She shook her head, her eyes wide. “No. They think Ulric is still trapped on a prison world and is trying to make his way home. Ulric has been released?”
Benny chuckled. “Well, he escaped, anyway. We sure didn’t release him. But we caught the bastard again.”
She looked down and only glanced back up when he tightened his hold on her chin. “Wh-Where is he?” she whispered, almost as if she didn’t want to ask the question.
Benny sighed. There was an excellent chance she was just a pawn in this whole situation, and his anger needed to be directed at the Kurjans, not her. For now, anyway. “You don’t need to worry your gorgeous self about that, sweetheart.” He sounded just condescending enough to make her eyes narrow. Good to know. Her eye could still narrow with the device implanted. “We have him somewhere he’ll never get free—not here. Until the final ritual, of course. Then he goes to hell.”
Karma breathed out, looking more than a little stunned. “How did he get free?”
Benny traced her jaw with his thumb, torturing himself. Her skin was soft, and her bone structure had the delicacy of days gone by. The female hadn’t had a choice in her life from day one, and he couldn’t be angry with her for the demands made on her now. But he had to play his part until the queen finished studying the scan of Karma’s head to make sure there wasn’t a bomb hidden in there. “I don’t worry about the physics of everything. My job is to be ready to take out the enemy, and believe me, I am.”
She studied him as if he were a puzzle she couldn’t solve. “I’m sorry you have to fight.”
Now, that was sweet. “I like fighting,” he admitted. “It took me three years and a lot of fights to find you, and it was well worth it.”
She grabbed his arm, her small fingers digging in. “Why, Benjamin? I just don’t understand why you would put yourself in danger and even get tortured to find me. It does not make sense.”
Her soft words pierced right through his impenetrable torso to his heart. The female really didn’t see her own worth. His ears burned as he realized he’d been using her just as the Kurjans had for centuries. Enough of that. He’d still feed her some information, because he had to, but he was no longer angry with her. So he grinned. “Honey? Fighting the Kurjans is like doing yoga for the day. They’re wimps. And torture? Come on. That Terre and Jaydon the creepy Cyst were as good at torture as a dog would be at water skiing. Honest. I was mostly bored.”
She scoffed and then caught herself. “Oh, Benjamin.”
Okay. He might have to insult them some more, just for fun. The day was looking up.
Footsteps pounded, and he glanced over to find Mercy running toward them full-on. The wild-assed fairy grinned and threw him a phone. “It’s Hope Kayrs-Kyllwood. Says some chick named Linda won’t stop bugging her about getting Karma to return to her people.”
Benny frowned and caught the phone, then handed it to Karma.
“Hello,” Karma said, placing the phone against her left ear—the one that didn’t have the device attached to it. She listened intently for several moments. “I understand. Yes, she’s a ghost, for lack of a better term. Why? I don’t know. Thanks.” She disengaged the call.
Benny lifted an eyebrow.
Karma shrugged. “I told you, I see dead people. This one has business still with the Kurjan nation.” She bit her lip again. “Apparently she found another conduit in Hope. I’m sorry about that.”
Oh, there was more to this story. “I see,” Benny said. No, he didn’t, but he would. How could he get her to open up with the Kurjans listening? Time to shake them up a little. “Honey? I think we should mate. I know it’s soon, but the Kurjans will forget all about you if you’re mated.”
The color drained from her face. “No,” she whispered, her voice tortured.
Well. That was a little insulting.
Chapter Fifteen
This was insane—and kind of fun. Paxton Phoenix jumped from the tree onto Hope’s roof, angling his body at the right moment to avoid the cameras and sensors set strategically around the property. The night-op glasses he wore showed both, although he already knew where most of the cameras were placed. He’d been sneaking into Hope’s room at night as long as he’d been able to walk.
Of course, back then, Hope’s parents and probably all of the demon nation had known he was there.
Now they didn’t.
He shook off a feeling of unease and a sense of disloyalty at the thought. Hope’s dad had always been more than cool with Pax, and three years ago, he’d even made sure Pax had a safe place to live with his uncle. But things had changed. Pax grasped the overhang and flipped over, swinging inside Hope’s room to land easily on the floor.
She sat on her bed, her legs crossed, watching the window. “Nice.”
He grinned and shut the blinds against the meager moon. It had to be past midnight, and most of the world was already asleep. “Thanks.” Her room was as familiar as his own, even though he hadn’t visited in over six months. “Where’s the ghost?” He’d come the second Hope had texted him about the problem, although he’d never dealt with a real ghost before. Only the ghosts of the past that lived in his head.
She looked around, her eyes pinched. “She’s gone. I called Karma earlier today and sent the message along. The ghost just kind of hovered around after that, but she finally disappeared a few minutes ago. Maybe because you got here?” Hope rubbed her blue eyes. “I can’t start seeing ghosts, Paxton. There’s just too much coming at me right now.” The blue design that scrolled up her neck and over her exposed shoulder glowed for a moment. The design of the prophets.
He moved without thinking, kicking off his boots to sit on her bed and take her hand. “You’re the strongest person I know. Take a breath and let it out.”
She obeyed him instantly, then took another breath and blew it out, and the color returned to her face. “I’ve missed you.”
His chest warmed. “Ditto.” It didn’t seem possible, but she was even prettier now than she’d been last year. Her eyes were so blue it hurt, and her hair was a little longer, curling down her back. Calling it brown didn’t do the lush strands justice. They were brown, gold, and red, an ever-changing mass of color that made his fingers itch to run through it. “Is the prophecy mark bugging you?”
“No.” She rubbed her neck. “It’s just there. Feels heavy.”
There were three prophets on the planet, each one determined by fate, and identified by the marking. They were the spiritual leaders of the Realm, but Hope had never wanted the calling. So far, her parents had shielded her from having to do anything about it.