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“That is strange.” Declan watched the Seraph closely. He, too, was wondering the same things. “Did he leave his chaos ring at home?”
Cale’s eyes narrowed, but his voice remained neutral. “He’s a demon lord. If he wants to travel incognito, he will.” Cale smiled. “I do it all the time.”
“We need to get Kaden to safety.” Ana flew to the teen’s side. “Is there another way out of here?”
Ransome nodded. “My place, the loft above the club.” He pointed toward the door he’d arrived from earlier. “It’s through there.”
Ana looked at Declan. The fear he saw in her eyes touched him deeply. If he could never see that look on her face again he’d be a happy man.
“We can’t let Samael get to him,” Ana whispered.
Declan walked to her and stared down into eyes. “Nothing will happen to the boy.” She was trembling. Her face, so pale already, looked ashen. Ana DeLacrux was a fearless, tough operative. To see her in such a vulnerable state did something to his insides. It twisted them into all kinds of want and need and filled him with a desire to protect what was his.
His hand grazed the coolness of her cheeks. She was his. Ana might not know it yet but as he stood there in front of her, he made a vow to make her realize the absolute truth. One day.
Her eyes deepened into liquid navy and glistened like glass. She moved her head slightly, as if she wanted to rest her cheek in his palm but then jerked back and stepped away.
The moment was gone.
No matter. He’d get it back if it took him until the end of eternity, but first things first.
“Take Kaden and the girl. Get them to the mansion and we’ll be along shortly.” Declan glanced at Nico. “You go with Ana. Make sure they get there safely.” He then nodded to the others. “I’m feeling thirsty, boys. I think it’s about time Ransome buys us a round.”
His gaze settled onto Kaden. “You listen to Ana. This isn’t a game.” The boy nodded. He knew how serious the situation was.
Ana pushed Francesca toward the door and then her eyes met his once more. She raised her chin. “Take care of yourself, O’Hara.” She opened her mouth once more, but then closed it before speaking. He watched as she slipped through the door, Francesca and Kaden ahead of her.
Nico paused before following her through. “I expect to see you sons of bitches later.”
The door closed behind the jaguar warrior and Declan exhaled. “All right, let’s do this.” He pulled up the power that lay inside his chest. It thrummed against the walls of his heart and pushed its way out. His hands were held loose at his side, languid almost, but the utter carelessness of their posture was a lie. Declan O’Hara was ready to wage war and as he stepped out of the office into the heated air of the club, he smiled.
It was about time. He felt as if he’d been standing still for the past few weeks.
The three of them stood above the mezzanine and their gaze swept the now-full room below. The band was gearing up for another set and as the house lights dimmed and the crowd erupted into a noisy welcome back, three men at the bar grabbed Declan’s attention.
He focused and ripped back the layers of reality that clung to them. It was difficult to see past the veil but after several moments their true countenance was revealed.
The tall man in the center was Samael. Him Declan knew on sight. As the demon lord of chaos, the bastard was well-known throughout the underworld and when Declan had been imprisoned below, deep within the bowels of Hell, he’d seen him on several occasions.
His features were hidden, deep in shadow, but Declan felt the intensity of his stare as Samael glanced upward. He held a shot glass aloft, tossed back the liquid, and then turned to the bartender. Sarah dutifully filled the glass before administering the same care to the other two men.
They were not demon lords, rather bodyguards, but that didn’t lessen the threat any.
Declan took a step down. “You think there’s a chance the bastard is drunk? ’Cause I’m thinking that wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
Cale snorted. “Not likely.”
“Not that it matters,” Declan answered as he cleared the last stair. He flexed his hands, reveled in the energy that sizzled along his limbs.
Ransome slipped between the two of them. “I want those three goons out of my place.” He glared at Declan. “And if anything gets broken I’m holding you totally fucking responsible.”
“Shit, Ransome. That’s a tall order. When’s the last time you kicked someone’s ass without anything getting broken?” Declan asked.
The werewolf growled and nodded toward the bar. “Ladies first,” he said. Declan didn’t bother to answer. His mind shifted gears and he concentrated on the task at hand.
The bar was full of people. All sorts of beings, human, shifter, vampire, and aside from the three at the bar, he caught the unmistakable scent of demon. He let his gaze run over the heaving crowd on the dance floor. Bodies were entwined, limbs pressed against secret places as they swayed to the hypnotic beat of the music. There were several demons in the midst, but they seemed oblivious to the fact that one of their own, a demon lord no less, was present.
“You think it’s a trap?” he said to Cale as the tall warrior stepped beside him. A b
