Chapter 6
Ravyr moved to stand behind Maya’s chair, allowing him a clear view of the computer screen. He didn’t recognize the danger until the intoxicating scent of orchids swirled through the air, clinging to him with a warm promise. Oh hell. He wanted to bend down and bury his face in the satin strands of her dark hair. He wanted to drown in that sweet perfume. Or better yet, to drag the tips of his fangs along the curve of her throat before sinking them deep to t aste her blood.
It would be powerful, he silently acknowledged, rich with her magic. And addictive.
So addictive...
“This is the website where Courtney was registered as a poten tial assassin.”
Maya’s words thankfully intruded into the sensual fog that was starting to cloud his mind, forcing him to study the image on the screen.
Just for a second he couldn’t focus. The hunger for Maya pulsed through his body with a brutal demand. A gnawing, relentless need that had been waiting to explode for over forty years. Then with an effort that was physically painful, he regained command of his passions.
Concentrate, he sternly reminded himself, skimming his gaze over the screen that was so generic it was impossible to know what business owned it or what it might offer. No doubt it was intentional to avoid unwanted interes t, but still...
“Pedestrian,” he muttered, thorou ghly disgusted.
“The website?”
“Everything.” He waved a hand toward the computer. “What self-respecting demon would order an assassin like a burrito with extra cheese?”
He sensed her shock before she turned her head to stare at him with an unreada ble expression.
“Did you just say burrito with extra cheese?”
“Why?”
“ It was a joke.”
“So?”
“It’ s...unnatural.”
He held her wary gaze. “Like a caramel latte w ith sprinkles?”
“Worse.” She turned back to the computer, but not before he caught sight of something that might have been amusement smoldering in her emerald eyes. Tapping on the keyboard, she managed to bring up a new screen. It was equally bland with a photo of the blond-haired mage and a list of her supposed skills. “This is Courtney’s profile,” Maya murmured, leaning forward. “Wait. She called herself Maleficent. You’re right. Pedestrian.” She pressed on a link that took her to Courtney’s banking account. “It looks like she got paid for two jobs in the past year. Including the one to trap me. Less than five thousand dollars total.”
“Not the most popular assassin,” he murmured. “Can you tell who hired her?”
“This is the account that contacted her.” Maya pressed on a link and a second later her magic blasted through the air. “No,” she bre athed in shock.
Ravyr leaned forward, planting his hand on the desk as he took in the name at the top of the screen.
“Batu,” he read out loud, skimming down the screen that had been left blank. No picture, no address, no phone number. Just an online bank account that had no doubt been closed as soon as the money had be en transferred.
“It’s impossible ,” Maya hissed.
“Agreed.” Ravyr’s fangs lengthened as he felt the shivers racing through Maya’s body. He was going to rip out the throat of whoever uploaded the profile. “Someone is deliberately taunting you.”
Her hands clenched into fists, her back rigid. “You’re cert ain he’s dead?”
Ravyr could have described in exquisite detail the end of Batu’s life. He’d been hidden in the shadows near Batu’s secret lair, hoping for an opportunity to slip through the thick layers of magic. Then he’d heard the screams. Reacting on instinct, he’d rushed forward, charging through the barrier without concern that he was about to destroy the years of effort he’d put in to earning Batu’s trust, or the loyalty he owed to Sinjon to discover the source of the strange magic. He recognized that scream. It belong ed to Maya....
“Yes, I’m very certain,” he assured her in sharp tones, shoving away the un welcome memory.
“Then why was he hiring an assassin to lure me into a building that was abo ut to explode?”
Ravyr was forced to step aside as Maya jumped to her feet and backed away from the desk, as if she was desperate to get away from the computer. Or was she trying to put spac e between them?
No. He refused to contemplate th at explanation.
“I have no answer,” he reluct antly admitted.
She wrapped her arms around her waist, making a visible effort to calm her sh attered nerves.
“This mysterious echo you’re following,” she at last said. “Does it have anything to do with Batu?”
“Yes. I first felt it in his lair.” Ravyr paused, debating how much to reveal. “That’s why I kept returning to Cambodia.” He held her gaze. “And why I couldn’t interfere with his control of the Gyre. Sinjon wanted to know the cause of the strange power and determine if it was a danger.”
Her lips pressed into a tight line, clearly unimpressed by his excuse for not stepping in to hal t Batu’s abuse.
“Was the magic throughout the lair or in a specific spot?”
“There was a faint pulse everywhere, but I traced the center of the magic to a hidden chamber beneath his private rooms.”
She flinched, as if she was recalling the last moments she’d spent in that chamber.
“If the echo is in Cambodia, then why are you here?”
Ravyr moved to lean against the edge of the desk. “After Batu’s death the echo vanished. At the time I couldn’t be sure if it had been connected to Batu or his followers. Or if it had been destroyed along with his lair.”
“It hadn’t b een destroyed?”
He shrugged. “A few months later I sensed it again. It was possible that it was a new echo created by an entirely different source, but I don’t think so. It was exactly the s ame as before.”
“Where did you sense it?”
“Moving through Asia.” Ravyr had been resting in his lair, attempting to recover from his latest journey with Sinjon to Russia. It hadn’t been the traveling that had exhausted him. It’d been listening to Kane, the local Cabal leader, gripe and complain that his Gyre was losing its magic and his whiny demands to be moved to a new location. “As soon as I felt the first echo I went in search of it, but the sensation disappeared before I could pinpoint a pre cise location.”
“How could it disappear?”
His lips twisted. He’d arrived in Hong Kong, anxious to confront the magic and stop it from haunting him. Not only was it distracting, but it was also a painful reminder that he’d failed everyone he’d tried to help on the day that Batu died. Especially the woman standing a few feet away from him.
Instead, he’d found nothing. As if he’d ima gined the echo.
“Good question,” he growled with a frustration that had gnawed at him for years. “Unfortunately I don’t have an answer. All I know is that it appears and disappears without any discernable pattern. Just as it moves through the world without a logical path to follow. I’ve traveled from New Zealand to Africa to South America.” He glanced around the barren office. “And now here.”
She thankfully didn’t ask the obvious question. Are you losing your mind? It had been a real concern when he first started sensing the strange magic. And later, when it continued to stay jus t out of reach.
Now, he didn’t worry about his sanity. He worried that he was going to waste an eternity chasing the elusive magic. Or worse, that it was going to cause irreparable harm before he could figure out what t he hell it was.
“It could be running from you,” she at last suggested. “I assume you’ve tried to track it down each time you feel the echo?”
“Yes, but why not stay in the same place?” he countered. “From my experience, the only time I sense it is if it moves. Except when Batu was still alive and I was in Cambodia. And even then, I didn’t know it was there until I was physically in the lair. It’s as if whoever is using it can’t completely contain the power when it’s being transported.”
Maya frowned, absently rubbing the tips of her fingers over her scar as she considered the various possibilities. Then her eyes widened. “It’s searching for something.”
“Or someone,” he murmured, abruptly realizing that was his greatest fear from the moment he’d sensed the power travel to this Gyre.
If the demons who’d pledged their loyalty to Batu were involved in the magic, then they would do anything to punish the woman who was whispered to have been involved in his destruction. They weren’t just slaves like most of the servants. They treated Batu as if he was their god.
A shadow darkened Maya’s eyes, revealing that she was thoroughly aware of her danger. Then, with her typical courage, she clenched her jaws and dismissed her fear so she could concentrate on what needed to be done to end the threat.
“I’m not sure how to discover the identity of the mystery account,” she said. “I can give the phone to a tech friend. They might be able to get more information, but it’s going to take some time. I also have acquaintances who owe me favors in the banking world. They should be able to discover who authorized payment to Courtney.”
Ravyr didn’t doubt that she had hundreds of contacts spread around the world. A mage without the protection of the Cabal would be under constant threat. She needed more than her magic to survive. But he didn’t have the patience for her sensib le suggestions.
“I have a faster way,” he muttered, heading t oward the door.
“How?”
Anticipation tingled through Ravyr. For the past four decades he’d been forced to maintain a low profile, hoping to sneak up on the magic before it could disappear. Now, there was no reason he couldn’t go on the offense. He was getting the truth, one way or another.
“I’m going to rattle a few cages,” he admitted, stepping through the door into the shad owed bookstore.
“I’m co ming with you.”
There was a clink of glass as Maya grabbed her satchel filled with potions and hurried to walk at his side. Ravyr didn’t bother to argue. He wanted to keep her close, not only because it was the only way he could protect her, but he’d spent far too long yearning to have her near. He didn’t want her out of his sight for a moment. And there was the very real benefit of having a powerful mage at his side. Together there wasn’t anyone who cou ld defeat them.
In silence they moved into the coffee shop and out the front door. Ravyr stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as he waited for Maya to lock the door and place a warding spell. As always, he was on full alert. Over the centuries he’d collected more than one enemy, which meant he was never allowed to let his guard down. That was the only reason he felt the soft brush of power that moved over and through him, as if it was seeking the secrets buried deep i nside his soul.
He braced himself for an attack, his hands clenching. Maya whirled to face him, her hand reaching in to her satchel.
“What’s wrong?”
“I feel a presence. And...” He scowle d. “A warning.”
Maya furrowed her brow, glancing down the empty street. Over the past couple of hours the breeze had gained a sharp chill and the businesses had closed. Most of the local humans had scurried home to snuggle in for the night.
He envied them. He wouldn’t mind being burrowed in a cozy lair. As long as Maya was burrowe d next to him.
“The Benefactor,” she abruptly announced, shrugging her shoulders as she moved toward th e waiting SUV.
She obviously was accustomed to having her unseen guardian check out h er companions.
Ravyr hurried to open the back door, waiting until she was settled before he shut the door and tapped on the window next to the driver. The smoked glass slid down to reveal the uniformed goblin, and Ravyr gave the male directions back to the city. Moving to the opposite side of the SUV, Ravyr had started to slip in next to Maya when he caught sight of a shadowed shape acro ss the street.
At a distance they looked like a street person with baggy clothes and a strange hat stuck on their head, but no human could possibly radiate the sort of power that rumbled beneath his feet like an earthquake. Ravyr paused, trying to determine if the stranger was a threat. When nothing happened, he grudgingly settled in the soft leather seat and c losed the door.
He assumed that was the mysterious Benefactor. Which meant he was a w orry for later.
“Where are we going?” Maya demanded as they pulled away from the curb and squealed down the street at a speed that could have gotten them arrested if the vehicle didn’t b elong to Valen.
“To track down the owner of the fight club,” Ravyr answered.
“Do you think he was involved?”
“No, but I’m hoping he will have video surveillance that survived the explosion.”
Maya pursed her lips, calmly tugging the seat belt across her slender body as they bounced and jolted through the side streets before racing acro ss the bridge.
“You aren’t going to find anyone to admit that they were in charge of an illegal fight club,” she warned. “Valen has strict laws that include the banishment of any de mons involved.”
Ravyr wasn’t concerned. “I can be very persuasive,” he assured her.
With a roll of her eyes, she turned her head to watch the stunning skyline as they dodged through the thickening traffic and into narrow alleyways to make their way to the Meatpacking District. Then, with a dramatic flourish, the vehicle swerved to the curb and je rked to a stop.
Ravyr steadied himself to keep from flying out of his seat. He’d told the driver he needed to get to the exploded building ASAP, and the male had done precisely as he’d requested. Thankfully, they’d made it in one piece, and as a bonus, the screech of the tires had attracted the attention of the gawkers who were gathered around the smoking hole in the ground. There weren’t as many as the previous evening, but there were still dozens of humans and demons who turned out to discover what was happening.
Ignoring his disgust for melodrama, Ravyr shoved open his door and stepped out of the vehicle to stand in full view of the gathered crowd. As he hoped, the sight of his massive form and the icy power that radiated through the air created a stir of interest. Even the humans who didn’t know he was a vampire were able to detect that there was something differ ent about him.
There was the sound of footsteps before the delicious scent of orchids wrapped around him as Maya appeared at his side. She was clever enough to realize what he was doing and, with a cold smile, she tilted her head to make sure the streetlights revealed the silvery web of sca rs on her jaw.
Demons around the world would recogn ize Maya Rosen.
Keeping his gaze locked on the group of male goblins standing closest to the smoldering pit, Ravyr started a me ntal countdown.
Five, four, thre e, two, one...
On cue the largest of the goblins turned to sprint around the gaping hole, knocking both humans and demons o ut of his path.
“There he goes.” Ravyr didn’t bother to wrestle his way through the mob, choosing a casual pace as he strolled up the block as if he didn’t have any interest in th e fleeing male.
He’d marked the goblin’s scent; now there was nowhere in the world he could hide. And he preferred for the male not to realize he was being followed. He wasn’t in the mood to be led around the city as the goblin futilely tried to avoid him.
Keeping a pace that Maya could match without having to jog to keep up, Ravyr followed the scent of fear past a block of elegant restaurants and bakeries until they reached a row of brick apart ment buildings.
Ravyr halted near the corner, allowing his senses to sweep through the neighborhood for potential danger. He detected a family of fairies as well as several lesser demons in the building, along with several humans. This obviously wasn’t an area where the more elite demons gathered, but that didn’t mean there weren’t threatening creatures lurki ng in the dark.
Following the trail to the side of the six-story building, Ravyr easily broke through the flimsy lock and shoved open the steel door. He paused again, determined to avoid an unpleasant surprise. When nothing shot at him or leaped out of the dark, he entered the small foyer, waiting for Maya to join him before cl osing the door.
Overhead an Exit sign flickered with a weird red glow, revealing another door that led to the main part of the building. Predictably the scent of goblin led down the narrow cement steps to the basement, which smelled like rotting garbage. It would be too much to hope he would have a lovely condo on t he first floor.
Sharing a wry glance with his companion, Ravyr cautiously headed down the stairs, grimacing as they passed a large dumpster set beneath an overhead chute. A few feet away was a door that pulsed with an unseen magic. This was where the dem on was hiding.
He reached out, but before he could grab the knob, Maya was smacking his hand away. His brows lifted as she whispered soft words, creating a spiderweb of threads that coated the door from top to bottom. The strands of magic shimmered with a silvery light before they abruptly caught fire and burned with a blinding speed. Acrid smoke added to the stench of garbage as the charred threads floated to the floor lik e bits of ash.
Ravyr shuddered. It’d been a nasty hex. One that would have caused him considerable pain. His confidence that having Maya as a partner was going to be beneficial was alrea dy paying off.
In more ways than one, he silently acknowledged, savoring the rich scent of orchids that covered the nasty odors fillin g the hallway.
With an effort, Ravyr returned his concentration to the demon they were chasing. The creature had no doubt sensed his hex being broken, which meant he knew they were there. The time for sub tlety was over.
With one swing of his arm, Ravyr smashed open the door, ripping it off its hinges and sending it crashing into the apartment. Or at least what passed as an apartment. One glance around the cramped space was enough to reveal that it’d once been a storage room that had been converted into a living space. The owner of the building was clearly taking advantage of the renaissance of the neighborhood to cram in as many tenant s as possible.
A cloud of dust filled the air as the door landed on the filthy floor, and the goblin inside coughed as he lifted his hands in a pl eading gesture.
“Please. I didn’t do anything wrong,” he choked out.
Ravyr stepped forward, acutely aware of Maya who remained behind him, guarding the door to make sure they weren’t interrupted. They really did make the perfect pair, he mused, studying the male standing i n front of him.
The goblin was nearly as tall and wide as Ravyr with a dull crimson aura that revealed he was on the lower end of the demon hierarchy. His long black hair framed a square face and brushed his broad shoulders. His features were bluntly cut and set in a defiant expression even as fear shimmered in the dark eyes. The Cabal was no longer led by savages, but they maintained an iron control over the demons who chose to liv e in the Gyres.
“You broke my door,” the goblin groused, licking his lips as he tried to act outraged.
“Wha t’s your name?”
“You can call me Pike,” he grudgingly offered, waving his hand toward the broken door. “Are you going to pay fo r the damages?”
Ravyr folded his arms over his chest. “You shoul dn’t have run.”
“What did you expect? Leeches are al ways trouble.”
Well, that’s true enough, Ravyr silently agreed. Not that he was going to share his opinion w ith the goblin.
“I’ll pass your opinio n on to Valen.”
“I didn’t mean Valen,” Pike hastily corrected. “I’m a loyal servant to Hi s Excellency.”
“Good. Then you’ll be happy to assist in my investigation.”
“Sure. What investigation?”
“The explosion at the S laughterhouse.”
Pike slowly lowered his hands, his wary gaze darting toward Maya before retur ning to Ravyr.
“Sorry, I’m afraid that I don’t have any information about that.” He did more lip licking. “I heard it w as a gas leak.”
The temperature in the small space dropped by several degrees. “Show me the security footage fr om last night.”
Pike cleared his throat, sweat beading on his bulging forehead. “Security footage? I don’t know what you’re—” The male’s words were cut short as Ravyr strolled forward, grabbing the idiot around the throat and lifting him off the ground. “Argh.”
Ravyr calmly watched Pike’s face darken to a peculiar shade of puce. “Let me give you a bit of friendly advice,” he said, although there was nothing friendly in his tone. “I have two moods. Pissed off. And homicidal. Right now I’m pissed of f. Understand?”
“Right, yeah,” Pike managed to wheeze. “I understand.”
“The sec urity footage.”
The goblin waved a weak hand toward the desk at the back of the room. “TV.”
Ravyr tossed the goblin aside and headed to the small flat-screen television that was nearly hidden behind stacks of invoices and empt y coffee cups.
“Show me, ” he commanded.
There was a grunt of pain as the demon picked himself up off the floor and reluctantly moved to stand next to Ravyr.
“Fine, but I’ve watched the footage a thousand times and there’s nothing to prove who set off the explosion,” he muttered, grabbing a remote control. He scrolled through the apps until he reached the one he wanted.
Ravyr felt a stir of air as Maya moved to stand on the other side of them, watching the grainy video that flickered into motion. The screen was divided in two, including the inside of the fight club as well as the f ront entrance.
Grabbing the remote control, Ravyr fast-forwarded throug h the footage.
There was nothing obvious to point out who might have planted the bomb. Unlike Valen’s expensive clubs, there was no bouncer at the front door or security to keep the crowd under control. During the evening there’d been dozens of pushing and shoving episodes that had escalated into full-blown brawls, scattering the crowd and causing complete pandemonium. There could have been a dozen bombs planted du ring the chaos.
“Is there another camera angle?” Ravyr at last demanded.
“No,” Pike admitted.
Reaching the moment of explosion, Ravyr ground his fangs and rewound the tape to start from the moment the first employee had arrived. There had to b e something....
“Stop,” Maya abr uptly breathed.
Ravyr hit pause on the remote control. “Do you reco gnize someone?”
“Hexx,” she muttered, pulling her phone out to take a picture of the customers ent ering the club.
“A hex?” Ravyr aske d in confusion.
“No, his name is Hexx,” she clarified. “Fast-forward.” Ravyr did as she commanded, prepared when she lifted he r hand. “Stop.”
Maya leaned forward to take another picture; then, leaning close to Ravyr, she turned her phone so he could s ee the screen.
“This is Hexx going into the club.” She zoomed in to reveal a male goblin with crimson flames tattooed along the line of his jaw. His hair was long and pulled into a ponytail and his face narrow, like a rodent. He was wearing a sleeveless leather vest and jeans despite the chilled night air and he had a pale red aura. “Look at his backpack.”
Ravyr studied the bag slung over the male’s shoulder. It looked like a regular backpack you could pick up in any dep artment store.
“ What about it?”
“It’s full there.” Maya swiped to the second picture. The one of the male heading out of the building. “An d empty there.”
“That bastard,” Pike snarled from the other side of Ravyr, slamming his fist on the desk. “I should have known he was there to cause trouble. He’s been avoiding me f or six months.”
“Why?” Ravyr demanded.
“He owes me money.” Pike turned toward the door. “I’m goin g to kill him.”
Ravyr grabbed him by the neck, pushing him against the wall. “You’re going to do nothing. The Cabal is in charge of this investigation.”
“Why?” Pike stuck out his chin, his aura swirling with frustration. “It was my building. I should get to beat the sh it out of him.”
“A building that was being used as an illegal fight club.” Ravyr flashed his fangs. “Something I’m sure Valen intends to dis cuss with you.”
“Fight clubs are illegal?” The angry scowl melted away, replaced by a pretense of shock. “Really? I had no idea.”
Ravyr rolled his eyes, loosening his grip so he could join Maya as she headed out the door. He would send word to Valen that he’d discovered the owner of the S laughterhouse.
Thankfully Pike wasn ’t his concern.
He had enough problems without addi ng to his list.