Again.
“I’ve been working the guy for days,” she finally said, forcing herself to focus on the demon from the bar. “He thinks he’s got me wrapped around his finger.”
“Does he?”
The sharp note in Gabriel’s voice made her look up.
Those piercing green eyes narrowed, his broad shoulders tensing. He’d put on his pants but hadn’t finished buttoning his shirt, and now it gaped open, giving her another glimpse of his smooth, hard pecs, all the dips and shadows her mouth still longed to explore.
Jaci turned back to her tea, taking a deep, clarifying breath of mint. Dodging his question, she said, “We need the intel, Prince. Leverage. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Gabriel sighed. From the corner of her eye, she caught him folding his arms across his chest. “And what leverage have you managed to gain?”
“For one thing, the grays. It’s not the amulets we need to worry about now.”
“I gathered as much when we fought them at the hospital.”
“The original resurrection magic was mine—that’s why I was able to stop them with another spell that night. But the delivery…” She wrapped her hands tighter around the mug, a chill racing across her skin that had nothing to do with the vampire. “Renault had another witch working on injectables—something that couldn’t be stripped off in a fight.”
“Workingon?”
“The night of the Bloodbath massacre, Renault sent me there to meet with her—wanted me to drop off some more magical supplies for the spell. But then you guys attacked and I never got the chance. Renault disappeared, the other witches were questioned and released… As far as I knew, they never finished the formula. But—”
“But the grays at the hospital disproved your theory.”
Jaci nodded and took another sip of tea, grateful for its warmth. “Then this demon starts hanging around at the bar, one of Chernikov’s old minions. He’s not dumb enough to criticize you outright, but I got the sense right away he wasn’t too happy about the new alliance. So naturally, I drop a few hints about what a terrible boss you are—”
“Excuse me?”
“—all to get in his good graces, mind you.”
Gabriel scoffed. Jaci took great pleasure in it.
“So this demon and I start to get chummy—”
“Chummy?”
“—and one night, he lets it slip that in his opinion, Renault is still a major player. That he heard the vampire’s sitting on something big, waiting for the right time. A few more drinks, a few more flirty smiles and innuendos, and he tells me Renault has some new magical friends.”
“Witches?” Gabriel asked.
Jaci shook her head. “Mages. A group calling themselves the Keepers of the Dark Flame, claiming to have direct access to immense demonic powers that make the work I was doing look like a dip in the magical kiddie pool.”
“Keepers of the Dark Flame? Have you ever heard of them?”
“No, and frankly, the whole ‘direct access’ thing sounds like bullshit to me. Even for those of us who practice the dark arts, it’s not a simple matter of texting your buddies in hell and ordering up a hit. But itisthe kind of thing that sounds scary as fuck and gives power-hungry guys like Renault a hard-on.”
“So you believe he’s bought into this scheme?”
“Absolutely. The demon said these mages were working on advanced resurrection magic not just for the grays, but for other supernaturals too. Shifters, namely.”
“Bloody hell.” Gabriel rose from the table, pacing the living room and undoubtedly picturing the same thing as Jaci—feral, undead wolves, panthers, and bears, all of them running wild through the streets of New York at Renault’s command. “If Duchanes is working on this, something tells me he’s not far. He wouldn’t leave an operation like this to chance.”
“I agree.”
“So how do we find these mages?”
Abandoning her tea, Jaci joined him at the doors that led out to the balcony. The moon was low in the sky, casting them both in calming silver-blue light. “I tricked him into telling me where their little club likes to meet.”
