Jack, Travis, and Lace looked at her, but only for a moment, their expressions betraying nothing, while Ivyana, Tanner, and Maximus continued to either stare at nothing or share meaningful glances with one another.
Darien was also one of those people who was now staring at nothing.
“Darien,” Loren prompted. She felt like puking, and the floor was spinning beneath her bare feet. “What’s going on?”
He rubbed a hand over his face. “Randal Slade has been informed that a human has been staying at Hell’s Gate.”
Loren’s blood ran cold at that name: Randal Slade. He was not only a Darkslayer but the city’s most powerful crime boss. He’d been in and out of Blackwater Penitentiary so many times the law enforcement had lost count.
Loren’s fingers flew to her neck—to the brand-new Avertera talisman resting in the hollow of her throat. “Does he know about…” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.
It was Maximus who said, “We don’t know, Loren. We’re hoping not, but at this point we aren’t sure what information he’s managed to uncover.”
“Randal has…requestedthat I bring you to him.” From the rage sparking in Darien’s eyes, Loren knew Randal hadn’t requested it; he’ddemandedit. “So that he can see for himself what all thefuss,as he likes to call it, is about.”
“Who do you think told him?” Loren asked.
“Could’ve been anyone,” Lace cut in. “The wolves know what’s been going on with us. Calanthe, along with every vampire in her coven, has enough eyes in this city that someone might’ve simply spotted you with us at the club and put two-and-two together. Which means other covens might’ve found out as well. Aside from that, the wrong person simply might’ve taken note of you two at the Devil’s Advocate and thought it was worth mentioning to Randal.”
“You forgot about Benjamin and his graverobbers,” Tanner said. “It could’ve been one of them who sold us out.”
Darien shook his head. “Doesn’t matter who it is right now. We’ll deal with that after we’ve handled Randal.”
Loren ventured closer to the island. Spread out on the counter was a map of the city.
“Which Darkslayer House is Randal in?” Of course, the circles of Darkslayers were not marked on the map the way Calanthe’s five houses—the Blood Rose, the Silver Torch, the Corpse Flower, the Hammer Orchid, and the Blue Lily—were. As bounty hunters and frequent breakers of the law, Darkslayers operated far more secretively than the four-hundred-year-old vampire. And although this whole city and those beyond were aware of the existence of Hell’s Gate, very few people knew where it was.
“He’s not technically apartof any of them,” Darien replied. “Heleadsall of them. And he’s here.” He smacked two fingers onto Angelthene Boulevard, a main artery that ran from the Meatpacking District to the Control Tower.
Loren’s brow creased. “His residence is on Angelthene Boulevard?”
“Notonit,” he corrected.“Beneathit. At least, that’s where he spends most of his time.”
She took a steadying breath. “I don’t suppose we have any say in the matter. Do we?”
“We’re afraid not,” Tanner replied. The kitchen light shone off the black-framed glasses perched on his straight nose. “When Randal makes a request, no matter who is on the receiving end—whether it’s Darien, me, Calanthe, or Johnathon Kyle—that request gets answered.”
Ivyana smoothed the wrinkles in the map. “Which entrance into the godfather’s lair will be taking this time?” Despite the teasing tone she used, her face was cold with rage.
Lace said, “We’re not goingnow.”Despite that it sounded like a statement, it was really a question, and she looked at Darien for the answer.
And Darien looked at Loren before saying, “Randal can wait a day. We’ll go tomorrow.” He tapped a finger on the north end of the downtown core, near the Flower District and Arcterus Boulevard. “We’ll go in closest to the temple.” He didn’t need to explain that it was farthest from the Meatpacking District and the dregs of society, which meant a lesser possibility of running into other kinds of trouble on the way.
The tension in the room was a tangible thing; it made Loren sick to her stomach.
“I’m guessing no matter where we enter,” she said, “paying a visit to Randal is going to have its risks.”
It was Travis who spoke. “This is the first time anything like this has ever happened. The first time any of us have had a human in our company. I imagine Randal is going to have a few questions for us.”
“And maybe a few bullets.” Although Jack seemed like he was joking, his brown eyes gleamed with worry.
Darien said, “It’ll be questions and nothing else.”
The Devils had a few more things to discuss, and once their questions were addressed, they either shot off to bed or left to track down bounties. And although they hid the stress of the situation well, the fact remained that, come tomorrow night, they would all need to face the kingpin of the city’s organized crime. And they would be facing him for Loren.
The thought didn’t sit well. She barely slept the rest of the night, and she had the feeling she was now living on borrowed time—and might’ve been for a while already.
39
