takeout containers in his hands. He raised them and smiled at us.
I stopped in front of him. “What’s all this? We didn’t place an order.”
Berat nodded at Grey. “The Devil did.”
“You sure eat a lot,” Mac said.
The smallest smile quirked the corner of Grey’s mouth. “It’s for you. It’s been a long day.”
Holy crap, he had gotten me food.
“There’s one for Cordelia as well,” he said.
As soon as her name was called, the raccoon appeared, her masked gaze riveted to the stack of glass takeout containers. A toothy grin stretched across her face.
“You can’t do things like that,” I blurted.
His gaze flicked to mine. So did everyone else’s.
Heat flooded my cheeks. “I mean, we’re supposed to maintain our distance.” And doing thoughtful things like making sure I have dinner is a surefire way to get me to fall even harder for you.
I didn’t say the last bit, though.
“Of course.” His voice was slightly stiff, but there was a knowing gleam in his dark eyes. He stepped backward, clearly about to head home. “I am going to set spies on Anton’s casino. And I’ll search for his contact here—the one who finds the kidnapping victims. I will alert you if I learn anything new.”
“Thank you.”
He turned and walked away, his huge form graceful as he strode down the street. The moonlight gleamed around him, making him appear otherworldly. Something pinched in my chest as I watched him walk away, and I turned to Berat.
He handed over the containers, and I took them. “Thank you.”
He nodded, his eyes dark with confusion, then disappeared back into the restaurant, which appeared to be closed. Of course it was closed at this late hour, but nothing was really closed if Grey wanted something.
Silently, our group walked up the stairs to my flat. Normally, Cordelia would be literally jumping with joy at the sight of the kebabs, all but climbing my legs.
Even she was silent.
I walked into my flat and handed out the food.
Mac took it but didn’t open it. Instead, she just stared at me. “I don’t think your bond is really broken.”
I sighed. “It is. I can feel it. I swear to God, it was like a wire snapped. It is broken.”
“But there’s still something between you,” she said.
“I care for him. Like, really care for him. It’s emotions, not some magical bond.”
“And he cares for you,” Eve said.
“Yeah.” The word rushed out of me, and I collapsed on the couch. “I think we were maybe a bit too late in breaking the bond.”
“You’ll just have to stay away from each other,” Mac said.
“You’re right.” I leaned my head back on the couch. “I’m not in love with him or anything. It’s just that I like him. And I can’t help it.”
“Well, try,” Mac said. “Because your lives depend on it.”
That night, I dreamed. Maybe it was the kebabs that I’d scarfed down, or maybe it was the fact that I’d seen Grey right before bed.
But I couldn’t help it.
He appeared in my dreams, tall and strong, and so very present.
So present that it almost didn’t feel like a dream at all. I was in my bed, just like in the real world. It was his presence I felt first, powerful and comforting. I opened my eyes, spotting him on the other side of the room, standing in the doorway.
His posture was hesitant, his expression unsure.
I sat upright, dragging the quilt over my ratty old T-shirt. It was one of Beatrix’s that I’d never let go of, but it was in such bad shape I only wore it to bed.
The moonlight cut through the windows, gleaming pale white on his face and bare chest. He wore only a pair of sleep pants, a dark silky material that hung low on his hips, giving the most perfect view of the muscles that arrowed downward. Despite his massive size and ridiculously sculpted body, the light almost made him appear angelic, which was insane for a man rightfully called The Devil.
“Are you really here?” I asked.
“I’m not sure.” He raised his hand, inspecting it curiously. “I was just in my bed.”
Had I really conjured him? Or was this just the best dream ever?
He looked so amazing standing in the moonlight that I wanted to believe I was dreaming. Of course I was dreaming. It was insane to think otherwise. I didn’t have that kind of power.
And all I wanted in the world was him.
I beckoned to him, determined to enjoy the dream for all it was worth. It would be gone in the morning, and all I would have was memories. Memories of an act that had never happened—not truly, at least—but that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy it. Anyway, Dream Me didn’t need to be totally rational and wise.
9
Grey
Carrow gestured to me from her bed. The scene had the vaguely filmy quality of a dream. Almost as if the edges were blurred and reality distorted.
I’d never dreamed much—not since being turned, at least. The only visions that visited me in the night were horrible memories of atrocities I’d committed while under the influence of the blood lust.
Never had an apparition like Carrow appeared in my mind.
But now that she had, I ached to walk toward her. She was so beautiful in the bed, her golden hair tousled and the moonlight gleaming in her eyes. Her lips were impossibly soft-looking, and the memory of our one night together flashed through me, making heat coil tight.
I wanted that again.
I would always want that.
And even if this dream was a terrible idea, it was just a dream. And I wanted it. She wanted it.