“Yes,” Nik said, tone like ice. “Because I’m going after one.”
“Rrright.” Týr nodded. “Just have to be discreet about it, so it doesn’t land us in hot water with the lady boss. I mean, we’ve taken an oath with Gaia to harm no human.”
“This is one human I’ll break any oaths to get my hands on. And you’re not getting involved.”
Týr snorted. “Afraid I can’t let you do that. If we’re all involved, then we have a better chance of getting out of this intact. Wanna talk about it?”
Nik ground his teeth. Always someone was with him as if they sensed he walked a tightrope of getting his ass kicked out of being a Guardian.
“I failed Shadow once. I won’t do so again. That’s him—” He nodded to the heavily muscled fucker in the dark suit getting out of a black SUV, recognizing him from seven years ago with Olivia. This asshole used his strength against two fragile females, causing both to lose so much. Nik had to reel in the urge to flash over and simply kill the bastard.
Oh, he would avenge his mate for what she’d suffered.
He stepped into a recessed doorway on the side street and dematerialized, Týr at his side as he followed the human. They coasted through the building’s elegant foyer in their invisible state and entered the private elevator with Enzo Argo and his two human bodyguards. They stood there like statues with no idea they weren’t alone.
Don’t care for the bastard’s beady eyes. I’d want to kill him just for that, Týr telepathed him.
Nik appreciated the try for lightheartedness, but he was wound too tight to snort.
The elevator halted on the top floor, and the door rolled open. The humans exited, heading for the penthouse.
The blinding white décor of the opulent place seared Nik’s corneas. No wonder Shadow hated white.
“Send him to me,” Enzo snapped to one of his henchmen. “And search his damn room.”
Nik followed Enzo upstairs to his bedroom.
What’s the plan? Take form and threaten him? Get the truth out? Týr asked, then added, Someone comes.
The door opened, and a lanky juvenile about six feet tall took two steps into the room. Nik recognized him from the photos his search had dug up. The same boy he first saw months ago at the cemetery.
Hell, Týr cursed. The lad’s Kira’s friend, from The Shelter.
And Shadow’s brother, Nik added.
“How much longer do you have at The Shelter?” Enzo demanded.
Liam shrugged. “Two months.”
“You just had to fucking steal a car,” Enzo barked. “I’ve got a good mind to teach you a lesson, but I don’t have the time.” He tugged off his tie and tossed it aside. “Did you think about what I asked?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to university,” Liam said, tone low and flat.
“That fucking attitude won’t work with me, you dumb little shit!”
Anger emitting from the boy tugged at Nik, but nothing showed on his young face.
“Good thing I’m now the trustee of your trust fund,” Enzo growled. “I would rather see the back of you, but I have to put up with you for a few more weeks until you’re eighteen.”
The boy’s hands clenched, he remained silent.
“Leave. Your presence irritates me.” He flicked him away. “Wait. We’re dining with a few people in two days. Have to keep up appearances and show what a happy family we are. So, no shelter work for you.”
His young face like stone, Liam stalked out.
“The little shit,” Enzo snarled as the door shut. “As if I would bring him into my business.”
Anger bleeding off Nik like an open faucet, he let his vaporous serpent form taker over—
“What the fuck?” Enzo yelped, jumping back as the fog rolled out like a snake and slithered around him.
“You hurt femalesss—” Nik’s sibilant voice had the man paling.
“Mierda!” the asshole pulled out a small gold cross from beneath his shit. “Ave María—”
“Your goddess cannot sssave you, human,” Nik hissed, letting the fog constrict Enzo like a boa. “Olivia sent me.”
Enzo stumbled back, legs hitting the bed. He toppled on the mattress, coughed out, “I didn’t mean to strike her so hard. She-she slipped and hit her head against the marble tub,” he choked out. “It was an accident. Tell her I didn’t mean to lose my temper…”
I want to peel the fucker’s skin off and feed it to him, Týr growled. Then incinerate his damn carcass.
The rage in him taking over, Nik tightened his chokehold. The human gasped, turning blue.
Nik, guards approach, Týr cautioned. Let’s roll. We have him now.
It took everything in Nik to let go of the human scum and leave the penthouse.
No, he wasn’t done with the bastard. Not by a long shot.
Back in an alley downtown, Nik rematerialized.
I’ll catch you later, Týr telepathed and coasted off.
Ten minutes later, Nik headed deeper into an alley downtown, searching for some soulless scourges to work off his frustration, his mind rioting at leaving the bastard breathing. A vaguely familiar male took form in front of him.
Nik narrowed his eyes at the demon he’d interrogated not too long ago at the cemetery. Laex. His features were haggard, eyes bloodshot, looking as if he hadn’t slept for days.
“I’ve been searching for you the past hour,” the demon rumbled, voice hoarse. “You need to come. I found Joyce. But I can’t get to her. They have the place heavily guarded. They’re at an old warehouse in Brooklyn.” He reeled off the address.
Nik didn’t bother with questions. He dematerialized, sensing the demon following.
Nik reformed in the shadowy lane between two storage holdings in Brooklyn. The smell of sea hung heavy, and the gulls were creating a riot with their raucous cawing under the bright moonlight.
Nik surveyed the arched entrance of the warehouse a short distance from them. The dense stench of sulfur in the air almost singed Nik’s nose. Demons direct from the Dark Realm.
“Stay here,” he told Laex.
“No.” His lean features hardened. “Joyce will be terrified. She knows me.”
Damn idiot. But Nik understood, too, the need to protect his female. “Don’t get in my way.”
He cast Nik a wary look and nodded.
Despite the gloom, Nik could easily make out the demons guarding the place in their humanoid forms. He could probably do this on his own, just kill all the bastards in a hail of ice lances, but they needed one for questioning. Better if he had back up.
He mind-linked with Dagan. We have a lead on the missing females. He gave the address. A moment later, the air shimmered next to him as Dagan, Ely, and Aethan took form.
“I’ve scanned the place, can’t pick up any of the captives, but definitely more guards inside, along with these four demons monitoring outside.”
“Joyce is there,” Laex added, his stare glued to the building opposite. “I sense her.”
Aethan arched an eyebrow at Nik, then said, “Ely and I will tackle the ones out here. Give us a second.” They dematerialized and reformed in front of the two at the entrance. Swords flashed, skewering the scourges.