Chapter 36 – Marc
“Okay, thanks for letting me know,” Marc said and hung up the phone. Hellion looked up from the couch where he was playing some shooter with Hazard.
“What was that?” he asked.
“That was the clerk I paid to inform me about things related to the attack cases. Someone just bailed Elena out.”
“What?” Now Hazard looked interested, too. “Wasn’t her bail set ridiculously high?”
“It was,” Marc agreed, frowning. Something didn’t feel right. “Why would anyone—”
“Where’s Wayla?” Hellion cut him off as he got up from the couch.
“I don’t know. Jarred might…” He paused when Hellion whipped his phone out. It took several rings before Jarred picked up.
“Hey?”
Marc could hear him and music pounding in the background when Hellion put it on speaker.
“Please tell me you’re with Wayla?” Hellion demanded.
“No, I’m at a party. She’s working late tonight. Why?”
“And you’re not with her?” Hellion sounded disbelieving.
Jarred laughed. “She can handle herself. It’s just a library, Hellion.”
“Listen, you little—”
“Jarred,” Marc hurried to cut Hellion off before he could say something that would strain their relationship further. “I just received a tip that someone bailed Elena out. It doesn’t mak—”
“What?” Now Jarred was the one shouting. “She’s out?”
“Yeah. According to my source, she was released about an hour ago,” Marc said, giving the information to Hellion and Hazard as well.
“Fuck, I need to call Risha,” Jarred said and promptly hung up on them. Hellion stared at the phone, disbelief written all over his face.
“He just hung up on me.”
Marc bit his lip and felt something start to build low in his stomach.
Hazard broke the tense silence. “I’ll get Ilijas and Sim to see if they can figure out what’s going on.
” He hesitated for a moment and then clearly made up his mind about something, stopping by the door.
“And you can’t really blame him for that.
Irishen has been spending a lot of time with them while you two stay here, sulking.
” He slipped out the door before either of them could say a word.
“He didn’t just—”
“Yeah, he did,” Marc said and rubbed his temples.
Maybe he and Hellion had spent a bit more time in the cellar than the others, but they had been training, not sulking.
Or blowing off steam and planning. Like what to do with the dead-demon-walking, Kelsey.
Hellion had come up with some interesting ideas.
“Where the fuck is she?” Hellion tapped at his phone. “Damn it, Wayla, pick up.”
Marc tried to call Jarred but didn’t get through.
“Nothing,” Hellion huffed. He was vibrating with frustrated energy. “I’m going to the library.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Fuck,” Hellion growled. “I should have installed that tracking app on her phone.”
“You…” Marc trailed off. Tracking Wayla’s phone would be pretty damn useful right about now. “Yeah, you should have.”
Hellion threw him a glare.
“Okay, let’s move,” Marc said. “I’m going to call Ginny and see if they know where she is.”
“I’m going to get my eyes on the ground,” Hellion muttered, typing furiously on his phone.
Marc frowned when Ginny didn’t pick up. Neither did Chrissy nor Diana. He tried Jarred again, then Wayla. No one was picking up.
Then they were out the door and running toward the library. Taking a car would be a waste of time when most of the campus was a no-vehicle zone. Jarred and Justin could zip through with their bikes, but they weren’t here, so running it was.
Marc tried to convince himself that they were blowing things out of proportions, but somehow his heartbeat didn’t listen to the lie. The way Hellion was barking commands into his phone told Marc enough of his thoughts on the matter.
The attack on Tracthesian grounds had left them all on edge, Hellion even more so. And they still hadn’t been able to figure what Tharrexeus’s plan had been. Elena was part of that plan… and someone had just bailed her out.
Fuck.
What usually was a nice half an hour walk was now an eons-long run. When the library came into view, dark and silent, he knew they were too late.
Something flickered into his peripheral vision and was gone too fast for him to react. Another flicker, a fucking portal, came moments later, this one stabilizing with a strong crackle.
Marc gulped when demon soldiers wearing the royal crest poured through it. First two, then four, then six. They formed a circle around the portal and stood at guard. The air around them vibrated with power and Hellion was cursing colorfully by the time Lucifer stepped through, Esserieh at his back.
“Language, Marchellion,” Lucifer admonished his son. High demons lived long, but the name of Lucifer was actually a title. Hellion would be called Lucifer one day. Knowing all of that didn’t ease Marc’s mind one bit when the Lord of Hell’s eyes landed on him. Even his gaze crackled with power.
“Lord Lucifer,” Marc choked out and gave a deep bow.
“Marshall Ulriche,” Lucifer replied, with a slight nod. “Now, I thought I made myself quite clear through Esserieh that you two were to drop digging up things about Wayla Stormwell?”
Shit. How had he found out so quickly?
“I’m not digging,” Hellion snapped.
“Marchellion—”
“I’m trying to find her because she’s in danger.”
Esserieh snapped to attention and his eyes bore into Hellion. “Explain.”
“Elena Flameward was released from custody—”
“Ah.” Lucifer sighed and Esserieh relaxed.
“Wayla can take care of Elena easily,” Esserieh said, shaking his head. “You two need to pull your heads out of your asses before you ruin everything.”
“But—”
“No buts, Marchellion,” Lucifer said. “This is your last warning before I recall you back home.”
“What!?”
“Why aren’t you surprised about Elena’s release?” Marc wanted to know.
Lucifer shrugged. “Because I’m the one who paid her bail. Now, fix your mess and call off your rats, Marchellion.”
He turned on his heel and walked straight back through the portal. The soldiers followed until only Esserieh was left. He frowned and glared at the portal before facing Marc and Hellion again.
“Next time, call me,” he snapped. “If your incompetence endangers Wayla, I’ll hold you personally responsible. Got it?” He didn’t wait for their reply before stepping through the portal and closing it behind him.
“What the hell?” Hellion mumbled, and Marc fully agreed.
“What are we going to do?” he asked.
“I don’t give a fuck what he says,” Hellion snarled. “We find her and then deal with my father.”
“Sounds like a splendidly stupid idea. I’m in,” Marc said and looked around the quiet street. This day was getting worse and worse. What would blow up in their faces next? “Let’s check her dorm. And call Jarred again. I’ll try the girls.”
“On it,” Hellion replied and they started jogging.