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That was the thing about Tribunal warrants. They weren’t exactly legal. It was a situation the human police knew about and often looked the other way on, but they weren’t too gung ho about ignoring murders that happened right in front of them.
“You know I can’t let that happen.”
I did. I knew. And still I wanted to let the knife sink in and deal with the repercussions later. The only problem with that particular plan was I wasn’t going to be able to help Sig or anyone else if I was locked up in a cell somewhere.
“This is the guy who killed those girls in High Line.” I eased back on the knife and got to my feet. “Make sure he gets a secure cell, preferably one with a nice big window in it.”
Mercedes made a call on the radio clipped to her bulletproof vest. Something about Vampire Unit, which would ideally already be on site, since they were raiding a vampire bar. A few moments later two uniformed officers appeared and secured Davos in specialty vampire handcuffs, then escorted him off to God knows where.
“You need to keep asking him about Sig,” I told her. “Please.”
“I will.”
“And you need to make sure he doesn’t get out again.”
She gave me a look that said, Girl, seriously, is that what you think of me? and I left it at that.
“Take me to see the bathroom.” Cedes helped me off the floor, and I guided her to the women’s bathroom, showing her where I had left the wall open, and the space behind.
We spent several hours going through the bar together, and by the time I got out, the sky was starting to lighten and some very-early-morning commuters were beginning to make their way to the office. Times like this I was especially grateful for New York, because this was the rare kind of city where I didn’t look like I was doing a walk of shame at four thirty in the morning simply because of the short dress and heels I had on.
There were messages waiting for me as I made the short trip back to my apartment. A text from Simone that said she’d gotten out fine but would have appreciated a heads-up about the raid.
Guess she wasn’t exactly worried about me.
There was a voicemail from Holden checking to make sure I was okay. I sent him back a text since he’d be just about dead to the world right now, but at least he’d wake up knowing I was still in one piece. Another call from Tyler confirmed what I’d figured out on my own. The mark was a demonic sigil.
Specifically, it was the sigil of Belphegor himself.
So it turned out it wasn’t happenstance that brought the Prince of Hell to the gate first. They’d been calling for him in particular. After a nap, I was going to have to do a little more research on Belphegor, something our willing captive-friend Harold might be able to offer some insight into, considering he’d pretended to be the guy.
I found it interesting that Davos, who so clearly wanted to bring Belphegor up, had no idea the demon was already here.
What was it precisely the big, winged guy had to offer that made him so appealing to these vampire cults? I wasn’t up to date on all my demon lore, so I wasn’t sure why he’d be the go-to guy they would want waiting at the door, but knowing that might also help us understand where he was going next so we could recover him and dispatch him from whence he came.
I got to the apartment, kicked off my boots at the door, and made a beeline for the couch, where I flopped down face-first in the squishy cushions and covered my head with a blanket to block out the rising sun from our huge windows. Rio jumped up next to my head and started purring happily.
The clack of a mug being set down near my face wasn’t enough to make me move the blanket, but I grunted a thank you.
Desmond lifted my legs and sat down next to me, placing my feet in his lap. Judging by the smell he had his own fresh coffee in hand.
“So I know you don’t like me to press, and I want you to know that I believe you to be very capable and tough.”
“I sense a but coming.” I pushed the blanket off my head and rolled onto my back, putting two throw pillows under my head so I could look at him without actually sitting up.
He turned on the TV to the news, where the exterior of the club I’d just been at was shown, police cars and tape in front. It had been taken when it was still fully dark out, and there I was, plain as day in my minidress, looking like a petite dictator as I pointed things out to the cops.
“You told me you were going to do some recon to find Sig. What I got was no wife in my bed last night and a newsfeed about how a vampire bar got busted for playing a part in a kidnapping and murder.”
“Probably more than one.”
“Secret.”
“So now wouldn’t be the best time to tell you that I got pulled through a bathroom wall because one of the vampires was hoping to make me an unwilling participant in a demonic ritual, right?”
He rested his hand on my feet, gently squeezing the arches, and took a sip of his coffee before speaking. “I’m not going to tell you what you can and can’t do. It’s not my place, and I know you won’t listen to me anyway. I knew who you were when I married you, and that’s the woman I love, and still love. But, Secret, I think you might not be aware of the fact you are mortal now, and fallible, and there’s going to come a day where you don’t get to walk away and make jokes about it.”
“If we’re being technical, that day already came.”
